Skip to main content

A Pure Definition Of A Legend.




I’m having a Narnia feeling at the moment as over the weekend with my family I watched a concert that transported me to another universe. For the fourth time in my life I watched the Tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain perform for the Alchemy Festival at Festival Hall London. Every time I watch Zakirji’s concerts no two performances are ever the same. However it was not just Zakirji’s performance that blew me away but also humility which is a rare quality to find. It really upsets me when I come across people who have only ever written one poem or sang one song and they give themselves the title of legend, when I’m in the company of a true legend like Zakirji I find this term is used too loosely. Zakirji does not even like to call himself a legend, this was reflected in how he introduced the young Sitar Maestro Niladri Kumar saying “It is not Niladri Kumar accompanying Zakir Hussain it is the other way round”. This encouragement for the young maestro was very heartening to see.


The second half of the concert saw the UK premiere of Zakirji’s Tabla Concerto Peshkar conducted by Zane Dalal,another musical journey which takes the listener to another world. During the question and answer session with Zane Dalal and Zakirji they both showed the utmost respect and appreciation of each other. When Zakirji talked about the work behind putting the concerto together I loved how being such a legend he acknowledged his mentors such as Jazz Guitarist John McLaughlin,saying how he consulted with him when putting the concerto together. Many years ago I also had the once in a lifetime privilege of hearing Zakirji’s late father Ustad Allah Rakhaji perform and Zakirji still applies what his late father taught him which is;
“ Son do not try to be a master be a good student.”


Again very humbling to hear maestro's talk like this. All too often people are chasing the titles and accolades looking to get their names out there and forget what an Art like Music is all about. This concert was not only musically as always a mind blowing experience but really made me think about the world we live in which is sadly one of arrogance,vanity,hierarchy, I could go on forever. When I see that a true legend does not possess such toxic qualities it re -defines the meaning all together.

As always Zakirji was happy to mix with his fans after the show and I hope anybody who had the honour of meeting him got more from the experience that just having a selfie to plaster on facebook and name drop about. For me as always my own experience was at a very profound level.


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Leave my idol alone!

My blog has been up and running for about four months now. Being a hardcore Madonna fan I feel on my part, it is very rude that this is only the second post I have done. However I can make up for it and I feel this post is a must. I have been following Madonna's MDNA tour and have been rather annoyed at the bad press my idol has been getting. Elton John has made comments that her career is over. If that is the case how do tickets for Madonna's concerts sell out so quickly. The cynics out there are always quick to pick on negatives and critisise people, but do not want to acknowledge the positives. Madonna is fifty plus and in her shows she sings, acts, dances and plays guitar. If anyone has ever seen the documentaries In Bed with Madonna and I'm Going To tell You A Secret, Madonna is very much at the forefront of the creative process of actually putting her shows together. People just want to critisise but fail to even acknowledge all these finer points. Madonna does no...

Manic Overload,writing to the rescue.

It has been a couple of weeks since I lasted posted on my blog, unfortunately my mind has been clogged up with negative energy which has often left me drained. On my profile I mentioned that I am juggling my writing with being a working mother, that is not even the half of it. For the last four years I have also had an ongoing legal battle with my ex husband. The best way to describe it is kind of the cancer in my life. There will be quiet periods where I will not hear from him then when I do it is a violent attack of negativity.Not only do I often loose the will to live, my creative impulses get eaten away. The life gets sucked out of me. This week I have managed to somehow perk myself up and get back in the driving seat. However I am constantly switching gears. While attending to my daughter's often Diva like demands I am also slotting in time to read over court statements and having solicitors appointments. Of course the love of my life,  writing cannot and will not ...

The Course of True Love

Most of us would associate this phrase with romantic love. I feel this is also the case when you find something in life that you love to do, your passion.     Especially when this passion conflicts with the love you have for your child. I love writing and know this is what I want to do for the rest of my life but I also love my daughter.   On a hot sunny day we will get lunch in a café. While we are waiting for food   to arrive I will scribble down some notes. I try to do it discreetly so that she knows my attention is on her. Some would say this is good multi-tasking. Others would say I am a bad mother. The flip side of that with some parents is that they give up on their own dreams and try to get their children to live them. They end up taking their frustrations out on their children if they do not succeed. I have also come across parents who pour all their love onto their children and nothing else. When they flee the nest they have not...