Diga Rhythm Band

During a lull in activities with The Grateful Dead, percussionist and ethnomusicologist Mickey Hart joined with tabla player, Zakir Hussain, son of longtime Ravi Shankar accompanist, Alla Rakha, and students of the Ali Akbar College of Music to form the heavily percussive Diga Rhythm Band in 1975. Recording their sole album, Diga, in Hart's barn/studio in Novato, California, the 11-piece group was augmented by Jerry Garcia on guitar and Jim Mcpherson, Kathy McDonald and David Freiberg on vocals. One tune on the album, "Happiness Is Drumming (Fire on the Mountain) went on to be a staple at concerts by The Grateful Dead, The Other Ones and Hart's Planet Drum.



Formed as the Tal Vadya Rhythm Band in 1973, the group was renamed the Diga Rhythm Band following Hart's arrival two years later.



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