To hear the Grammy-winning tabla master Zakir Hussain 19H talk about his instrument, it can sound like he's speaking about a respected loved one. In fact, he points out that your instrument is an extension of your body, which is itself where all music originates. As he said in a recent master class hosted by the Berklee India Exchange ahead of his sold-out Signature Series performance, The body is an instrument. Playing music is basically whatever your body is doing-bringing it out onto either an instrument you are playing or [through] your singing. This is the basis of improv-the body.
In many ways, Indian music and jazz are cousins, simply because we both improvise. We believe in spontaneity.
-Zakir Hussain 19H
Known around the world for his fusion jazz improvisation prowess in groups such as Shakti, Hussain talked about, at age 11, seeing Duke Ellington play live in 1962 in what was then Bombay (now Mumbai), and how Western jazz influences worked their way into Indian music by way of Bollywood cinematic scores. The relationship between the musics was natural, according to Hussain. In many ways, Indian music and jazz are cousins, simply because we both improvise. We believe in spontaneity. We believe in being impulsive, creative in that manner.
Thinking Faster than the Rhythm Hussain described his control of rhythm while in improvisational settings in surprisingly (and also, one guesses, deceptively) simplistic terms, comparing it to a language he had internalized since he was very young. He shared how his father, the legendary tabla player Allah Rakha, would send Zakir to school, instructing him to recite riffs as he walked. This kind of deep familiarity allowed him to more easily find structure in improvisation, helping to think faster than [my] hands, or be able to sense shifts in the music before they occur.
Combining Technique and Artistic Risk After explaining parts of his approach, he asked, Am I really improvising? saying that all he's doing is finding phrases and variations on those phrases within a particular musical structure. The process is simple, he added, but to actually put it into action requires ironclad, solid time as well as the courage to take risks. The great players, he said, reach for the sky-they're not just resting on the tried and true. And so, his parting advice to all the musicians in the room was to take all the technical skill and push yourself into less structured territory. Learn every riff, learn every standard, learn all the solos, and put it all together in your head. And then get on the stage and forget all that.
Related categories:
News
Related Reading
Berklee India Exchange Presents Zakir Hussain The Indian tabla maestro will host a one-week residency at Berklee this November.
Berklee Announces 2019-2020 Signature Series Highlights include Grammy winners Dee Dee Bridgewater, Aida Cuevas, and Zakir Hussain, who will receive an honorary doctorate.
What Is Contemporary Music? Its practically Berklees middle name-but what are we talking about when we say contemporary music?
More from Berklee Now
Most Popular
Four Berklee Guitarists Vie for Preeminent Jazz Prize Cecil Alexander, Fran ois Chanvallon, Lucian Gray, and Matt Sewell will compete at the 2019 Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz International Competition in December.
Latest
Zakir Hussain and the Art of Forgetting The Indian composer and tabla virtuoso shared his thoughts on improvisation and a musicians relationship to their instrument at a recent master class.
Andrew Sarlos Big Year: On Producing for Bon Iver, Big Thief, and More The alumnus goes behind the scenes of some of 2019's top releases on Sounds of Berklee and curates a playlist of his productions for Berklee Now.
shutterstock_165634493.jpg
How to Write Original Holiday Songs Get in the spirit with these seasonal tips from Berklee songwriting instructors.
Read All
Subscribe The latest sounds, stories, and ideas, sent to your inbox weekly.
Berklee Blogs
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
Instagram
Snapchat
Soundcloud
Spotify
North America Stories
08/01/2026
At CFP Semifinals, ESPN Again Flexes Its Operational Muscle With 20+ MegaCast Vi...
08/01/2026
SVG Students To Watch: Sophie Fowler, University of OregonThe Portland product has honed her skills as a producer, director, and TD at Quack VideoBy Brandon Cos...
08/01/2026
Follow the Money, Episode 3: Inside the Sports-Media Biz With Sam McCleery and K...
08/01/2026
SVG New Sponsor Spotlight: Qualstar's Jeff Sengpiehl on the Enduring Power a...
