Zakir Hussain: Singer-Songwriter in New York

About Zakir Hussain

Zakir Hussain was an Indian tabla player, composer, arranger, and producer whose work moved between classical tradition and cross-genre collaboration. Trained in the lineage of his father, tabla master Alla Rakha, he later spent much of his career based in the San Francisco Bay Area while touring widely. In New York-area programs at venues including NJPAC, his name is often invoked as a point of reference for rhythmic precision and musical dialogue. His performances tended to prioritize articulation and structure over spectacle.