Zakir Hussain's Making Music stands as a landmark 1987 collaboration uniting four virtuosos across continents and traditions. Featuring tabla maestro Hussain alongside guitarist John McLaughlin, saxophonist Jan Garbarek, and flutist Hariprasad Chaurasia, the album captures spontaneous musical dialogue of remarkable depth. Each musician brings distinct cultural lineage—Norwegian expressionism, Indian classical precision, and jazz-inflected guitar work—converging in improvisations that transcend genre boundaries. Recorded in Oslo's Rainbow Studio in December 1986, the interplay between tabla, flute, and guitar creates moments of genuine revelation, with each performer elevating the others through intuitive responsiveness. A defining statement in world music fusion and cross-cultural improvisation.
A staggering gathering of improvising masters from distinct musical backgrounds, Zakir Hussain's Making Music arrived out of the blue on its release in 1987 and captivated listeners with its special sense of wonder and adventure.
"The exchanges of flute, tabla and guitar are often breath taking" noted The Philadelphia Tribune, while describing Jan Garbarek's playing as "lines that bend the notes to match Indian vocal music and the sitar and elsewhere to evoke the Norwegian winters."
McLaughlin's earthy contributions on acoustic guitar blend in with improvisational ease, tying the evocative instrumental expressions of flutist Hariprasad Chaurasia and Hussain's seemingly omnirhythmic percussion together. It's easy to understand why the German daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung would draw the conclusion that, "without even one of the four, Making Music would be unimaginable."
Originally released in January 1987. Recorded December 1986, Rainbow Studio, Oslo.
