Michael Hearst is a multi-instrumentalist, composer and writer. He relocated to Brooklyn from Richmond, Virginia in 2001, and quickly became part of a burgeoning creative scene in Park Slope. Since then, Michael has developed a number of intriguing, inspired, curious, and collaborative projects, often with his band One Ring Zero, and more recently as solo endeavors. He often collaborates with unlikely partners, including novelists, chefs, and…ice cream trucks.

His most recent release, a book/CD combination called “Songs for Unusual Creatures” features music inspired by some of the world’s weirdest animals. Like many of his projects, “Creatures” engages a previous musical masterpiece in a dialogue. In this case he takes his cue from Camille Saint-Saëns’ 19th century musical suite “Carnival of the Animals”.

In our conversation, Hearst speaks candidly about his creative process, his personal path, and his childlike curiosity about almost everything.

www.michaelhearst.com

Stream it here or download it from the iTunes music store.