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Throw Down Your Heart chronicles banjo virtuoso and 18 time Grammy award winner Béla Fleck's musical journey to Africa to explore the little known African roots of the banjo. Bela's boundary-breaking musical adventure takes him to Uganda, Tanzania, The Gambia, and Mali, and provides a glimpse of the beauty and complexity of African music. Using his banjo, Béla transcends barriers of language and culture, finding common ground and forging connections with musicians from very different backgrounds.
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Reviews:
Dance and rhythm for heart and soul
I don't listen to much music, but I love this album. Great diversity of melody and music that touches the heart in unexpected places, and sparks african rhytms that dance through the body with ease. Energizing AND relaxing! :o)
banjos in Africa
Banjo seems to be having a resurgence and this colloborative effort with so many talented African singers and musicians suggests Bela Fleck has a finger on the pulse. Well worth a listen.
Bela Fleck, always tops!
As in previous musical collaborations with Bela Fleck, extremely well done! If you like African music this would be great addition to your collection.
A loosely played, travelling jam
The music on this CD is a collection of jams recorded while Fleck was traveling in Africa. I really admire Fleck's effort, but it falls short among other "banjo back to its roots" recordings. There are a few inspired moments, some ragged collaborations and a few things that simply don't work. The CD is interesting but does not stand up to repeated plays.
By comparison, "From Africa to Appalachia" by Jayme Stone and Mansa Sissoko is a far better recording. The musicians are finely attuned to each other and the tracks are bursting with creative energy. From a musical standpoint, "From Africa to Appalachia" should be up for the Grammy instead of "Throw Down Your Heart." But Fleck has the big name and Stone's CD is just a little gem on a little label without much distribution. You can listen to Stone on Amazon and compare: Africa to Appalachia. My favorite tracks are "Djula", "Dakar" and "June Apple".
Fleck has a chance to best Stone if he records a live or studio album from his tour with Bassekou Kouyate and Ngoni Ba (Segu Blue) in the spring of 2010.
If you're really into "banjo back to its roots", you should also check out Cheik Hamala Diabate and Bob Carlin (From Mali To America). It features quiet duets where Carlin is the student learning from the master, rather than the collaboration of equals found on "From Africa to Appalachia".
Not the regular Bela, but better
I was introduced to Bela Fleck through NPR. They interviewed him about this CD. The excerpts I heard were wonderful and I went looking for more of Bela Fleck's music. I must say that everything else I heard of Bela Fleck's was not in the same vain as this CD. I highly recommend this CD, however if you are expecting the same old Bela Fleck, check your expectation at the door. This is completely different. It is more "world music" than blue grass.
