Every other year since 1996, Zakir Hussain has served as curator, conductor and producer as he brings his Masters of Percussion, representing the very cream of Indian music and world percussion, to America and Europe.
Growing out of his renowned international tabla duet tours with his father, the legendary Ustad Alla Rakha, Masters of Percussion began as a platform for both popular and rarely heard rhythm traditions from India. While performing and collaborating in India for a few months every year, Hussain has sought and unearthed lesser-known folk and classical traditions that feed into the greater stream of Indian music, playing an educational role in affording them greater visibility, as well as introducing them to audiences in the West. Over time, the constantly changing ensemble has expanded to include great drummers and percussionists from many world traditions, including jazz.
All of it creates a truly beautiful field from which he can bring Masters of Percussion to the West. The latest version will present American audiences with extraordinary and spontaneous combinations of percussive as well as melodic performances.
Past years have included master drummers from Central Asia, India and the United States, virtuosos such as Abbos Kosimov, a master of the Uzbek frame drum known as the doyra; Marcus Gilmore, the most talked about young jazz drummer of our time; Eric Harland of Sangam, and Niladri Kumar, the great young sitarist. They play individually and together, and the results are unforgettable; 2023 will be no exception.
Please note: Biographies are based on information provided to the CSOA by the artists or their representatives. More current information may be available on websites of the artists or their management.
