TISRA — ZAKIR HUSSAIN’s TRIBUTE TO SULTAN KHAN, HARI PRASAD CHAURASIA. Performs in Chicago 07 Apr 2024
An Exclusive by Ms MINU KARTHIK
CHICAGO - Indian classical music has undoubtedly evolved over time. Many wonder whether it has strayed from its roots and been diluted with modern touches, but virtuosic tablist Ustad Zakir Hussain has a different perspective: he feels that Indian music “has maintained its integrity and traditionality but at the same time has made itself valid for the time we live in.” His statement is adequately backed up by the audience reviews of his TISRA tour, in which Hussain performs alongside acclaimed flautist Debopriya Chatterjee and sarangi maestro Sabir Khan. TISRA has been a success, with over 10 performances across North America, all completely sold out.
“TISRA started out as a tribute to my … 4 decade relationships with 2 of the greatest legends of Indian music”, states Hussain, referring to the highly esteemed flautist Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia and the legendary sarangi player Ustad Sultan Khan. Hussain was a teenager when he performed with these distinguished artists, during which he strived to follow his father’s footsteps. He reported feeling flustered during his first performance because he so desperately wanted to sound exactly like his father and communicate with the artists the same way his father did. However, he quickly learned that finding his own style is what would make him thrive on stage.
In this TISRA tour, Hussain features the prominent disciples of the 2 legendary artists: Debopriya Chatterjee is the disciple of Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, and Sabir Khan is the son and disciple of Ustad Sultan Khan. Both Chatterjee and Khan have witnessed Hussain’s interactions with their respective teachers from a very young age, and they have brought their own fresh perspectives to the stage. “These young artists have a more panoramic understanding of what music is”, says Hussain, “while collaborating with them, I have discovered a new vocabulary and in a way reinvented myself”.
The musical exploration and conversations are not only limited to the stage; Hussain makes it a point to spend time with his co-artists and get to know them personally in order to build a rapport outside of the spotlight as well. This is vital to fostering chemistry on stage; as Hussain puts it, “we have to have 2 or 3 minds working as one, and for that, we need to know each other inside out … that way, we can go from speaking words to speaking melodies with each other”.
Zakir Hussain with Sultan Khan
Hussain has a flair for engaging with the audience and effortlessly intertwines storytelling with complex rhythmic phrases: on March 24th, 2024, while performing at the Berklee Performance Center in Boston, he recited and played rhythmic patterns that described the preparation and activities of the Holi festival, captivating the audience with his artistry. His precision while playing each minuscule beat on the tabla was breathtaking: his fingers moved at unimaginable speeds, generating a variety of sounds that the audience did not even expect to emanate from the tabla. However, Hussain does not let his artistry get to his head and in fact states that he is constantly learning from his co-artists.
“TISRA started out as a tribute to my … 4 decade relationships with 2 of the greatest legends of Indian music”, states Hussain, referring to the highly esteemed flautist Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia and the legendary sarangi player Ustad Sultan Khan. Hussain was a teenager when he performed with these distinguished artists, during which he strived to follow his father’s footsteps. He reported feeling flustered during his first performance because he so desperately wanted to sound exactly like his father and communicate with the artists the same way his father did. However, he quickly learned that finding his own style is what would make him thrive on stage.
Chatterjee and Khan also did not fail to impress: they brought out the essence of each raga with such soulfulness and enhanced each other’s playing along the way. Their dexterity was exemplified by their ability to play phrases of various speeds with equal precision and clarity. Hussain deliberately did not want the title of this tour to include his own name as the main performer. He decided to call the trio ‘TISRA’ to denote 3 colleagues playing together. “On stage, [Chatterjee and Khan] are my equals and should not be treated as my subordinates”, says Hussain, “this elevates them to my level”.
Hussain aspires to give more youth performers the opportunity to be recognized by the public. Hussain states that “there are so many incredibly talented young musicians … it’s time that they get a chance to be seen and heard all over the world”. He explains that these musicians possess the talent, confidence, and work ethic, and seeing that they have fans and support worldwide would inspire them to advance further. Hussain also partakes in an outreach program to work with music students at universities and conservatories to focus on their musical needs and share his knowledge with them.
If you would like to witness a breathtaking performance and be transcended into the world of Indian classical music, TISRA will be performing at the James Lumber Center for the Performing Arts at the College of Lake County, Illinois at 7pm CST on Sunday April 7th, 2024.