08/01/2026
Legendary February: Production Leaders at NBC Sports Pull Back the Curtain on Ol...
08/01/2026
The Hollywood Professional Association (HPA) today announced several updates to its Board of Directors. As part of HPA's annual governance cycle, new leader...
08/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
08/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
08/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
08/01/2026
Spain's national public broadcaster, RTVE, has upgraded one of its main television production facilities in Madrid with the installation of two Alfalite NEO...
08/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
08/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
08/01/2026
Maxon's new release of Cinebench features performance enhancements and adds support for the latest Nvidia and AMD GPUs as well as Apple Silicon.
Maxon is t...
08/01/2026
Zixi, the industry leader in IP-based video transport and orchestration, today announced the appointment of Heather Mellish as Vice President, Global Sales.
In...
08/01/2026
Pebble, the leading automation, content management and integrated channel specialist, has provided a complete update of its installation at Canal Sur in Spain. ...
08/01/2026
iWedia, a global leader in software solutions for connected TV devices, proudly announces the success of its collaboration with Panasonic on the Z95B OLED TV, o...
08/01/2026
Secuoya Chile, a leading provider of television content creation and supporting services, has invested in Ikegami UHK-X600 and UHL-X40 broadcast cameras as the ...
08/01/2026
Kiloview, a global leader in AV-over-IP solutions, will showcase its latest innovations at ISE 2026, highlighting the continued evolution of its complete, light...
08/01/2026
iWedia, a global leader in software solutions for connected TV devices, and Realtek, a leading global SoC design house, today announced the next phase of their ...
08/01/2026
CJP Broadcast has completed a new pitch-side media installation for Cinderford RFC, creating a flexible production setup that supports match coverage, coaching ...
08/01/2026
PlayBox Neo further drives momentum in Playout, Streaming, Media Management and Delivery
"With a brand new year at PlayBox Neo already off to a flying start, I...
08/01/2026
Boston Conservatory at Berklee Presents Second Annual Commercial Dance BFA Conce...
08/01/2026
Back to All News
New Korean Series Beauty in the Beast' (WT) in Production...
08/01/2026
The next universal technology since the smartphone is on the horizon - and it ma...
08/01/2026
In the rolling hills of Berkeley, California, an AI agent is supporting high-stakes physics experiments at the Advanced Light Source (ALS) particle accelerator....
08/01/2026
NVIDIA is wrapping up a big week at the CES trade show with a set of GeForce NOW...
07/01/2026
SVG Summit 2025: All General Sessions Now Available To Watch on SVG PLAYThe SVG Summit celebrated its 20th edition with a loaded agendaBy Brandon Costa, Directo...
07/01/2026
NBCU's Brings Rinkside Live' and Courtside Live' Features to Peaco...
07/01/2026
NASA's Space Launch System rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft launches on the Artemis I flight test, Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022, from Launch Complex 39B at ...
07/01/2026
For the first time ever, new C' variants allow international users to interoperate with U.S. personnel via NSA-certified cryptography....
07/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
07/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
07/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
07/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
07/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
07/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
07/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
07/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
07/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
07/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
07/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
07/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
07/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
07/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
07/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
07/01/2026
Back to All News
The Trailer of Paparazzi King: The 5-Episode Docuseries Coming...
07/01/2026
Back to All News
Netflix Supports Warner Bros. Discovery Board's Commitment...
07/01/2026
Back to All News
What Next? Netflix Reveals Series, Films and Games Coming in 2026
Entertainment
07 January 2026
Global
Link copied to clipboard
Download ...
07/01/2026
AI has transformed retail and consumer packaged goods (CPG) operations, enhancin...
To hear the Grammy-winning tabla master Zakir Hussain 19H talk about his instrument, it can sound like he's speaking about a respected loved one. In fact, he points out that your instrument is an extension of your body, which is itself where all music originates. As he said in a recent master class hosted by the Berklee India Exchange ahead of his sold-out Signature Series performance, The body is an instrument. Playing music is basically whatever your body is doing-bringing it out onto either an instrument you are playing or [through] your singing. This is the basis of improv-the body. 
