upper waypoint

An All-Star Celebration of Life for Zakir Hussain at Grace Cathedral

Save ArticleSave Article
Failed to save article

Please try again

A man in a yellow top looks upward while playing round Indian drums
Zakir Hussain will be celebrated at Grace Cathedral on Feb. 28 by musicians he performed with and inspired, including Mickey Hart, Charles Lloyd, Joshua Redman, Julian Lage, Bela Fleck and others. (JL Neveu)

Zakir Hussain, the world-renowned Indian tabla maestro, was known for his unique ability to connect with artists across all types of musical genres like bluegrass, jazz and rock.

“His instruments were like the rains, dense sheets of sounds performed like blurs of lightning-fast fingers on small, tuned drums,” Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart said in a post about Hussain, who died in December at the age of 73. “With the skill of a surgeon, he weaved a rhythmic spell with each finger at the most rapid speeds that can be imaginable. The world will never be the same without him.”

Now Hart, along with over two dozen prominent artists like Charles Lloyd, Joshua Redman, and Julian Lage, are preparing to gather to pay respects to Hussain through music. The one-time-only memorial concert, organized by Hussain’s family, will take place Friday, Feb. 28, at San Francisco’s Grace Cathedral. Also on the lineup are performances by Béla Fleck, Jayanthi Kumaresh, Third Coast Percussion, Anantha Krishnan, Eric Harland, Dave Holland, Chris Potter, John Sanchez and more.

The event aims to bring together not only fans of Hussain’s music, but his music industry friends, too. Tickets for the event start at $65, with special ticket options and prices for reserved seating and undergraduate students. All proceeds are being directed to the Zakir Hussain Institute of Music.

Hussain lived for decades just north of the Golden Gate Bridge, in the Marin County town of San Anselmo. Every detail of the event, from the lineup of featured artists to the cathedral itself — where Hussain played in years past — has been thoughtfully chosen to honor Hussain’s musical legacy and lasting mark on the Bay Area.


‘A Celebration of the Life and Music of Zakir Hussain’ takes place on Friday, Feb. 28, at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco. Tickets and details here.

Sponsored

lower waypoint
next waypoint