Shaan-E-Awadh

"The Anila Sinha Foundation is proud to present this rare and unique Dance and Drum duet, of Pandit Birju Mharaj and Ustad Zakir Hussain, accompanied by live orchestra. The lead guest artists are selected because of their standing of utmost excellence within the constellation of Indian master artists.

Pandit Birju Maharaj, the most extraordinary artist in the history of Kathak Dance, is internationally recognized as the greatest living exponent of North Indian Classical dance “Kathak”.

Ustad Zakir Hussain, a child prodigy, is an international phenomenon both in the field of percussion and throughout the musical world. A classical tabla virtuoso of the highest order, his consistently brilliant and exciting performances have not only established him as a national treasure in his own country, India, but gained him worldwide fame.

This program is partially supported by Governor International Arts exchange program of the Illinois Arts Council a State agency." harris theater

"[Ustad] Zakir [Hussain] was touring by the age of twelve. He attended St. Michael's High School in Mahim, and graduated from St Xaviers, Mumbai. Zakir went to the United States in 1970, embarking on an international career that today includes no fewer than 150 concert dates a year.

Zakir has worked with many western and Indian artists, and has produced many works for fusion, perhaps most notably with The Beatles. In 1971 he recorded with an American psychedelic band called Shanti. He has also worked with John McLaughlin in Shakti in 1975, with L. Shankar (Lakshminarayanan Shankar) in the Diga Rhythm Band, and with Mickey Hart on his Rolling Thunder album (on which he and his father played a tabla duet). Although Shakti was disbanded a few years later, it reunited under the name Remember Shakti.

In 1987, his first solo release, Making Music, was acclaimed as one of the most inspired East-West fusion albums ever recorded. In 1988, he became the youngest percussionist to ever be awarded the title of Padma Shri. In 1990, he was awarded the Indo-American Award in recognition for his cultural contribution to relations between the United States and India. In April, 1991, he was presented with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award by the President of India, making him one of the youngest musicians to receive this recognition from India's governing cultural institute.

In 1992, Planet Drum, an album co-created and produced by Zakir and Mickey Hart, was awarded a Grammy for Best World Music Album, the Downbeat Critics Poll for Best World Beat Album, and the NARM Indie Best Seller Award for World Music Recording. The band Planet Drum, with Zakir as music director, toured nationally in 1996 and 1997. Zakir also continues to tour with the musicians from Shakti — John McLaughlin, Shankar and T.H. Vinayakram — in different collaborations and ensembles as well as leading various percussion ensembles of his own design. In Summer'99, Shakti re-grouped for an international tour.

In 1992, Zakir founded live concert performances by masters of the classical music of India. The label presents Zakir's own world percussion ensemble, The Rhythm Experience, both North and South Indian classical recordings, Best of Shakti, and a Masters of Percussion series. He has recorded and performed with artists as diverse as George Harrison, Ali Akbar Khan, Ravi Shankar, Aashish Khan,Vasant Rai, Imrat Khan, Joe Henderson, Van Morrison, Jack Bruce, Tito Puente, Pharoah Sanders, Billy Cobham, Charles Lloyd, the Hong Kong Symphony and the New Orleans Symphony." wikipedia

"Pandit Birju Maharaj (born February 4, 1938) is currently the leading exponent of the Lucknow Kalka-Bindadin gharana of Kathak dance in India. Named Brijmohan Nath Mishra, he is a descendant of the legendary Maharaj family of Kathak dancers, including his two uncles, Shambhu Maharaj and Lachhu Maharaj, and his father and guru, Acchan Maharaj. Even though dancing is his first love, he also has an excellent command over Hindustani classical music and is an accomplished vocalist as well. He took Kathak to new heights by choreographing new Kathak dance dramas. He has toured extensively across the globe, given thousands of performances and held hundreds of workshops for kathak students." wikipedia

watch zakirji perform a solo in teen taal
watch birjuji perform from an itc-sra archive