Ustad Alla Rakha started his career as an accompanist in Lahore before moving to Mumbai. Pic Courtesy/ Rajni Pradhan

The world remembers Ustad Alla Rakha Qureshi as the tabla legend who put the instrument on the world map. The late maestro was also the first tabla player to have presented a solo recital on All India Radio in 1940. "His universe revolved around the instrument and compositions but whenever he had time, he would catch episodes of Hawaii 5-0 — an American television serial on a police squad investigating a criminal case — and watch us play cricket in the backyard of our building at Nepean Sea Road," reminisces Fazal Qureshi, his younger son who will be performing at a tribute concert with a few musicians on his father's 98th birth anniversary tonight. He often accompanied Allaâu00c2u0080u00c2u0088Rakha to the US for shows.