So here’s the interview with Thile from the Newshour online:

And here’s a preview of tonight’s show:

Those are just a few words that come to my mind as I try to describe last night’s Zakir Hussain’s Masters of Percussion in the Trustees Theater in a beautifully produced Savannah Music Festival show.

Writing or talking about the show is all the more difficult because I don’t know the names of some of the instruments and don’t have any idea what “songs” were played with such beauty and passion. Other than the masterful Zakir Hussain and bassist Edgar Meyer — who joined the ensemble for a beautiful and haunting piece before intermission — I don’t know any of the performers either.

The show opened with a darkened stage except for a single spot on a cylindrical drum, with a stunning red sash, at the edge of the stage. I’m not sure which of the dancing drummers of Manipur from the Meitei Pung Cholom Performing Troupe pranced out to pick up the drum — it was either Ningombam Joy Singh or Mujeeb Dadarkar according to the program. Under the athletic hands of the drummer, the instrument yielded deeper notes on one end and higher on the other — a powerful opening.

From there, the show — almost two and a half hours including a short intermission — was comprised of various combinations of traditional instruments and brilliant — and joyous — performances.

It goes without saying that Hussain’s incredibly fast and precise tabla playing electrified the audience of 500 or so.

But each artist had some standout moments — and each seemed a perfect fit into the polished ensemble.

Hussain’s younger brother Fazal Qureshi played the tabla in some brilliant give and take with Zakir, and also played the percussive kanjira.

Rakesh Chaurasia’s bansuri (bamboo flute) was rich as a solo instrument, and was indispensable for bringing depth and balance to some of the more rhythmic pieces.

Ditto for Dilshad Khan and his sarangi. Khan’s face was radiant as the fingers of his left hand flew along the strings while his right hand seemed merged with the bow.

Sitting stage right, THV Umashankar on the ghatam (clay pot) had a stunning second act solo and Navin Sharma’s dholak seemed the insistent driver of the beat for extended periods.

I was most taken, of all the instruments, with the doyra, played by Abbos Kosimov. It’s a round, frame drum with a jingle. Dressed in a delightful white outfit with boots with curved toes, Abbos Kosimov played first one of the Central Asian instruments, then two, then three — alternately standing, sitting, and even juggling.

And then there was Edgar Meyer, whom I have seen perform with Hussain before (along with Bela Fleck). Maybe someone out there can tell me what the composition was that he joined in on, but his bass was particularly moving combined with Chaurasia’s flute.

In his introduction to the show, SMF director Rob Gibson called Zakir Hussain “one of the great musicians of our time.” That much seems pretty clear.

And it seemed pretty clear on Thursday night that Hussain had surrounded himself with the very best.

I’ve seen Zakir Hussain play the tabla a couple of times, including in a stellar show last year at the SMF with Edgar Meyer and Bela Fleck.

How could I miss the chance to see him again this year with other great percussionists? (I also heard a rumor that Edgar Meyer is still in Savannah after an earlier SMF gig and might turn up on stage tonight at some point — just a rumor.)

But more importantly, despite the strong and growing ticket sales of the SMF generally, why are there so many tickets still available for tonight’s show? As I write this, four hours before showtime, Trustees Theater is about half sold. That’s better than last year’s turnout for Afropop star Salif Keita, but it’s far short of how many should be there.

There are myriad reasons, all understandable. Tickets aren’t cheap. Many music lovers might be tapped out or simply worn out as we approach the festival’s final weekend. Many regular SMF concertgoers may not recognize Hussain’s name and may have no idea what a tabla is.

So I’m not criticizing any individual for taking a pass on tonight’s show, but at the same time I’m puzzled by the fact that any number of Savannahians will go out tonight and spend $35 to $55 per person on soon-to-be-forgotten dinner and drinks, while that same investment would buy tickets to a show that is sure to exhilarating and possibly unforgettable.

Here’s a little taste:

Click here to read more about the show.

Click here to buy tickets.

Click here to read my Man About Town column today recapping some personal highlights of the first two weeks of the SMF.