An excellent appreciation, might this be the best thing written on him? Here is one excerpt:
It is hard to explain the aura of Zakir to someone who has not sat in the audience and felt it. You can try to break it down—rationalists will call it genius, the sort of brilliance that defies analysis. Others might invoke his charisma, his ability to connect with any audience, that mischief dancing in his eyes. The spiritually inclined go a step further, claiming his rhythms channel something divine, as though the tabla becomes a vessel for forces we cannot name. I have heard Zakir live at least 25-30 times—concerts scattered across cities, years, moods—and I can tell you it is all of the above. Still, I will try to describe these moments as best as I can articulate, where Zakir speaks to every audience member in their language.
Do read the whole thing, a very impressive piece.
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