Béla Fleck's ‘Africa Project' comes to the Avalon Feb. 6

BY Sharon Sullivan
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER

World renowned banjo player Béla Fleck followed his instrument's roots back to Africa to explore its origins and to play music with musicians there. In the process he created “The Africa Project: Collaborations with Amazing African Musicians.”

After a year of research Fleck spent five weeks on the continent seeking out musicians he had heard, or learned of through recommendations. In one town, he held auditions for those wanting to be included in the Africa Project.

Fleck brings some of those musicians with him to Grand Junction Saturday, Feb. 6, for a unique performance at the Avalon Theatre.

Joining Fleck will be Bassekou Kouyate, “the king of the Mande n'goni (a Malian banjo) players, a pair of grooving percussionists and an incredible female vocalist,” Fleck said in an e-mail interview Tuesday.

“From Tanzania I am bringing one of my favorite musicians of all time, Anania Ngoliga, with his friend and collaborator John Kitime. Anania is a blind thumb piano player/singer and he is an irrepressible soul,” Fleck said.

“I'll be amazed if everyone doesn't fall for these musicians in a big way.”

The concert also includes N'gibu Ba, a “rockin band” whose style will differ from the more meditative quality of Fleck's performance last summer with Toumani Diabate at Telluride's bluegrass festival, Fleck said.

Coinciding with the tour is the release of “Throw Down Your Heart”— the third volume in Fleck's “Tales from the Acoustic Planet” series, from Rounder Records. The album was recorded on location in Uganda, Tanzania, Senegal, Mali, South Africa and Madagascar. Fleck collaborated with local villagers and internationally known musicians such as Oumou Sangare of Mali.

The album is a companion to the award-winning film of the same name. Fleck and director Sascha Paladino are currently premiering the film at festivals around the country.

Fleck is a native of New York City, who started playing the banjo at age 15, after hearing the music of Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs. The 11-time Grammy winner joined the progressive bluegrass band New Grass Revival in 1982, and then formed the Flecktones a few years later.