MUSIC

ZAKIR HUSSAIN The Tabla Maestro

bout five years ago, Zakir Hus­ it is equally true that only those who spending the summer and fall seasons sain, like all other talented tabla are really interested in it, or who develop in the States,” he says, with an Amer­ players, was known merely as an a genuine liking for the sound, “hang ican drawl. Unlike other musicians A accompanist. Being the son of a worldon”, the rest “drop out on the way.” who spend the country’s more uncom­ famous artiste, Ustad Alla Rakha, he Hussain’s Americanisms are the fortable months abroad, for the money had far more exposure than those with result of a prolonged stay in the US. or for the ‘professional satisfaction,’ less exalted family connections, but he “For the last 12 years, I have been Hussain has a more original explana- did not draw crowds for himself, as he does today. This star status, this cult that has been built around Hussain, really started, predictably enough, with news of his experimentation with jazz and classical musicians abroad. “Sud­ denly, when ‘Shakti’, our musical trio, Hussain: not con­ tent to bask in the with L. Shankar, violinist, and John limelight Mclaughlin, and myself, became a suc­ cess in the States, I found, on my return to India that year, that I was something of a celebrity,” Hussain admits. Nowadays, at any music confer­ ence, Hussain is a must, along with other ‘star’ musicians like Shivkumar Sharma, Amjad Ali Khan, Rais Khan, Hariprasad Chaurasia, and a couple of others. The crowds never seem to tire of them. As musicians, of course, they are universally acknowledged as first rate artistes. But, as is becoming more and more evident, it requires more than that to cultivate the mass popularity that these musicians have acquired. It needs the projection of an image, simi­ lar to that perpetuated by other gla­ morous performers, be they painters, film-stars or socialites. And the co­ ordination discernible in the mutual image-boosting among the younger musicians, is in direct contrast with that of the older generation, which was known for its professional jealousies. Promotional Urge: “It is all for the sake of promoting Indian classical music,” claims Hussain, who is not unaware of the soft-sell. “Today’s musicians are young and well- educated, they present themselves bet­ ter,” he says. According to him, although classical music is fashionable, BOMBAY: Jan. 22-Feb. 6, 1981 46 MUSIC tion, for this arrangement. “There is tric in them.” fondly runs agile fingers over the nothing much happening in the mon­ Says Hussain, “I don’t understand polished surface of the instrument, soons or in summer,” he says. “So it is the criticism about our fast playing. playing a short ‘tukd^’ with enviable a waste of time being here at the time. The previous generation used to do it, ease. “I play a lot of cricket in Califor­ Abroad, I can learn music of other too. The only difference is that now, nia, you know,” he says idly, rolling parts of the world, I can teach, I can more note is being taken of every the ‘r’ as well as any American. practise, and use the time much bet­ aspect of our music.” Hussain has another hobby as ter,” he adds. In California, Hussain Hussain, who has been playing well—photography. The boyish teaches at the Ali Akbar Khan college since the age of five, no longer finds it looking ‘tabla Maestro’ as he is of music. He has about 80 students at a difficult to sense different audience already called, keeps only one photo­ time, and gives the more advanced tastes. “I have been watching my father graph, however, of his wife, Antonia, classes “one-to-one tuition,” as he puts handle audiences for years,” he says. an America-based Italian, who has, last it. “Normally, my students have some Most of his training has been carried year, borne him a daughter—Anissa. kind of a background in music— out under the eagle eye of his perfec­ Both Antonia and Anissa will be down European, African or South-East tionist father-cum-guru, Ustad Alla shortly to join Hussain in India. In­ Asian,” he explains. “So there is always Rakha. “Actually, in those days, he terestingly, Antonia has been learning a lot of exposure to the music of used to be travelling so much, he could classical kathak dancing for the last different cultures, and believe me, there only sit with me on intensive sessions eight years. “So we have a common is a lot to learn,” he says. However, for about two months of the year. The ground,” as Hussain puts it. Hussain claims that he prefers rest of the time I used to practise, and He nevertheless, is not averse to living here. “In fact, I like California listen to as much music as I could,” he the large female following that he has. mainly because it reminds me of says. Hussain, who is a dyed-in-the- In fact, some of his well-cultivated hom e.” charm is presumably directed towards In spite of his unorthodox ex­ ^ It has not been so easy... the sighing girls attending his concerts, perimentation with semi-classical and ... Being the son of such a who quite openly go into ecstacies over classical music abroad, HuSsain be­ great artiste (Alla Rakha) his handsomeness and talent. “I do not lieves that traditional Indian music has means that people expect some­ encourage it, certainly,” he protests, to be left untouched. “Unless all stu­ thing more than excellence “but I don’t mind if it helps the cause of dents have a thorough classical train­ from you. ^ music.” ing, it becomes impossible to learn As the roar of appreciation around other music to any benefit,” he says. wool Bombaywalla did not go through Hussain increases, he is not merely To avoid controversy over the subject the. rigorous routine that his father’s content to bask in the limelight. “It has of his experimental music, he sticks to generation was subjected to. ’‘Since I not been so easy,” he says. “First of all, purely Indian classical music in India. had school to contend with, I would being the son of such a great artiste “In fact, I don’t even mention my work put in- only about two-and-a-half to means that people expect something in the States, for fear of offending three hours of practice a day,” he more than excellence from you.” conservatives,” he admits. “Neverthe­ recalls. “In fact,” he continues serious­ Reflecting on his maturing as an artiste, less, without my knowledge, nuances ly, “I don’t believe in playing longer he adds, “earlier, when I played, I used from my new repertoire may possibly than your concentration allows. Other­ to give it all I’d got. I needed to show seep into my playing,” he says. wise it becomes sleep-playing.” people everything I could do. I was Praised: Whatever Hussain has Alive Music: During his Decem­ young then, and admired for my versa­ made of his music, he has won unqual­ ber to March sojourns in India, Hus­ tility. Then suddenly, from the age of ified admiration. Says Sarangi wizard sain hardly practises. “However, I have 14 years I was expected to grow up to Pandit Ram Narayan: “He is an excel­ so many performances, I am constantly thirty-five-years,” he says wryly. “I lent tabla player, and has a very bright in touch,” he adds. The Napean Sea had to realise that my having a success­ future.” Even those who sarcastically Road apartment, belonging to his ful performance did not necessarily refer to his ‘acrobatics’, or his ‘playing father, with whom Hussain lives while mean that the concert had been success­ to the gallery,’ at the end of each he is here, always resounds with the ful. ” “In fact,” he continues on a performance, when the crowd, eager peculiarly ‘alive’ music of father or son. philosophical note, “I realised that it for the frenzied sound of the ‘jhala’ Hussain, dressed in his favourite—and was not my concert, nor the in­ (which is the climax of a raag recital), the girls’ favourite as well — attire of strumentalist’s. It had to be ‘our’ act, eggs on the instrumentalist and the silk kurta and pyjama, is never far from so to speak.” “And,” he concludes tabla player to outdo each other in his tabla, kept in one corner of the frankly, “today I am much more of an speed and intricacy, cannot but admit room, carefully covered with frilled accompanist than I used to be.” that, “his fingers have something elec­ satin bonnets. Even as he talks, he — Rohini Soman

BOMBAY; Jan. 22-Feb. 6, 1981 47