Mickey Hart's three decades as the innovative percussion engine of the Grateful Dead, earned him Rock & Roll Hall of Fame status and worldwide notoriety. Years of constant touring also afforded him a platform for introducing his lifelong interest in multicultural sounds (rooted in childhood exposure to his mother's collection of early Folkways ethnographic recordings) to the American public; he presented on the Dead's performance stage such diverse artists as the great Yoruban drum legend Babatunde Olatunji, Brazil's multi-talented Airto Moreira, Sudanese oud master Hamza El Din, and Nigerian talking drum ace Sikiru Adepoju.

Hart's all-star percussion ensemble Global Drum Project — including Hart, tabla virtuoso Zakir Hussain, conguero Giovanni Hidalgo, and Sikiru Adepoju on talking drum — will perform in fourteen cities throughout the Northwest, Northern and Southern California, Colorado, the Midwest (including Chicago and Minneapolis), and Houston, Texas. Tour dates include the free Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park and an appearance at UCLA Live at Royce Hall in Los Angeles.

Last year Global Drum Project once again found the all-stars collaborating in a collection of tranced-out, mesmerizing grooves and elegant electronic programming on a self-titled album. Recording performers include Planet Drum alumni Giovanni Hidalgo on Latin percussion and Sikiru Adepoju on talking drum, as well as Taufiq Qureshi on percussion and vocals, Niladari Kumar on sitar, Dilshad Khan on sarangi. The late Babatunde Olatunji is heard as well, in sampled "guest" vocals.

Coinciding with this release, previously unavailable reissues of essential Mickey Hart back catalog - Diga Rhythm Band, At The Edge, Planet Drum, Mystery Box, and Supralingua - are available via the iTunes Music Store and in physical retail outlets worldwide.

Tour Dates
Project 10/01/08 Wed Benaroya Hall Seattle, WA
10/02/08 Thu Aladdin Theater Portland, OR
10/03/08 Fri McDonald Theatre Eugene, OR
10/04/08 Sat Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival San Francisco, CA
10/08/08 Wed Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts Davis, CA
10/09/08 Thu Royce Hall at UCLA Los Angeles, CA
10/10/08 Fri The Birch North Park Theatre San Diego, CA
10/14/08 Tue Grand Theatre on Artsblock Wassau, WI
10/15/08 Wed Hancher Auditorium Iowa City, IA
10/16/08 Thu North Hall River Falls, WI
10/17/08 Fri The O'Shaughnessy St. Paul, MN
10/18/08 Sat Old Town School of Folk Music Chicago, IL
10/19/08 Sun Cullen Auditorium Houston, TX