Zakir Hussain, who has died aged 73 after suffering from complications arising from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, was one of India’s best loved and most adventurous musicians. A virtuoso tabla player with a global following, he transformed the range and appeal of the hand drums that are the main percussion instrument in Hindustani classical music.
His playing was technically brilliant, sensitive, emotional and varied, with the jugalbandi, a call-and-response duet between two different instruments, often a remarkable part of his performance. He constantly surprised his audience, switching between ragas, jazz and fusion styles in a career lasting more than five decades.
