Zakir Hussain: Masters of Percussion at the Rio Theatre

Every other year since 1996, Zakir Hussain has served as curator, conductor and producer to bring the very cream of Indian music and world percussion to tour America and Europe with his series, Zakir Hussain and Masters of Percussion. Growing out of his renowned international tabla duet tours with his father, the legendary Ustad Allarakha, Masters of Percussion began as a platform for both popular and rarely heard rhythm traditions from India. While performing and collaborating in India for a few months every year, Hussain has sought and unearthed lesser-known folk and classical traditions which feed into the greater stream of Indian music, playing an educational role in affording them greater visibility, as well as introducing them to audiences in the West.

Over time, the constantly changing ensemble has expanded to include great drummers and percussionists from many world traditions, including jazz. The 2023 version will be no exception, presenting American audiences with extraordinary, exciting and spontaneous combinations of percussive, as well as melodic, performances. Past years have included master drummers from Central Asia, India, and the U.S. playing individually and together, and the results are unforgettable. 2023’s tour will feature Sabir Khan, Tupac Mantilla, Melissa Hié, and Navin Sharma.

Zakir Hussain Website 
Sponsored by The Center for South Asian Studies and The Humanities Institute at UCSC
(Ticket Includes 5% City of Santa Cruz Admission Tax)