SAN FRANCISCO (Diya TV) — Maestro Zakir Hussain was honored with a lifetime achievement award from SFJazz for his historic and groundbreaking contributions to the music community, the award was presented to him by former Grateful Dead drummer, Mickey Hart.
SFJazz was founded in 1983, and is regarded as one of the world’s leading cultural institutions devoted to the genre. The award presentation was hosted as part of the opening of its fifth anniversary season.
“We are all learning, and we have a long way to go,” said Hussain — who calls himself “a student, a master student” — while accepting the award. He had just returned from Bangalore the day before he received the award, Jan. 18.
The son of world renowned percussionist Alla Rakha, he has always delivered a distinct style whether working as a soloist or with other diverse groups. The rich repertoire of his music was displayed at the awards ceremony, where he played a few pieces, including a Bollywood song with the Kronos Quartet, an American string quartet based in San Francisco.
The gala also featured performances from other artists, such as saxophonist Joe Lovano, guitarist Bill Frisell, trumpeter Terence Blanchard and drummer Cindy Blackman Santana.
