Some of world's greatest; ALAN NICHOL rounds up what's happening on the roots music scene.

Byline: ALAN NICHOL

THIS week's chosen artists are truly international in terms of origin and appeal. Percussion, guitar, Americana and some solid British traditional music are all represented by the illustrious and eclectic visitors.

Starting at the back end of the week, the Sage plays host to the phenomenal skills of the Indian percussionist, Zakir Hussain, next Wednesday.

The world-famous tabla-player was last here with guitarist John McLaughlin's group, Remember Shakti, two or three years ago when he made a huge impression on the audience. Zakir - arguably one of the greatest tabla-players ever - was a child prodigy, which is not surprising really, as his father was the revered Indian percussionist, Ustad Allah Rakah, who was, for 30 years, the tabla-player for Ravi Shankar. In his late teens, Zakir, left India and his classical training for America.

Once there, he was involved in music across the widest possible spectrum but he did eventually succeed his father as Ravi's instrumental partner. He has since played with symphony orchestras and with some of the world's most recognisable musicians.

Apart from Ravi Shankar, he has worked with George Harrison, Van Morrison, Jack Bruce and Billy Cobham and a long list of others. Zakir also worked with the Grateful Dead drummer, Mickey Hart, who sought him out for specific knowledge of Indian percussion techniques.

He won a Grammy in 1992 for his Planet Drum album and was the recipient of the USA's National Heritage Fellowship. Although accolades from his adopted country were high praise, he also received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award - one of the youngest musicians ever to be honoured - in his native India and awarded by the Prime Minister, no less! He has also been a visiting professor at Princeton University and his music was used for the Vietnam war feature film Apocalypse Now.

Next Wednesday's show is entitled Zakir Hussain & the Masters of Percussion and he has sitar and sarangi (a kind of lute) and other percussion instruments in the troupe, which includes dancers.

THE night before that, Tuesday, sees the guitarist Nicolas Meier and his group at the Cluny. Swissborn Meier was also a gifted child musician and he studied at the Fribourg Conservatoire from the age of 12.

Although he is frequently described as a jazz musician, which is true, he is really much more than that. Often compared to fellow-guitarist Pat Metheny, his work includes elements of Latin, Flamenco, Oriental, rock, classical and metal.

Meier spent a few years in the USA in Boston but now calls London his home. He has assembled a cracking band for this tour - Gilad Atzmon (saxes), Asaf Sirkis (drums) and Tom Mason (bass) - and he is certain to play material from his last album, Silence Talks (Naim Records), which received critical acclaim.

The album, mainly acoustic, contains references to Turkey (his wife is Turkish) and sees Meier play nylon-string guitar and an eleven-string fretless variant called the Godin Glissantar.

STAYING at the Cluny, Monday provides the opportunity to catch the unique Americana act, the Handsome Family.

Husband and wife duo, Brett (music) and Rennie (lyrics) Sparks, are really the Handsome Family but the line-up can vary from two to six musicians. The pair live in Alberquerque, New Mexico and are considered to be the archetypal Americana act. Albums like Through The Trees, Last Days of Wonder and Singing Bones are often cited as essential alt.country recordings but the Sparks see themselves as songwriters plain and simple. From the earliest recordings they did - Odessa and Milk & Scissors - in the 90s, the press have fallen for the dark, gothic tales which use everyday themes and surreal imagery. Alex Martinez aka Freak Flag open.

CAPTION(S):

CHILD PRODIGY - Zakir Hussain and, left, Nicolas Meier