Keeping the Rhythm Alive: Third Coast Percussion & Salar Nader Honor Zakir Hussain

“Almost every musician teaches; it’s a way for their legacy to live on. It lives on in their recordings, their compositions, and their students. This project is special to us because it’s all three aspects of Zakir’s legacy in one evening.”

By Angelina Josephine Rosete, Cal Performances’ Engagement Writer

When Third Coast Percussion (TCP) takes the stage with tabla virtuoso Salar Nader on November 1, the music carries more than melody—it carries memory. Murmurs in Time, the final major work composed by the late Zakir Hussain for the Grammy-winning ensemble, unfolds as both a celebration and continuation of his remarkable legacy. For the musicians, each note is a chance to honor a friend, mentor, and musical visionary whose influence reaches far beyond the stage.

David Skidmore, co-founder and Executive Director of Third Coast Percussion, recalls the ensemble’s long-held admiration for Hussain, who tragically passed away last December. “He was such a generous and humble person, especially when you consider that he really was—in my experience—the finest musician I’ve ever worked with,” he says. TCP had dreamed of collaborating with Hussain for a long time, and when the timing aligned a few years ago, they invited him to compose a work and perform with them. As he was in and out of Chicago touring with other music groups, Hussain would visit TCP’s studio, teaching rhythms, sharing concepts of Hindustani classical music, and leaving the ensemble with ideas to improvise and refine. “We worked together as he was writing the piece,” Skidmore explains. “And this became Murmurs in Time.”

The collaboration offered more than just musical instruction; it was a chance to witness Hussain’s rare ability to connect with musicians and audiences alike. As Skidmore notes, “It’s almost impossible to overstate his impact on the world of percussion.” Earlier this year, TCP was part of a memorial concert for him at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco; it was a gathering of Hussain’s collaborators that highlighted his unique combination of virtuosity and reliability. “That performance really drove home for me how musically and personally he was able to connect with so many different people—whether they were other musicians or audience members; simultaneously, he was able to perform music at a level unlike anyone else and somehow be relatable as a person,” Skidmore recalls. “Such an incredibly rare combination.”

For this performance, the ensemble shares the stage with one of Hussain’s most devoted students: Salar Nader, who began studying under Hussain at the age of 7. “Having the opportunity to meet Salar is one of the many gifts that Zakir left us with,” Skidmore says. “Almost every musician teaches; it’s a way for their legacy to live on. It lives on in their recordings, their compositions, and their students. This project is special to us because it’s all three aspects of Zakir’s legacy in one evening.”

Nader performs Hussain’s part in Murmurs in Time, bringing his own musical take while honoring the rhythms and nuances of his teacher’s work. “We get to see this glimpse of Zakir and his incredible musicianship and legacy through Salar every night,” Skidmore says. The first half of the evening showcases some rhythmically exciting music TCP has been touring with, by composers such as Jessie Montgomery, Tigran Hamasyan, and Jlin; the second half unfolds with a tabla solo composed by Nader in tribute to Hussain, flowing into the masterwork itself—a living dialogue between teacher, student, and ensemble. Reflecting on this experience, Nader shares with us, “I am honored and humbled to be premiering my guru’s composition with Third Coast Percussion at his hometown venue, Zellerbach Hall, and hope that we can carry his spirit in every performance that we do together.”

Beyond technical mastery, Skidmore emphasizes the emotional heart of the performance. “I can’t think of a better way for us to honor his legacy than to continue that; to bring his rhythms and music to audiences we’re meeting on tour,” he shares. “I hope that everyone feels the joy of the music and the joy that we feel performing it.” Hussain shared a long and meaningful relationship with Cal Performances, having regularly performed on its stage for over 20 years. Through his programming, he used his platform to share his own genius, as well as to introduce Berkeley audiences to extraordinary percussionists from a diverse array of musical traditions and backgrounds. For TCP, it is “particularly meaningful to be able to bring this piece that he wrote and this music to the audience that knew him so well,” Skidmore reflects.

Through Murmurs in Time, Third Coast Percussion and Salar Nader offer more than a tribute; they offer continuity. Hussain’s rhythms, teachings, and spirit resonate in every note, reminding audiences that live music has a unique power of preserving memory, inspiring collaboration, and carrying legacies forward—one performance at a time.