a nonprofit presenter of jazz artistic and education programs

Planet Drum with Mickey Hart,
Zakir Hussain, Sikiru Adepoju, Giovanni Hidalgo

Saturday, September 23 • 8pm

  • $80
  • $60
  • $47
  • $37
  • $25
    • “[Hart is] one of the most influential champions of world music.” —San Francisco Chronicle

    In this pre-Festival special event, Grateful Dead drummer and world-music alchemist Mickey Hart brings the latest edition of his Grammy-winning, borders-busting percussion showcase, Planet Drum, to SF for one night only. Featuring far-flung percussion virtuosos like Indian tabla phenomenon Zakir Hussain and conga maestro Giovanni Hidalgo, this latest incarnation of Planet Drum builds on the legacy of the group that won 1991’s first-ever “Best World Music Album” Grammy Award (for the self-titled record that held the #1 spot on Billboard’s World Music chart for 26 straight weeks).

    Personnel:
    • Mickey Hart, percussion
    • Zakir Hussain, tabla
    • Sikiru Adepoju, talking drum
    • Giovanni Hidalgo, congas

    SF ChronicleWashington Mutual

    Program Notes

    The first Planet Drum album, released in 1991, spent 26 weeks atop the billboard World Music chart. It also won the first ever “Best World Music Album” Grammy. To celebrate the 15th anniversary of his groundbreaking ensemble, Mickey Hart leads an all new edition of Planet Drum in a Festival Preview Concert.


    Hart has a long history of percussion innovation, both as a drummer for the Grateful Dead and through his work as an ethno-musicologist. When he’s not keeping the beat for his many side projects (including The Other Ones, Bembe Orisha, and the Rhythm Devils), Hart is an influential political and social activist. 


    Indian tabla master Zakir Hussain first recorded with Hart on the drummer’s 1972 album Rolling Thunder. Continuing his impressive string of cross-cultural collaborations, which include dates with John McLaughlin (and Shakti), Pharoah Sanders, Van Morrison, and Billy Cobham, Hussain will appear at the Festival November 3 with Charles Lloyd and SFJAZZ Collective drummer Eric Harland.


    Giovanni Hidalgo is one of the world’s most acclaimed congueros. His early work with Eddie Palmieri caught the attention of Dizzy Gillespie, who hired Hidalgo for his United Nations Jazz Orchestra. Since then, the Puerto Rican native has taught percussion at Berklee College of Music, and toured the country with jazz great Art Blakey, as well as the Conga Kings.


    Another longtime Hart collaborator, talking drum virtuoso Sikiru Adepoju performs in Planet Drum, Bembe Orisha, and the Rhythm Devils. On his first visit to America in 1985, he joined Nigerian the Drums of Passion ensemble of percussion master Babatunde Olatunji (who worked with John Coltrane, among others). His latest project is Afrika Heartbeat, a celebration of Yoruba culture with steel pan wizard Val Serrant.