Zakir Hussain and Niladri Kumar
Zakir Hussain and Niladri Kumar
Milwaukee is fortunate to be one of the few stops on Zakir Hussain’s European and U.S. tour this fall. Hussain is considered to be one of the finest tabla players in the world. He is accompanied by the gifted young sitarist, Niladri Kumar. We have to thank the South Asia Institute & People of Rhythm Productions Present for honoring us with this unique concert.
Currently residing in California, Hussain was born in Mumbai, India in 1951 and has received of awards and honors around the world, including multiple Grammys. He was a visiting professor at both Princeton and Stanford. More information about him can be found online and there are as numerous You Tube recordings.
He is a generous musician and goes out of his way to nurture young talent around the world. There is a delightful session on You Tube he recorded with the Berklee School of Music Indian Ensemble in 2020.
I reached out to Hussain through Brian Keigher, the Milwaukee concert promoter and old friend, and Dennis McNally, his publicist. And found out the Brian has a large family living in SE Wisconsin who love Hussain and his music. In addition, Hussain’s sound man has a daughter who lives in Milwaukee. (I guess we’re lucky for these local connections.)
When I mentioned hearing Ravi Shanker 60+ years ago to Keigher, he supplied the following background and connections. “Great to hear about Ravi. Ravi actually gave Zakir his first gig in the U.S. at the Fillmore East which led him to a teaching job in Seattle and he just stayed in the U.S. Ravi also lived in NYC in ‘67 and ‘68 actually. He was teaching at NY City College at that time. I was lucky to know him a bit before he passed. First saw him at the Pabst in 1990 or 1991 and I also produced a Ravi Shankar art exhibition last year at the South Asia Institute in Chicago. Ravi is how I connected with the SAI folks. I’m still dear friends with Ravi’s wife and daughter. I’m sure Dennis met Ravi with his years associated with Mickey Hart and the Grateful Dead.”
He passed on the following questions to Hussain who graciously provided these answers.
Do you have any connection to the Midwest?
Way back in 1970 one of the first port of call for me after landing in America was to perform in Beloit, since then I have made numerous trips to this beautiful state. I have some very dear friends who live in Madison. Over the last decade and a half, there have been many Indian families who have moved here thus making it easier for many artists from India to frequently visit and perform.
Can you comment on your teaching experience in our Universities and Colleges?
It has been my privilege and an honor to have taught at these bastions of education in this great country. There is a diverse group of students in all these campuses, and it is exciting to share the art form I represent with them. The administrations in all these campuses are expanding their curriculum to create a more universally inclusive teaching system that allows for someone like me to arrive cold and immediately fit in.
Decades ago governments sponsored musicians as “good will ambassadors” and they concertized around the world. Does he see himself in this role?
These days governments rarely send artists of their country as cultural ambassadors. India still has a program through ICCR that oversees cultural exchange with other countries. Artists from India are sent out to perform all over the world, there are also music instruction centers set up many countries by Indian government where you can go and learn to play Indian and about India. I travelled for India early in my career, at this stage in my life, I would let the younger generation carry the Indian flag.
Zakir Hussain will perform with Niladri Kumar, 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 11 at UWM’s Helene Zelazo Center for the Performing Arts, 2419 E. Kenwood Blvd.
For tickets, visit uwm.edu/arts/event/zakir-hussain-with-niladri-kumar-in-concert.
