"I didn't confine my instrument to just the traditional sound," states Zakir Hussain, the legendary and revered tabla virtuoso, when speaking about how he integrated so naturally into the American jazz landscape in the 1970s.
Undoubtedly the most esteemed and respected living tabla player, Zakir joins Haseeb for a hugely special two-hour show of conversation and music. The pair trace Zakir's early years, being hummed melodies as a new-born baby by his father, the illustrious tabla legend, Ustad Alla Rakha. He speaks of becoming a child prodigy, performing from the age of seven and falling in love with the instrument he studied every day.
The pair analyse the role of the oral tradition in Asian and African musical cultures, as Zakir argues that the oral art-form allows a more natural channelling of consciousness into one's instrument than via written music, admitting however that he has "probably lost 40% of the information that was once taught to him," since none of it was ever noted down.
Zakir tells the story of when he received a phone call from Ravi Shankar whilst aged 19. He was asked to join him on tour in America and flew out the next day, igniting a profound collaborative relationship that lasted decades and produced several ground-breaking records. He explains how Shankar helped him understand the importance of being respected in one's home country and so he felt encouraged to play gigs in India every winter, leaving America to do so annually.
He dives deep into his collaborations with John McLaughlin, forming one of the most pivotal musical relationships in American jazz history. It crucially allowed two musicians, maestros in their own cultural fields, to exchange knowledge and approaches of each other's traditions sincerely. Zakir's involvement saw the inclusion of a more sophisticated, spiritual-sounding jazz enter the American landscape, shifting and shaping its ever-changing sound.
Haseeb and Zakir reach a mutual conclusion in their conversation, agreeing that contrasting musical philosophies coming together with an open mind is often the recipe for the most visionary, boundary-breaking and mind-blowing music to be created. His role in bringing Hindustani classical music into the American jazz landscape has exemplified this.
Tune in for two hours of quality conversation accompanied by songs that reflect the stories!
