RIP Zakir Hussain: 5 groundbreaking collaborations in his career

Zakir's one of the most talked-about collaborations came in 1971, where he worked with ‘The Beatles'. He also recorded a song with the American psychedelic band ‘Shanti’ in 1971.

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In 1975, Zakir Hussain joined forces with John McLaughlin to form Shakti, alongside L Shankar, TH ‘Vikku’ Vinayakram and R Raghavan. Although the band parted ways in the late 1970s, it was later reformed as Remember Shakti with fresh members.

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Ustad Zakir Hussain collaborated with American jazz saxophonist John Handy and sarod player Ali Akbar Khan on the album Karuna Supreme. Regarded as one of the rare East-meets-West recordings, the album is one of the earliest true fusions of Indian music and jazz.

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Charles Lloyd’s live jazz album Sangam, recorded in 2004 and released in 2006, features an exceptional trio: Lloyd on saxophone, Zakir Hussain on tabla, and Eric Harland on drums. The album blends the rich traditions of jazz and Indian classical music.

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Ustad Zakir Hussain collaborated with Mickey Hart of the Grateful Dead and his friends Sikiru Adepoju and Giovanni Hidalgo to produce a unique and captivating album that fused various musical traditions. This album earned him a Grammy award.

Credit: Instagram/@zakirhq9