Ustad Zakir Hussain, the Speaking Hand: Ustad Zakir Hussain (born March 9, 1951), is an internationally renowned and acclaimed tabla player, who has won awards and recognitions for his contribution to the world of music. He is today appreciated, both in the field of percussion and in the music world at large as an international phenomenon. 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. He is the son of the late tabla legend Ustad Alla Rakha. Zakir started playing the tabla at a very early age and was touring by the age of twelve. Zakir went to the United States in 1970, embarking on an international career which includes no fewer than 150 concert dates a year. Zakir has worked with many western and Indian artists, and has produced many works of fusion, perhaps most notably with The Beatles. 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. 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 ever, to 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. Kishori Amonkar - Gana Saraswati: Kishori Amonkar (born April 10, 1931 in Mumbai) is a forefront name in Indian classical circles and is considered to be the finest female vocalist of her generation. As a result of her captivating voice she is often referred to as “Gana Saraswati.” Kishori Amonkar was born to Madhavdas Bhatiya and Mogubai Kurdikar, a renowned classical vocalist, who gave Kishori her early music lessons. Kishori quickly imbibed the nuances of the difficult ‘Jaipur-Atrauli’ gharana of music. Her vibrant, rich and mellifluous voice; her larger-than-life stage presence and the powerful and emotional appeal of her music have kept her at the vanguard of Indian classical music for many years. What’s probably most interesting is the manner in which she marvelously synthesizes the ancient traditions of classical singing with new forms of rendition. She’s one of those rare singers today who uses sarangi for accompaniment. In spite of numerous performances over decades, countless recordings and great appraise and awards, Amonkar refuses to be a show-biz artist. Her voice is captivating, sublime and awe-inspiring. In Amonkar’s own words, “Music is not just about words and beats. It is also about the emotion behind the rendition. Words turn into music when emotions are weaved into them. And the notes—not just the basic seven, but the hundreds of other mini and micro-notes help to bring out the soul of a music composition.” Significant awards bestowed on her include, the ‘Sangeet Natak Akademi’ Award, the ‘Padmabhushan’ and the much-coveted ‘Sangeet Samradhini’ Award. It’s interesting to note that her mother Mugubai Kurdikar was also awarded “Padma Bhushan” by the Indian Government, which is a rare double distinction in the same family. Next