CAL PERFORMANCES PRESENTS PROGRAM NOTES

Saturday, April , , pm Zakir Hussain Presents Masters of Percussion is of sounds and modulations, the tabla has six Zellerbach Hall a biennial tour presented by tabla virtuoso and gharanas or styles in North India. Zakir Hussain percussion legend Zakir Hussain. Th is evening’s and Fazal Qureshi represent the Punjab gharana concert is the fi rst of this year’s tour, celebrating of tabla. Zakir Hussain what would have been the th birthday of presents tabla maestro extraordinaire Ustad Allarakha, a Pakhawaj, widely considered a forebear of the groundbreaking artist whose infl uence has gone tabla, is a two-headed cylindrical drum which beyond his own Hindustani (North Indian) accompanied North Indian classical music Masters of Percussion tradition to shape the world of music and exclusively during the age of dhrupad, the oldest An Evening Honoring Ustad Allarakha percussion as we know it today. Th is evening is style of Hindustani classical music. A powerful very special, since all three of Ustad Allarakha’s and resonant instrument, it is made of wood and sons, Zakir Hussain, Fazal Qureshi and Taufi q tuned with pegs and straps. Th e bass end of the Qureshi, are performing. pakhawaj is covered with a dough applied before Th e incomparable duet tours of Ustad each performance. Allarakha and his son and chief disciple Zakir Hussain were the prelude to the Masters of Kanjira is a classical Karnatak (South Indian) Percussion ensemble. Th e duet became a tabla frame drum resembling a small tambourine; trio with the addition of Zakir’s younger brother its diminutive size belies its amazing versatility Fazal Qureshi and then widened its scope to and scope. Made of lizard skin stretched over a include Zakir’s groundbreaking collaborations wooden frame with one cymbal incorporated into with Karnatak (South Indian) percussionists, with its makeup, it is played with one hand only while musicians from both contemporary and classical the other hand holds and modulates it. genres and with artists from India’s colorful and dynamic folk traditions. Masters of Percussion Dholak is a two-headed folk drum of North India, occupies both a seminal and infl uential position used to accompany folk and devotional music. in today’s expanding percussion scene. Th is concert will feature the traditional Khartal is a folk instrument of Rajasthan, made of repertoire of North Indian drumming on tabla in four fl at pieces of wood, two held in each hand. solo and duet as well as excursions exploring the frontier between traditional and contemporary, Dhol and Pong are folk drums of Manipur. folk and classical music. Under the direction of Zakir Hussain, the concert is an opportunity to Sarangi is a North Indian bowed instrument of with experience both melodic (raga) and rhythmic tremendous complexity. With a wooden body, (tala) development. ivory pegs and gut strings played not with the

Fazal Qureshi tabla and kanjira Zakir Hussain and Masters of Percussion are fi ngertips but against the fl esh above the knuckles, Taufi q Qureshi percussion honored to perform for Cal Performances in this it is the instrument considered to be most like the Bhavani Shankar pakhawaj and dholak Centennial year. human voice. It has three playing strings and  Khete Khan khartal sympathetic strings and is emerging from its status as an accompanying instrument only (to vocal Manipuri Jagoi Marup dancing drummers of Manipur ABOUT THE INSTRUMENTS music, Kathak dance and tabla solo) through and special guests the eff orts of Ustad Sultan Khan and a few other Tabla is the premier Hindustani classical concert present-day maestros. Ustad Sultan Khan sarangi drum. It is two drums, one dayan and one banya, Niladri Kumar sitar treble and bass respectively. Th e dayan is tuned to Sitar is a major instrument of great and legendary the tonic, its goatskin head tuned with the aid of stature and tradition in North Indian classical Th is performance is made possible, in part, by the generous support of the members of the Cal Performances a coal tar center, straps, pegs and the musician’s music. Its body is made of gourd and its long, Producers Circle and Friends of Cal Performances. tuning hammer. Th e banya is usually metal fretted wooden neck is strung with four playing and also has a goatskin head and gob (coal tar strings, two chikari (rhythm) strings and  Cal Performances thanks our Centennial Season Sponsor, Wells Fargo. resonating center). Capable of an amazing range sympathetic strings.

