On Jan. 18, the iconic Indian percussionist Zakir Hussain will be honored by SFJAZZ with the SFJAZZ Lifetime Achievement Award, which will be presented at the SFJAZZ Gala 2017. That event will feature performances by Hussain, whose “global artistic vision and contributions to modern music” are being acknowledged, Joe Lovano, Terence Blanchard, Stefon Harris, the SFJAZZ Collective, Eric Harland, Joshua Redman, Bill Frisell, Cindy Blackman Santana, current SFJAZZ Resident Artistic Director Mary Stallings and the Kronos Quartet, among others.
“Zakir Hussain has been a continuous thread throughout the history of SFJAZZ, and the gala will be a momentous occasion honoring his musical genius,” said SFJAZZ Gala Chair Tim Dattels, in a press release.
“Widely considered a chief architect of the contemporary world music movement, Zakir’s contribution has been unique, with many historic and groundbreaking collaborations,” according to the press release. Notable collaborations include Shakti and Remember Shakti with John McLaughlin and a trio with Béla Fleck and Edgar Meyer, as well as Herbie Hancock and an appearance on saxophonist John Handy’s 1975 album Karuna Supreme, which fuses classical Indian music with jazz.
With the gala as the centerpiece, SFJAZZ will present over two weeks of exclusive concerts and events that recognize the organization’s fifth anniversary season and its three decades of achievements, including one-time-only performances spotlighting Tony Williams, Joe Henderson, Bobby Hutcherson and John Handy, by some of the gala’s same featured artists.
As a follow-up to the award presentation, the gala will conclude with the SFJAZZ Gala AfterJam featuring Grammy-nominated Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings. All proceeds will support SFJAZZ’s artistic and educational programs.
For more information about the gala, including tickets and sponsorship details, visit sfjazz.org.
