Concert Preview: Global Drum Project @ Lisner
Mickey Hart (pictured right), best known as one of the drummers in the Grateful Dead, has a deep passion for rhythm and its chief purveyor, the drum. Having authored books on the history and mythology of drums and drumming, as well as works on the spiritual aspects of music, Hart’s work as a musician reflects this combination of the spiritual and academic aspects of his craft. So it's no surprise that Hart found a kindred spirit in Zakir Hussain. Universally recognized as the finest tabla player in the world, the Indian classical tradition from which Hussain comes is very intellectual, but also has deep spiritual and religious roots.
This multi-pronged dedication to music led Hart to recruit Hussain, along with a host of percussionists from around the world, to form the Planet Drum ensemble in the early 1990s. The group’s album of the same name was awarded the first ever Grammy in the World Music category. To celebrate the 15th anniversary of that album, Hart called on Hussain, Latin percussion firebrand Giovanni Hidalgo, and West African drumming master Sikiru Adepoju, all veterans of the Planet Drum project. The four musicians convened to record a self-titled album as the Global Drum Project and will be performing tonight at Lisner Auditorium. As Hart said, “It was just a good time to get together and play again.”
Images from the Global Drum Project website
Global Drum Project is different from a typical percussion ensemble in that its performance is as dependent upon digital technology as it is on the actual striking of the drum. This approach to performance was Hart’s brainchild.
“The thought and mind of Mickey was to use the digital processor, but in such a way to preserve organic quality of the instrument,” Hussain (pictured left) explained. “It was a theory that Mickey had, but only now is the technology available to do it.”
The result of this approach is not the percussive fireworks that one might expect from these four musicians. Instead, the group generates rhythmic cycles that are soundscapes rather than structured compositions. In addition to the layered elements of the drums, the band incorporates sampled melodic motifs, tuned percussion, syllabic percussion, and even some spoken word. All of these ingredients are subject to digital manipulation.
“We were trying for a trance and mood,” Hart said, “and because of the technology, it’s like performing without any limits imposed on you.”
“There’s usually pre-production and post-production. This is present production,” Hussain said. Hart put it another way: “We play into the digital processing and use that as part of the instrument. It’s a real time way of creating a multi-instrumental orchestra and this is a percussion orchestra for the 21st Century.”
Global Drum Project performs tonight at Lisner Auditorium at 8 p.m. Tickets are available here. $25-$45 + Ticketmaster fees.