A banjo out of Africa: Bela Fleck brings best of Africa to Asheville

Michael Flynn • take5 correspondent • published March 12, 2010 12:15 am

ASHEVILLE – Acclaimed banjo master Bela Fleck has long been a genre-defying player, with 25 Grammy nominations across a vast range of musical categories. In recent years, Fleck has taken his banjo to Africa, exploring the instrument's origins and collaborating with musicians from Uganda, Tanzania, Mali and more.

Fleck recorded the experiences on film as well as CD, with his 2009 “Throw Down Your Heart” album bringing his total Grammy Award wins to 13. In February, Fleck released another musical installment, “Throw Down Your Heart: Africa Sessions Part 2, Unreleased Tracks.”

His current Africa Project tour, featuring a host of marquee players from the continent, wraps tonight in Asheville. “The shows have been truly incredible,” Fleck said via e-mail. “The Orange Peel will be a very cool place to finish up. We have done a lot of stuffy concert halls, and this will end the tour on a loose, happy note.” Take5 checked in with Fleck to learn more about the tour and what's next.

Question:

What led you to explore African music?

Answer:

I was curious about the roots of the banjo, and I fell in love with some Malian music, Oumou Sangare first and many others after. Eventually I became interested in all the African stuff I could find; acoustic were mostly my favorites.

Q:

What can fans expect at the show?

A:

It will showcase phenomenal musicians from East and West Africa: the delicate and amazing Tanzanian master of thumb piano and vocals (Anania Ngoglia) and his accompanist guitarist (John Kitime), and then a rollicking Malian band with the master African banjo player (Bassekou Kouyate), plus a great female vocalist (Ami Sacko) and two cooking percussionists, and three more n'gonis (African lutes or banjos) in varying sizes. Each group will play on their own, then with me, and then various combinations for two sets, ending with all of us together. There is also a guest fiddler, the amazing Casey Driessen.

Q:

How did you connect with these musicians?

A:

I met everyone on a trip I took to Africa in 2005 to make the film and CD “Throw Down Your Heart.” I researched a lot, and these were people who really stood out.

Q:

What will you take away from the experience?

A:

These people have become very good friends, so that is a biggy. Also having the time to delve deeply into their music is a great gift to me. I think that the tour also was very successful on the business end, great crowds and a lot of people going home with the music. It is a wonderful feeling to see it all going so well, after such a long, hard push.

Q:

This is the first album released on your own label — is that something you'll continue?

A:

I guess I need to see what happens before I decide. This is still an experiment. We have had a healthy number of downloads from my site, www.belafleck.com, and we have sold a ton of CDs at the shows.

Q:

What's next — more Afro pop or something else?

A:

I have a variety of plans including a banjo concerto, touring with Edgar Meyer and Zakir Hussain, and a new Flecktones recording/tour. I wouldn't mind making more films, and going to different parts of the world.

IF YOU GO

Who:
Bela Fleck: The Africa Project.
When:
8 p.m.
Friday.
Where:
The Orange Peel, 101 Biltmore Ave.
Tickets:
$28 advance, $30 door. Call 225-5851. www.theorange peel.net.