World-renowned Indian musician and composer Zakir Hussain will return to Krannert Center for the Performing Arts this October alongside fellow music director and Bollywood music composer Rahul Sharma.
Lauded as one of the greatest percussionists in the world, Hussain specializes in the tabla, a pair of hand drums originating in India. The instrument can be played solo or in accompaniment, which Hussain has done with notable musicians, such as Van Morrison, Earth, Wind & Fire and the Grateful Dead.
For his Oct. 29 Krannert performance, Hussain will perform alongside Sharma in a tribute to Sharma’s late father.
“We lost him, and it was a big blow for me, and I felt that we needed to have a closure,” Hussain said.
This closure will come in the form of an approximately 90-minute concert, according to Krannert’s website. The duo will perform an assortment of Indian classical music in the Foellinger Great Hall.
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“There’s a whole bunch of fans all across the United States who saw us play so many times and bought our records and supported our concerts,” Hussain said. “It will be great to get together with them and just reminisce all of the music and pay tribute to this legendary artist who was one of the greatest musicians of India.”
It isn’t Hussain’s first time at the recital hall. Almost two years ago, in November 2022, Hussain performed alongside sitar player Niladri Kumar.
“We did about 22 concerts in about 28 days,” Hussain said. “It was a whirlwind, so I don’t quite remember it exactly … I’m looking forward to coming (back) and sensing how this duel will sound over there.”
Seventy-three-year-old Hussain is coming off of a hugely successful year as a musician, winning three Grammys this past February and being voted DownBeat Critics Percussionist of the Year back-to-back in 2023 and 2024.
Much of Hussain’s earlier work was conducted with Sharma’s father. Hussain described the effect this has had on his work and relationship with Sharma.
“He and I go back a long way,” Hussain said. “He was practically born in front of me. His father, who played the same instrument (as Sharma), was my mentor. I played with his father for like 40 years, hundreds and hundreds of concerts all over the world, including six or seven tours of the United States.”
The instrument in question, which Sharma will perform at Krannert, is the hammer dulcimer, a stringed percussion instrument Hussain described as closely related to the piano. Hussain said Sharma is “definitely a worthy successor to his dad, and probably the finest exponent of this instrument.”
“Bringing his son is for me — in a selfish way — reenacting what I lost when his father left us,” Hussain said. “Having said that, Rahul is now considered one of the finest Indian musicians. He is one of the five or six incredible instrumentalists of India and is a much-in-demand artist in our country.”
According to Hussain, the particular hammer dulcimer Sharma will play has nearly 100 strings. After doing a similar musical act for so long with Sharma’s father, the upcoming performance will be an emotional one.
“I’m really looking forward to rekindling that moment that I shared with his dad and to see how he interprets the music that I and his dad used to play and find a way to converse in that music,” Hussain said.
Hussain and Sharma will take to the Foellinger Great Hall at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 29. Tickets to the event can be purchased here.
