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