AUDIO – THE MAESTRO
Dec. 15, 2024 – Hussain died at 3:42 p.m. at UCSF surrounded by family and loved ones, family spokesperson Jon Bleicher told the Chronicle. The cause of death was idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a lung disease. “He leaves behind an extraordinary legacy cherished by countless music lovers around the globe, with an influence that will resonate for generations to come.” With a storied career spanning more than five decades, Hussain is widely regarded as one of the greatest tabla players of all time and for bringing classical Indian music to a Western audience. He’s also considered a pioneer in the contemporary world music movement.
Hussain was taught tabla, or Indian hand drumming, from the age of 7 by his father, Alla Rakha, also a tabla virtuoso and accompanist of Ravi Shankar. Hussain collaborated with an impressive array of musicians, including Ali Akbar Khan, Shivkumar Sharma, Yo-Yo Ma, Charles Lloyd, Béla Fleck, Edgar Meyer and George Harrison.
He moved from Mumbai to Marin County in the 1970s and worked with the region’s musicians, frequently playing shows at SFJazz. He was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by the institution in 2017.
