Planet Drum
 Mickey Hart & Fredric Lieberman
 (Reviewer - Rebecca Brown)
 1998 HarperSanFrancisco
  ISBN: 1888358203

A celebration of Percussion & Rhythm spanning stories in time & place, with fabulous photos & drawings; lively excerpts about the use of drums by everyone throughout history.

Mickey Hart's Planet Drum begins with nothing less than the big bang, the Nada Brahma as the Hindus call it; the One, the pulse at the heart of the universe or the seed sound. No matter the name we give it, it is the vibration we feel at the beginning, throughout our lives & at its ending.

And this noise begat rhythm and rhythm begat everthing else.

Watching a flint knapper, long ago on a western British Isles beach, beating at his stones, begetting spear points & knives with that rhythmic clank & grunt. Here beginneth the first verse of the Song. No doubt the women were banging their grubbing sticks too, rousting out critters from the bushes.

Origin Stories & original paintings of drummers, singers, dancers, clappers & all manner of rhythmic instruments from the four corners of the world & distant times, illuminate this passionate, enchanting tour. There is a tape that accompanies the reading of this lovely book.

My copy came from my son one happy birthday, I reciprocated by finding a Percussion Festival in Seattle & taking him there.

Very well done!
(05/23/99)

Rebecca