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 November 1
Zakir Hussain is today appreciated both in the field of percussion and in the music world at large as an international phenomenon. A classical tabla virtuoso of the highest order, his consistently brilliant and exciting performances have not only established him as a national treasure in his own country, India, but gained him worldwide fame. The favorite accompanist for many of India's greatest classical musicians and dancers, from Ali Akbar Khan and Ravi Shankar to Birju Maharaj and Shivkumar Sharma, he has not let his genius rest there. His playing is marked by uncanny intuition and masterful improvisational dexterity, founded in formidable knowledge and study.
Widely considered a chief architect of the contemporary world music movement, Zakir's contribution to world music has been unique, with many historic collaborations including Shakti, which he founded with John McLaughlin and L. Shankar, the Diga Rhythm Band, Making Music, Planet Drum with Mickey Hart, and recordings and performances with artists as diverse as George Harrison, Joe Henderson, Van Morrison, Jack Bruce, Tito Puente, Pharoah Sanders, Billy Cobham, the Hong Kong Symphony and the New Orleans Symphony.
A child prodigy, Zakir was touring by the age of twelve, the gifted son of his great father, tabla legend Ustad Alla Rakha. Zakir came to the United States in 1970, embarking on an international career which includes no fewer than 150 concert dates a year. He has composed and recorded many albums and soundtracks, and has received widespread recognition as a composer for his many ensembles and historic collaborations. He has composed soundtracks for the films In Custody, Little Buddha by Bernardo Bertolucci, for which Zakir composed, performed and acted as Indian music advisor and Vanaprastham, chosen to be screened at the Cannes Film Festival in May, 1999.
Zakir received the distinct honor of co-composing the opening music for the Summer Olympics in Atlanta, 1996. He has received numerous grants and awards, including participation in the Meet the Composer programs funded by the Pew Memorial Trust. Most recently he received a special commission to compose for the Silk Road Project which he performed live with cellist Yo-Yo Ma for the Mark Morris Dance Group.
In 1988, he became the youngest percussionist to ever be awarded the title of "Padma Shri" by the Indian government, a title given to civilians of merit. In April, 1991, he was presented with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award by the President of India, making him one of the youngest musicians to receive this recognition from India's governing cultural institute. Zakir is the recipient of the 1999 National Heritage Fellowship, the United States' most prestigious honor for a master in the traditional arts.
His album Saturday Night in Bombay with his band Remember Shakti was nominated for World Music Grammy in 2002. Moment Records' 2006 release "Golden Strings of the Sarode" with Aashish Khan and Zakir Hussain was nominated for a Grammy in the Best Traditional World Music category for that year.
In 1992, Zakir founded Moment! Records which features original collaborations in the field of contemporary world music, as well as live concert performances by great masters of the classical music of India.
Contact:
JADE GROUP
Hong Kong 852-6019 0621 / Singapore 65-8201 4757
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www.jadegrouphk.com
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27th October – 8th November.
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