As the clock struck 7 last Sunday evening and the cool breeze settled Zakir Hussein came onstage and in his trademark white kurta pajama greeted the crowd in front of him including yours truly! This was my second live performance of the great tabla player that I was attending – the first being at Gateway of India when he performed with the group Shakti.
As I sat on the steps of the Asiatic Library I felt the current in the crowd around me as Zakir Hussein settled behind his tablas. And the magic started!!! It was not just music but magic that enthralled all of us as we sat glued to our seats as the performance unfolded. His hands and fingers caressed the smooth tablas and with each caress a magical sound was heard. His hands literally flew over the tablas and one was left looking at a blur instead of his hands. He was accompanied by a Sarangi player who matched him note for note. One brilliant piece that he played represented the rain falling as raindrops which moved onto a downpour with flashes of lightening – a truly awesome acoustic experience!!!
The performance wound up in one and a half hours and it felt like he had just started playing! Not once during the performance did his waver and he kept all of us mystified. As I left the steps I knew this was one of his best performances ever and I was glad that I was there to experience it!
