Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Throw Down Your Heart

I just found out about this documentary coming out this Spring. In it, Bela Fleck (you should know him and his music if you do not) takes the banjo back to Africa, where it is believed this beautiful instrument originated, to play with African musicians from all over the continent.

There are not many instruments that "send the chills down my spine," as I heard Bill Monroe once say, like the banjo. Its history also interests me given that it was brought over by slaves and eventually became a core instrument of bluegrass, country, etc.


4 comments:

myleswerntz said...

I'm buying this ASAP.

Jana said...

can't wait to hear it!!!

Pit Boss said...

Mikey-
Thanks for this gem. I'm jumping off blog stalker status unlike my wife. Perhaps we need to arrange a music swap next time you let us babysit. Yeah, I'm counting on it. I'm knee deep in vinyl these days and have some real treasures.

I've linked "Throw Down Your Heart" on my far less inspiring and borderline sophomoric blog. Don't think less of me.

http://nlutailgate.typepad.com

Keep up the good work....
-Matt D.

Pit Boss said...

In case you didn't catch it this morning on NPR.
Pretty cool...

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103002655