From: "brian s. zaff" <BZAFF@falcon.aamrl.wpafb.af.mil>
Subject: Mickey Hart Sighting/Citing
Reply-To: BZAFF@falcon.aamrl.wpafb.af.mil
Organization: The Internet
Date: Wed, 6 Jan 1993 15:23:26 GMT

Mickey Hart sighting/citing...

      More good press for Mickey Hart and The Grateful Dead...

      The most recent issue of _Advance_ (a weekly professional bulletin for 
Occupational Therapists) (January 4, 1993; Vol. 9/No. 1) is about the healing 
power of rhythm and percussion.  The issue includes three article: "The 
Ergonomics of Music," "Rehab Therapists Tap Into New Rhythms, and "Hart's Beat 
Kicks Off Rhythm Research."

     The second article cites Mickey Hart's work and discusses the positive 
impact that Hart's August 1991 Senate testimony has had...

     "Hart's testimony, along with that of Dr. Sacks, helped to convince the 
Senate panel to authorize the inclusion of music therapy services under the 
Old Americans Act provisions.  Subsequently, an appropriations committee has 
allocated $285,000 to fund special projects, research and education in this 
field."

    The rest of the article discusses how Dr. Crowe director of Music Therapy 
at Arizona State University joined together with Hart to form the Rhythm for 
Life Foundation.

     The third article, "Hart's Beat Kicks Off Rhythm Research," is principally 
about the work of Mickey Hard and includes an interview and a nice photograph 
of him leading an "intergenerational" drum circle.  Here's a little of the 
article by Lisa Haskell (which is too long for me to re-type in it's 
entirety)...it's retyped without permission and all type-o's are undoubtedly 
mine...

     "'In the beginning, there was the beat...'  If Mickey Hart were to 
rewrite the history of humankind, he might very logically, start here.  For 
Hart, the Earth is bound in a rhythmic universe, a place where every entity 
moves, spins, vibrates and oscillates from the subatomic level up.  In that 
universe, all people are essentially rhythm machines, moving through time to 
the pulsing of hearts, lungs and blood.
     To be in tune with these rhythms is to be in harmony.  But to lose track 
of these vibrations is to fall from rhythmic grace and, ultimately, to lose 
oneself.
     Hart may be in a unique position to postulate abut rhythm and its 
therapeutic effects. For the past 25 years, he has been a percussionist with
the rock band The Grateful Dead.  During that time he has observed firsthand
the effects of powerful rhythms on enthusiastic fans.  However, as Hart
recently told ADVANCE, he also has a very personal reason for his firm belief
in the healing powers of rhythm. 
     'My grandmother has Alzheimer's and I started playing with her fight 
before she died.  It was the only time she would come alive.' he recalled.  
'The only time she would talk and say my name was when I would put the drum in 
her hand , and she would try to play.  This was a long time ago, and I had 
forgotten about it until I started talking to these music therapists and I 
realized that they were interested in the same thing.'
     Hart's interest in rhythm-based music therapy led him to launch his own 
odyssey into the origins of rhythm and its connection with healing.  He 
discovered through historical research that drumming has been used to ease a 
variety of human ailments and to build a sense of community...."

   ...and the article continues

     I'd be happy to send anyone interested a copy of the article, it's pretty 
interesting, and nice to Mickey Hart getting the recognition he deserves.


ppppps,
     -brian
Newsgroups: rec.music.gdead