Artist Zakir Hussain

Zakir Hussain was not only named one of the 100 most handsome Indian men of last century by India Times, he can play the tabla, too. He’s the son of Ustad Alla Rakha, a legendary tabla player who collaborated with Ravi Shankar. Hussain was a child prodigy on the instrument, giving his first concerts when he was 12. He eventually branched out from classical Indian music, performing a distinctive mix of fusionist jazz and Indian music with his band Shakti in the late ’70s. Hussain has worked with George Harrison, Van Morrison, and Tito Puente, among others, and has played a key role in bringing Indian music to an international audience.

Updated 11/05/2009