Tor Dietrichson & Global Village

Tor Dietrichson is a percussionist, vocalist, composer, music educator and nationally recognized recording artist with over 30 years of experience. His extensive knowledge of both East Indian tabla and Afro Cuban conga gives him a unique perspective among his peers.

Tor Dietrichson and Global Village, also called just Global Village, was formed in 1988 after the release of his debut recording of the same name, Global Village. The band has played six times at Bumbershoot, various Out to Lunch concerts, The Pacific Northwest Arts and Crafts Fair, Tacoma Ethnic Fest and many events both public and private too numerous to mention.

Tor's latest recording , "Cosmic View", with Global Village features many world renown musicians/friends including tabla player Zakir Hussain, Santana percussionist Karl Perazzo, Brazilian vocalist Flora Purim, violinist/producer Steve Kindler, guitarist Joaquin Lievano, pianist Jovino Santos-Neto and others.

Tor has an extensive background in World Music partly through his association with his teacher of tabla, Ustad Zakir Hussain, and Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart, both of whom he played with in the now legendary Diga Rhythm Band founded by Hussain and Hart and which Tor played in, joining the band while still a teenager. They released one album, Diga, in 1976. Zakir Hussain is featured prominently on two of Dietrchson's full length CD recordings.

After releasing "Diga", which was an all percussion recording, Tor went on to become a composer of melodic music and start numerous ensembles of his own which led to a recording contract with Global Pacific/CBS/Sony records to record "Global Village". The album draws from his experiences playing Indian Classical music, Afro Cuban, Jazz and other styles of music deeply rooted in tradition.

Global Village plays a variety of Dietrichson's original compositions and features many of the area's best musicians including bassist/arranger/producer Jeff Volkman and is always trying to break new ground in terms of this musical style which now has come to be known as "World Fusion Music". Look for the debut of many new compositions in this constantly growing, moving ensemble.

Tor Dietrichson has been extremely active in the Pacific Northwest with his music as he now has many bands that are active around the area. He had five different ensembles that he founded play at The Triple Door Musicquarium in December 2007 alone. Part of the reason Global Village has not played as often as you would expect around the area is his involvement in many styles of music. However, of all the many bands Tor Dietrichson has founded Global Village is really his baby as it is the one ensemble where he features many of his original World Fusion /Afro Cuban /Brazilian /West African /Indian compositions.