★★★★★
Smithsonian Folkways After more than 30 years of globetrotting and recording, somewhere along the way, Mickey Hart became a quasi-Alan Lomax of world music. And by "world music," we don't necessarily mean pure academic studies in ethnomusicology, although the six compilations that Hart assembled in the late '90s as part of the E*ndangered Music Project* --included here--are most certainly that...
- www.relix.com
2011-11-14
★★★★★
In which the ex-Dead drummer compounds Alla Rakha, Shosone chants, a water pump, big band jazz, and electronic music, not to mention Paul and Gracie and Jerry and other Our Gang regulars. Much more original than your typical Marin County special, but almost as forgettable.
- www.robertchristgau.com
2009-07-10
★★★★★
Planet Drum is more than just an album. This is the aural branch of Grateful Dead percussionist Hart's grand "Planet Drum" project, a vision that also embraces Planet Drum the coffee-table book, and the Planet Drum Foundation (which, according to the liner notes, is "committed to a synthesis of people and habitat through bioregional education"). It's all so politically correct your teeth may hurt, but at least the music itself is free of posturing...
- ew.com
2009-06-12
★★★★★
The Grateful Dead's drummer Mickey Hart creates a varied and truly peaceful tapestry, using (among much else) the sounds of whistles, raindrops, and crickets. His album, At the Edge, a companion to Hart's book "Drumming at the Edge of Magic," is everything New Age music ought to be.
- ew.com
2009-06-12
★★★★★
When does a best-of become a worst-of? When the sum of its tracks is less rewarding than any of the artist's single albums. Mickey Hart, the less swinging and more world musicoriented of the Grateful Dead's two drummers, seems to have compiled these percussion-heavy world-music cuts mainly for the opportunity to polish them up as squeaky-clean DVD artifacts. Sure, his tribe of guest percussionists smack, shake, chime, whomp and bubble with the highest of fidelity. But Hart's best solo albums, ....
- www.blender.com
2009-03-22
★★★★★
After the passing of Grateful Dead guitarist Jerry Garcia and the venerable band's demise, it was percussionist Mickey Hart who proved to be the most creatively resilient. As Deadheads and appreciators of world music can attest, Hart -- who is also an author and learned ethnomusicologist -- has been fusing genres ever since his debut release, 1972's Rolling Thunder, which included Native American sounds and motifs along with rock and jazz...
- music.aol.com
2008-08-28
★★★★★
Though Spirit into Sound does not break much new ground creatively for Mickey Hart, it does feature some nice elements. Hart's new age sort of blend of melodic elements and percussion are here again, centering around a very spiritual sound with heavy South American and African tribal influences. Rebeca Mauleon provides lush vocals which are reminiscent of Zap Mama's Marie Daulne. Zakir Hussain provides percussion with his trademark complexity, making use of a world full of instruments...
- music.aol.com
2008-08-28
★★★★★
Along with Bobby Weir's Ace (1972) and Jerry Garcia's Garcia (1972), Mickey Hart (percussion) issued his debut solo in 1972. Some unfortunate business dealings involving his father Lenny Hart -- who briefly managed the Grateful Dead -- resulted in Mickey extricating himself from the band in 1971. However none of the other members blamed Mickey and remained supportive of his sabbatical...
- music.aol.com
2008-08-28