Zakir Hussain still going strong

new delhi: tabla maestro zakir hussain has enthralled audiences around the world for the past three decades with his performances packed with ingenuity and vivacity which can only be associated with 'the ustaad' who has been nominated yet again for this year's grammy. remebering shakti by his group shakti, is in the reckoning for the coverted award confirming that the formidable 44-year-old is still going strong.from being the greatest exponent of classical tabla of his time, experimenting with fusion, western music, working with diverse artists such as george harrison, micky hart, joe henderson, to composing music or acting in movies, he has done it all. but for the thousands of his fans inside and outside the country, it is the magic which his fingers unfurl when they strike the percussion, that makes him a class apart. and perhaps 'the ustaad' agrees when he says "i think am a better tabla player. though i have never campaigned or tried to promote myself an actor, i do act when i am offered something and when i have time. "but i am better behind a tabla where it is safer," says hussain who gave his first international performance at the age of twelve. son of the legendary ustad alla rakha, hussain became the youngest percussionist to be awarded the padma shri in 1988 and the sangeet natak akademi award in 1991. together the father-son duo are given the credit of taking tabla out of the shadows of being an accompanist instrument. expressing optimism at the future of the artform in the country, hussain says, "a lot of encouragement is being given to youngsters and a new crop of artists is coming up and will definitely make name for themselves in future." refuting the claim that the new breed of tabla players are not being able to make a mark in the field, hussain says it is unfair to expect new artists to get the same recognition and attention as soon as they enter the field. "for 22 years, even we had to travel in third class compartment in trains, sleep on newspapers. it is only now that after you have watched me for so many years, you know of my ability, that i have been able to receive this kind of attention and recognition," says hussain. "it take times as artists have to work through the rankings and then reach a stage. "for some there is promotion, but that too can only hold for a while. ultimately the artist has to perform and it is only his skill and perfection which can sustain him," he says on the upcoming artists who are being backed by their parents in making a place in the field. though originally from the punjab gharana, hussain is known for picking up liberally from other schools of music be it the lucknow, benaras or any other which appeals to him. "it is not something new," says hussain. "during the ages, music exponents do take inputs from other gharanas if they find it appealing and ustaads are even recalled with reverence for doing so." "those musicians were simple people with no such hassles or restrictions," he adds. "we perform whatever the audience likes and demands," says hussain, whose album planet drum with mickey hart was awarded a grammy for the best music world album in 1992. you don't need any proof to understands hussain's passion for tabla and music. and it is this 'fanatic' love which forces him to retort candidly when questioned on the criticism of 'commercialisation' of art. "it is not exploitation of art but aggressive marketing but my ultimate aim is that the artform should be heard.. it should survive... and if somebody doesn't like it, it is their problem," he says.