blood drum spirit brings a new global vision to music, exploring deep into the world's great traditions through the prism of live jazz performance. Ensemble members have lived, played and toured throughout Africa, the Middle East, Europe, the Americas, and Asia, including four tours of China as featured ensemble at the renowned Beijing Midi Jazz Festival. Percussionist royal hartigan has performed with Kenny Barron and Rudresh Mahanthappa; bassist Wes Brown has toured with Earl 'Fatha' Hines and Ed Blackwell; pianist Art Hirahara has played with Akira Tana and Rufus Reid; and saxophonist David Bindman has performed with Wadada Leo Smith and Anthony Braxton.

In addition to concerts, blood drum spirit also brings to festivals and universities a diversity of residency activities, including lecture/classes, demonstrations, and participant workshops.

For more information on our work, please go to www.royalhart.com/ensembles. You can also reach us at royaljhartigan@yahoo.com or (508) 999-8572.

Review of Blood Drum Spirit by David Dupont (five stars) in the All Music Guide ***** .....hartigan integrates elements of the music of Ghana, India, and the Philippines as well as Native Americans into his compositions, …..unlike those who use world music as an exotic flavor, hartigan (and blood drum spirit) integrate these influences deep within the structure of (their) pieces, which are an expression of a worldview that goes beyond music…..(blood drum spirit) soars high, lifted by the thermal currents supplied by hartigan and bassist Wes Brown.

Jazz reviewer Ken Waxman: (Blood Drum Spirit) combines non-Western rhythms with a standard jazz quartet to create a series of impressive originals.

Kofi Ghanaba: Father of African Jazz Drumming royal hartigan has committed himself to living the music of the peoples (of Africa)….. whatever he does in his playing and sharing is from his whole being and is the real thing.

Leon Lee, Beijing, China, 2006: blood drum spirit ensemble is the…..confluence of many different musical traditions. (They) seamlessly incorporate West African, Filipino, and Indian rhythms with the African American jazz tradition.

Murray Gusseck: Tapspace music publisher, author, percussionist, and clinician – royal hartigan is one of the great unsung heroes of the drumming world, and it is time the music community made an effort to sample some of the incredibly genuine sounds of his ensemble, blood drum spirit. royal, his music, and the personality of blood drum spirit convey a consummate aural world view. The looseness, weight, and constant searching of his playing echo the voices.....of Max Roach, Ed Blackwell, Elvin Jones, and Tony Williams.