''Planet Drum'' is a
world music album by
Mickey Hart, a musician and musicologist who was a member of the rock band the
Grateful Dead.
Hart's concept for ''Planet Drum'' was to play drum music with
percussionists
A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a beater including attached or enclosed beaters or rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or struck against another similar instrument. Excl ...
from around the world, and incorporate their different musical styles and traditions into a new global sound. The musicians on the ''Planet Drum'' album were from the United States (Hart), India (
Zakir Hussain and
T.H. "Vikku" Vinayakram), Nigeria (
Sikiru Adepoju and
Babatunde Olatunji
Michael Babatunde Olatunji (April 7, 1927 – April 6, 2003) was a Nigerian drummer, educator, social activist, and recording artist.
Early life
Olatunji was born in the village of Ajido, near Badagry, Lagos State, in southwestern Nige ...
), Brazil (
Airto Moreira and his wife, vocalist
Flora Purim), and Puerto Rico (
Giovanni Hidalgo
Giovanni Hidalgo a.k.a. "Mañenguito" (born November 22, 1963) is a Latin jazz percussionist.
Early years
Hidalgo was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where he received his primary education. His grandfather was a musician, and his father, José ...
and
Frank Colón
Frank Colón (born October 13, 1951) is an American musician and martial artist of Puerto Rican descent.
Early life and education
Born in Washington, D.C., Colón moved from there to Puerto Rico at the age of five. His musical instruction beg ...
).
''Planet Drum'' won the
Grammy Award for Best World Music Album
The Grammy Award for Best Global Music Album is an honor presented to recording artists for influential music from around the globe at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards. Honors i ...
of 1991, the first year in which the award was given. It reached number 1 on the
''Billboard'' chart for Top World Music Albums.
Planet Drum, the book
Hart also wrote a book called ''Planet Drum: A Celebration of Percussion and Rhythm'', co-written by
Fredric Lieberman and D.A. Sonneborn. The book explores the role of drumming in the musical, cultural, and spiritual traditions of different cultures. It was first published in 1991, the same year that the ''Planet Drum'' album was released, and has the same cover illustration by Nancy Nimoy.
Planet Drum, the band
Since ''Planet Drum'' was released, Mickey Hart has sometimes toured with many of the same musicians who played on the album, performing live concerts. This ensemble is also called Planet Drum.
Richardson, Derk. "Mickey Hart reunites landmark world musicians for 'Global Drum Project'", ''San Francisco Chronicle'', September 27, 2007
/ref>
Track listing
# "Udu Chant" ( Sikiru Adepoju, Mickey Hart, Zakir Hussain, Airto Moreira) – 3:40
# "Island Groove" (Adepoju, Hart, Hussain, Moreira, Babatunde Olatunji
Michael Babatunde Olatunji (April 7, 1927 – April 6, 2003) was a Nigerian drummer, educator, social activist, and recording artist.
Early life
Olatunji was born in the village of Ajido, near Badagry, Lagos State, in southwestern Nige ...
) – 5:43
# "Light Over Shadow" (Moreira, Olatunji, Flora Purim) – 3:51
# "Dance of the Hunter's Fire" (Adepoju, Moreira, Olatunji, Colón, Purim, Hidalgo, T.H. "Vikku" Vinayakram) – 2:59
# "Jewe (You are the One)" (Olatunji) – 4:06
# "The Hunt" (Adepoju, Hart, Hussain, Moreira, Olatunji, Vinayakram) – 3:51
# "Temple Caves" (Adepoju, Hart, Hussain, Moreira, Olatunji) – 3:13
# "The Dancing Sorcerer" (Hussain, Moreira) – 2:57
# "Bones" (Hart, Hussain, Olatunji, Purim) – 4:10
# "Lost River" (Adepoju, Hart, Hussain, Moreira, Olatunji, Purim) – 2:58
# "Evening Samba" (Adepoju, Hart, Hussain, Moreira, Olatunji, Vinayakram) – 4:30
# "Iyanu (Surprises)" (Olatunji) – 2:02
# "Mysterious Island" (Hart, Moreira, Purim, Jeff Sterling) – 5:49
Personnel
Musicians
* Sikiru Adepoju
*Molonga Casquelord
*Frank Colón
Frank Colón (born October 13, 1951) is an American musician and martial artist of Puerto Rican descent.
Early life and education
Born in Washington, D.C., Colón moved from there to Puerto Rico at the age of five. His musical instruction beg ...
* Mickey Hart
*Giovanni Hidalgo
Giovanni Hidalgo a.k.a. "Mañenguito" (born November 22, 1963) is a Latin jazz percussionist.
Early years
Hidalgo was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where he received his primary education. His grandfather was a musician, and his father, José ...
* Zakir Hussain
* Bruce Langhorne
* Airto Moreira
*Caryl Ohrbach
*Babatunde Olatunji
Michael Babatunde Olatunji (April 7, 1927 – April 6, 2003) was a Nigerian drummer, educator, social activist, and recording artist.
Early life
Olatunji was born in the village of Ajido, near Badagry, Lagos State, in southwestern Nige ...
* Flora Purim
*Gordy Ryan
*Jeff Sterling
* T.H. "Vikku" Vinayakram
Production
*Producer – Mickey Hart
*Co-producers – Sikiru Adepoju, Zakir Hussain, Airto Moreira, Babatunde Olatunji, Flora Purim, T.H. "Vikku" Vinayakram
*Recording and mixdown engineers – Tom Flye, Jeff Sterling
*Production manager – Howard Cohen
*Equipment managers – Ram Rod, Rudson Shurtliff
*Technical support – Jack Crymes
*Digital mastering – Paul Stubblebine
*Cover illustration – Nancy Nimoy
Notes
External links
Mickey Hart official web siteMickey Hart: ''Planet Drum'' 1991
{{Authority control
Mickey Hart albums
1991 albums
Rykodisc albums
Grammy Award for Best World Music Album
Albums produced by Mickey Hart