Rhythm Devils

Concert Experience (Star City)

Percussionist extraordinaire Mickey Hart describes the spontaneity of Rhythm Devils as “a big rhythmic entrainment,” when everything’s in sync and the spiritual essence of the music flows naturally. It’s always been about flow for Hart and fellow Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann, who have played together for more than 40 years and first used the Rhythm Devils moniker when providing the musical score to Francis Ford Coppolla’s 1979 Vietnam epic, Apocalypse Now. The pair, along with talking drummer Sikiru Adepoju, churn out syncopated rhythmic currents that borrow from African, Caribbean, and Middle Eastern traditions. Together they drive the tribal pulse of this Chicago performance, which includes some stunning visuals to augment the concert footage. Along with Phish bassist Mike Gordon, Jerry Garcia guitar acolyte Steve Kimock, and singer Jen Durkin, the Devilish sextet unfurls a freewheeling jam band vibe tailor-made for the world-music crowd. A 12-minute documentary and DVD booklet are both superfluous to this double-disc set.

***.5

This article appears in December 26 • 2008.

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