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Zakir Hussain "19H
Ustad Zakir Hussain is a Grammy Award-winning classical tabla virtuoso of the highest order. The
maestro's consistently brilliant and exciting performances have established him not only as a national
treasure in his own country, India, but have also gained him worldwide fame as a percussionist and
international phenomenon.
Inclined toward the tabla from a very young age, Hussain was a child prodigy and started touring by the
time he was just 12, under the tutelage of his legendary father and teacher, Ustad Allarakha Qureshi.
Widely considered a chief architect of the contemporary world music movement, Hussain's contribution
to music has been unique both as a performer and composer, with many historic ensembles and
unique projects including Shakti (which he founded with John McLaughlin), Remember Shakti, Diga
Rhythm Band, Making Music, and Tabla Beat Science. His collaborations include everyone from Chick
Corea, Herbie Hancock, John McLaughlin, Béla Fleck, Ravi Shankar, Mickey Hart, and Yo-Yo Ma to
multiple choreographers, including the renowned Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
In 1991, Hussain joined forces with the Grateful Dead's Mickey Hart for Planet Drum, featuring Latin
jazz percussionists Giovanni Hidalgo and Frank Coldn, Brazilian jazz drummer Airto Moreira and his
wife Flora Purim, Indian ghatam master T.H. “Vikku" Vinayakram, and traditional African percussionists
Sikiru Adepoju and Babatunde Olatunji. The album remained number one on Billhoard's top charts
for 26 weeks and received a Grammy award for Best Contemporary World Music album, a category
introduced specifically to recognize and honor this unique East meets West collaboration.
The recipient of countless honors, Hussain was the youngest percussionist to be awarded the titles of
Padma Shri (1988) and Padma Bhushan (2002), two of the highest awards given to civilians of merit
by the Indian government. On February 8, 2009, Hussain received a Grammy in the Best Contemporary
World Music Album category for Global Drum Project, his group with Mickey Hart, Giovanni Hidalgo,
and Sikiru Adepoju. Hussain was named an Officer in the Order of Arts and Letters in 2009 by France's
Ministry of Culture and Communication for his extraordinary artistic and cultural contributions.
Hussain was the Indian Ambassador for the All-Star Global Concert held at the White House in May
2016, which brought together a who's who of the jazz world. Performing with American and British
legends John McLaughlin, Terence Blanchard, Chick Corea, Marcus Miller, and Wayne Shorter, this
never-before-seen collaboration inspired audiences worldwide with Hussain, once again, bringing the
tabla and Indian culture to an international stage.
Berklee College of Music takes great pride in awarding Ustad Zakir Hussain an honorary doctorate in
recognition of his myriad career accomplishments and his immense contribution to the global music
community. It has been a delight to welcome Hussain to our Berklee campus for a weeklong artist
residency, culminating in tonight's concert celebrating his life’s work, music, and artistic vision.
Zakir Hussain Scholarship at Berklee
Berklee India Exchange is committed to nurturing the next generation of musicians through scholarships,
fellowships and internships. This year, we hope to create a Zakir Hussain Scholarship at Berklee.
Zakir Hussain has generously offered to donate one set of tablas that he performs on at this historic
event for an online auction to raise funds for this scholarship in his name.
Please visit bit.ly/ZakirScholar to support this cause.
Ustad Zakir Hussain is a Grammy Award-winning classical tabla virtuoso of the highest order. The
maestro's consistently brilliant and exciting performances have established him not only as a national
treasure in his own country, India, but have also gained him worldwide fame as a percussionist and
international phenomenon.
Inclined toward the tabla from a very young age, Hussain was a child prodigy and started touring by the
time he was just 12, under the tutelage of his legendary father and teacher, Ustad Allarakha Qureshi.
Widely considered a chief architect of the contemporary world music movement, Hussain's contribution
to music has been unique both as a performer and composer, with many historic ensembles and
unique projects including Shakti (which he founded with John McLaughlin), Remember Shakti, Diga
Rhythm Band, Making Music, and Tabla Beat Science. His collaborations include everyone from Chick
Corea, Herbie Hancock, John McLaughlin, Béla Fleck, Ravi Shankar, Mickey Hart, and Yo-Yo Ma to
multiple choreographers, including the renowned Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
In 1991, Hussain joined forces with the Grateful Dead's Mickey Hart for Planet Drum, featuring Latin
jazz percussionists Giovanni Hidalgo and Frank Coldn, Brazilian jazz drummer Airto Moreira and his
wife Flora Purim, Indian ghatam master T.H. “Vikku" Vinayakram, and traditional African percussionists
Sikiru Adepoju and Babatunde Olatunji. The album remained number one on Billhoard's top charts
for 26 weeks and received a Grammy award for Best Contemporary World Music album, a category
introduced specifically to recognize and honor this unique East meets West collaboration.
The recipient of countless honors, Hussain was the youngest percussionist to be awarded the titles of
Padma Shri (1988) and Padma Bhushan (2002), two of the highest awards given to civilians of merit
by the Indian government. On February 8, 2009, Hussain received a Grammy in the Best Contemporary
World Music Album category for Global Drum Project, his group with Mickey Hart, Giovanni Hidalgo,
and Sikiru Adepoju. Hussain was named an Officer in the Order of Arts and Letters in 2009 by France's
Ministry of Culture and Communication for his extraordinary artistic and cultural contributions.
Hussain was the Indian Ambassador for the All-Star Global Concert held at the White House in May
2016, which brought together a who's who of the jazz world. Performing with American and British
legends John McLaughlin, Terence Blanchard, Chick Corea, Marcus Miller, and Wayne Shorter, this
never-before-seen collaboration inspired audiences worldwide with Hussain, once again, bringing the
tabla and Indian culture to an international stage.
Berklee College of Music takes great pride in awarding Ustad Zakir Hussain an honorary doctorate in
recognition of his myriad career accomplishments and his immense contribution to the global music
community. It has been a delight to welcome Hussain to our Berklee campus for a weeklong artist
residency, culminating in tonight's concert celebrating his life’s work, music, and artistic vision.
Zakir Hussain Scholarship at Berklee
Berklee India Exchange is committed to nurturing the next generation of musicians through scholarships,
fellowships and internships. This year, we hope to create a Zakir Hussain Scholarship at Berklee.
Zakir Hussain has generously offered to donate one set of tablas that he performs on at this historic
event for an online auction to raise funds for this scholarship in his name.
Please visit bit.ly/ZakirScholar to support this cause.