8 CAL PERFORMANCES CAL PERFORMANCES 9 ABOUT THE ARTISTS ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Zakir Hussain, mission to compose for the Silk Road Project, in his command over a wide variety of percussion Khete has taken the art of playing khartal beyond a classical tabla which he performed live with cellist Yo-Yo Ma instruments and styles is phenomenal. His its folk idiom, having developed an extraordinary maestro of the for the Mark Morris Dance Group. albums have been released internationally and and refi ned technique. fi rst order, has he has performed at prestigious music festivals all made unprec- Fazal Qureshi began over the globe. Taufi q has been greatly infl uenced edented strides his training early un- by his illustrious brother Zakir Hussain and is in bringing his der the keen eye of privileged to receive guidance from Ghatam instrument to his father and guru, Vidhwan Pandit “Vikku” Vinayakram. While a global audi- Ustad Allarakha. the realm of studio music keeps him constantly ence. Widely With encouragement engaged creatively, Taufi q is continuously appreciated as and inspiration from evolving as a percussionist in the ever-inspiring an internation- his elder brother world of live performance. al phenome- Zakir Hussain, Fazal non, his consis- has developed a style Bhavani tently brilliant distinguished by a Shankar and exciting fi ne sense of rhythm, is one of performances versatility and elo- India’s have established him globally as one of India’s quence. He has per- leading most renowned cultural ambassadors. Th e favorite formed both as a soloist and as an accompanist in pakhawaj accompanist for most of the greatest classical mu- prestigious “Sangeet Sammelans” in India as well players. sicians and dancers of India, Zakir has also been as major festivals abroad. Th e remarkable ease He has Manipuri Jagoi Marup is one of India’s premier a chief architect of the world music movement with which Fazal accompanies veteran as well as toured ex- performance troupes, combining dance, drum- with his prodigious, incomparable and historic young Indian classical instrumentalists, vocalists tensively ming and martial arts in their repertoire. Dedi- collaborations. Th e foremost disciple of his father, and dancers of both North and South, as well as with Zakir Hussain and with leading maestros of cated to the rejuvenation of traditional folk and the legendary Ustad Allarakha, Zakir was a child Western instrumentalists, speaks of the discipline Indian classical music. A versatile percussionist, classical Manipuri dance styles, the troupe was prodigy who began his professional career at the and dedication with which this young, talented he is brilliant on a host of other drums, including established in  by the late Guru Padmashri age of  and was already touring internationally artist has pursued music. the dholak. From a family of kathakas, he is versed Amubi Singh, have performed thousands of con- with great success by the age of . Zakir has been in the ancient slokas (poetical compositions) and certs in India and have enjoyed many successful the recipient of many awards and honors, includ- rhythmic compositions of these storytellers. international tours. Known for their dynamic ing the  “Padma Bhushan,” “Padma Shri,” athleticism and profi ciency and their unique- the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and the  Khete Khan is a brilliant sounding drums, they are a visual feast, dazzling National Heritage Fellowship Award, the United young musician born into audiences with their acrobatic choreography. States’ highest award for masters in the traditional the Manganiyar caste of arts. His playing is marked by uncanny intuition musicians living near the Ustad Sultan Khan and masterful improvisational dexterity, founded beautiful city of Jaisalmer is one of the fore- in formidable knowledge and study. in western Rajasthan. most sarangi players Zakir’s career includes much work as a com- He is the son of Pempa of India, renowned poser, having composed music for many fi lm Khan, a renowned surnai for his extraordi- scores and, most recently, the music for the open- and shehnai player in nary technical and ing ceremonies of the  Summer Olympics in Taufi q Qureshi, an ace percussionist of India, is the folk tradition of the melodic control Atlanta. He also performs and records on a daz- also an acclaimed composer. Being the son and region. His entire family of uncles, cousins and over this diffi cult zling array of percussion instruments and has re- disciple of the legendary tabla maestro Ustad brothers are all musicians, the most famous of stringed instrument. ceived a Grammy Award ( Best World Music Allarakha, Taufi q’s performances showcase the whom is his uncle, Sakkar Khan, maestro of the A representative of Album) for his part as performer, composer and traditional fl avor and intricacies of Indian rhythm bowed kamaicha. the Indore gharana, co-producer of Planet Drum. His album Saturday and the sparkle of contemporary world percussion. Khete’s instrument is the khartal, an unusual Sultan Khansahib Night in Bombay, with his band Remember Shak- Taufi q’s trademark style incorporates body and percussion instrument comprising four small fl at is the grandson of ti, was nominated for a World Music Grammy in vocal percussion to create unique rhythmic motifs rectangular pieces of wood held two in each hand. Ustad Azim Khan, a renowned sarangi player of . Most recently, he received a special com- spanning across cultures. His sense of tone and Both an outstanding soloist and accompanist, his time, and the son of Ustad Ghulab Khan, who

10 CAL PERFORMANCES CAL PERFORMANCES 11 ABOUT THE ARTISTS is both an acknowledged sarangi player and vocal- Niladri Kumar, ist. Th e instrument most like the human voice, son and disciple the sarangi is an exquisitely sonorous bowing of celebrated instrument. Th e classical music audience has re- sitar player cently enjoyed its ascendance to solo performance Pandit Kartick status through the eff orts of artists like Ustad Sul- Kumar, is one tan Khan, whose solo performance is widely in of India’s fi n- demand all over the world. est young sitar Sultan Khansahib began his initial training virtuosos, already recognized for his dazzling with his father Ustad Ghulab Khan, and, by technical prowess and the maturity of his me- the age of , gave his fi rst solo performance at lodic acumen. A rare instrumentalist equally at the All-India Musical Conference. In , he home playing traditional classical or contempo- joined Beatle George Harrison and Pandit Ravi rary world music, he has proven to be one of the Shankar’s “Dark Horse” tour. Since then, he has brightest talents of his generation, regarded with been taking his music to concert halls around high esteem by his peers and promising to extend the globe, has recorded widely and has gained the musical horizon. increasing popularity among classical and world music audiences. He has a longstanding creative relationship with Zakir Hussain, performing, touring, recording and composing together for more than  years.

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