Béla Fleck gets to the root of banjo's origins

BY STACY NICK • stacynick@coloradoan.com • January 28, 2010

In 2005, Béla Fleck traveled through Uganda, Tanzania, Gambia and Mali in an effort to get back to his beloved banjo's roots.

Fleck played and recorded with a broad range of musicians there to create the 2009 CD and film, both titled "Throw Down Your Heart."

Now he is bringing the experience to the stage in his Africa Project tour, reuniting with kora player Toumani Diabate, guitarist Vusi Mahlasela, thumb piano player Anania Ngolia and finger-style guitarist D'Gary.

The Coloradoan caught up with Fleck as he was preparing for the latest leg of the tour to ask him a few questions about the project and how it has impacted his music.

What first prompted the Africa Project?

I have always wanted to go, ever since I learned that the banjo originally came from West Africa. I've been loving the music I've heard from there.

What was one of the most surprising things that you learned from the experience?

How skinny a chicken could be.

How has this project changed you musically?

I always tell people that if they want to learn something, they should immerse themselves in it. I have been immersed in this project for four or five years straight, between the year I studied up before we went, the time I was in Africa, the years of postproduction - editing and mixing the albums and the film, and finally the live touring. It has to have changed my playing!

You were dealing with a lot of different traditions and musical styles, was it a big learning curve playing in each new location with new artists?

Each situation was so different, but I did seem to get better at these collaborations as we went along. By the end, pretty much everything was clicking from the start. At the beginning, maybe not so much!

Is there a drastically different feel performing these songs live on tour compared to playing them in Africa?

Yes. In this case there is an audience. It means we shouldn't play the songs as long, and we need to actually perform. One upside is that we get to play the songs again and again and develop the concept. In Africa, as soon as we recorded the song, I never played it again because I had to learn the next one.

You usually do a lot of improvisation in your live shows. How will improvisation work into this tour, or does it?

Both Bassekou Kouyate and Anania Ngoliga are wonderful improvisers, so I predict there will be quite a lot of it. I like a lot of variety in a concert so there will be improvisation and set pieces.

How did you choose who you wanted to collaborate with?

I starting by choosing locations, then I did research on all the great music from that area and got a hold of a bunch of it.

I also had people sending me cool stuff on video and recordings.

Then when we got to each place, we'd ask around if there was anyone we needed to hear.

Were there any artists that you wanted to work with on this project but were unable to?

Hukwe Zawose (who sang and performed the ilimba, similar to the mbira) had passed away, although I found his family and collaborated with them.

(Kora player) Toumani Diabate was not available at the time, but we connected later, and I was able to record and tour with him at that point.

There is a place in Uganda where there are Jewish Africans that make amazing music. I couldn't work it out with them, unfortunately.

But most of the people I was looking for, I was able to connect with.

Béla Fleck's Africa Project Tour

When: 9 p.m. Feb. 4 Where: Aggie Theatre, 204 S. College Ave. Cost: $24 Information: (970) 482-8300