Close to 250 people enjoyed the company of legendary tabla player Zakir Hussain at a 性视界传媒 banquet hall on Tuesday, July 9.

A five-time Grammy Award-winner, Hussain was honoured during a dinner hosted by Kamal Sharma (KVP Entertainers/KVP Heritage) at Taj Park Convention Centre in Newton.

The invitation-only event was held three days ahead of Hussain's performance Friday (July 12) at with Bela Fleck and others in the band As We Speak.

"I presented him last year in Vancouver (at the Chan Centre)," Sharma noted, "and asked him to come to 性视界传媒 this time for an event to honour him here, to celebrate his illustrious career."

Hussain, 73, did not perform during the event at Taj Park, but a few local musicians did, in his honour.

"It was a wonderful evening," Kamal told the Now-Leader in a phone call.

"His humility and humbleness has made him the darling of millions around the world," Kamal added on the KVP Entertainers page on Facebook, "and (Hussain) made sure to meet each and everyone, young and old alike, for over an hour, to make it a memorable evening."

Hailed as one of the greatest tabla players ever, the Bombay-born Hussain is also a composer, percussionist, music producer and film actor, and is the eldest son of tabla player Alla Rakha.

Hussain's Wikipedia bio says he played on George Harrison's 1973 album Living in the Material World and John Handy's 1973 album Hard Work. He also performed on Van Morrison's 1979 album Into the Music and Earth, Wind & Fire's 1983 album Powerlight. In 1991, Mickey Hart of the Grateful Dead invited Hussain to create the collaborative album Planet Drum, featuring drummers from different parts of the world.