Mickey Hart is best known for his nearly three decades as an integral part of an extraordinary expedition into the soul and spirit of music, disguised as the rock and roll band the Grateful Dead. As half of the percussion tandem known as the Rhythm Devils, Hart and Bill Kreutzmann transcended the conventions of rock drumming. Their extended polyrhythmic excursions were highlights of Grateful Dead shows, introducing the band’s audience to an ever-growing arsenal of percussion instruments from around the world. Exposure to these exotic sounds fueled Hart’s desire to learn about the various cultures that produced them.
Last October, Smithsonian Folkways Recordings released the ‘Mickey Hart Collection’ to preserve and further the Grateful Dead percussionist’s endeavor to cross borders and expand musical horizons. The collection began with 25 albums drawn from ‘The World,’ a series Hart curated that incorporated his solo projects, other artists’ productions, and re-releases of out-of-print titles.
Hart was recently in the studio recording his latest solo project that is due out in February.
‘I’ve been involved in sampling the epic events of the universe from the Big Bang to now — everything that makes up our lives,’ Hart said, describing his upcoming album. ‘It’s all about the vibrations of life. In this case, they began as light waves, and these light waves are still washing over us. The scientists at Lawrence Berkeley Labs and Meyer Sound Laboratories made them into sound waves. I want to bring these light waves into the human range and use that as a musical catalyst and play with it.’
Hart debuted his new songs to packed houses last summer, and will perform for a Tahoe crowd this month. ~ Moonshine Ink Staff Reports
