A tribute to a tabla maestro Zakir Hussain

Trilok Gurtu talks about late singer Shobha Gurtu and on performing with Ustad Zakir Hussain.

Music buffs can attend a unique concert in the city this weekend. The event called Mhaaro Pranam has been organised to honour the late Hindustani classical singer, Shobha Gurtu.

HT Image

Leading artistes Ustad Zakir Hussain, son Trilok Gurtu, Niladri Kumar, Sheldon D’Silva, Sangeet Haldipur, Shubha Joshi and Aneesh Pradhan will be paying tribute to the singer, who passed away in 2004, at the gig.

Shobha Gurtu, a Padma Bhushan recipient, was known as the Thumri Queen.

zakir

"She was a real artiste spontaneous, completely engrossed in her music, and a humble human being," says percussionist and drummer, Trilok Gurtu, about his mother.

Ask him, how she inspired his art, and he says, “She was my first guru. She gave direction to my music. I learnt melody, ragas, rhythm and composition from her. I grew up listening to her sing every day. I started accompanying her to performances at the age of four or five. When the tabla player wouldn’t turn up, I would step in. At that time I didn’t like doing it, but over time I realised how fortunate I am,” says Gurtu.

Gurtu, who has collaborated with several international artistes in the past, is currently working with Armenian pianist Tigran Hamasyan and sitarist Niladri Kumar for his next compilation. However, he rues the dearth of good quality Indian musicians on the international scene.

“Nowadays, musicians are busy aping the West. They want to run, before learning how to walk. This concert is a way of telling people that if your basics are strong, you’ll be more that just a one-time wonder,” he says.

At Shri Shanmukhananda Hall, Sion on January 27 at 7 pm. Call 2404 4141.