Béla Fleck explores the African roots of the banjo in “Throw Down Your Heart.’’
Documentary is Fleck’s ode to Africa
Béla Fleck explores the African roots of the banjo in “Throw Down Your Heart.’’
Grammy Award-winning banjo virtuoso Béla Fleck has ventured into many genres - jazz, pop, classical music - and now he has crossed into new territory as a film producer. His documentary, “Throw Down Your Heart,’’ directed by his brother Sascha Paladino, follows Fleck to Africa to explore the roots of the banjo and record an album with African musicians. (The album, on Rounder Records, is also titled “Throw Down Your Heart.’’) Fleck will introduce the film and perform a song or two in a special screening at the Coolidge Corner Theatre on Thursday and at the Duxbury Performing Arts Center on Saturday. The film opens Friday at the Coolidge.
Q. Whose idea was the documentary?
A. It was my idea. Originally I was just going to record in Africa, but when I told
Q. How much?
A. I could have bought a really nice house in a really nice neighborhood. But it’s worth it, and I try not to get hung up on [making] the money back. It’s the best thing I have ever done in my life.
Q. What was your goal in making the film?
A. It had a lot to do with bringing the modern American banjo back to Africa, where it comes from, and interacting with its forebears. I wanted to find traditional musicians and take all the musical traditions I’d learned about, and combine them.
Q. How did you find these musicians?
A. It started with this lady Oumou Sangare, who’s one of the biggest stars in Mali. I’d fallen in love with her music, and I could hear my banjo in it. I sent her my music and she liked it, and I found out she was in the country, so I met her. It’s all synchronicity: She hooked me up with all the African musicians.
Q. What did they make of a white guy showing up to play with them?
A. It started out as a job. We paid everyone fairly, and they felt really good about that. But it turned out to be a very natural back-and-forth interaction, based on ‘Hey, someone came from the other side of the world, and we can play with him.’ The energy was very high. Once we started making music, we became the best of friends. That’s what happens. Information: Coolidge: 617-734-2501, www.coolidge.org. Duxbury: 781-934-7612, www.duxbury.k12.ma.us/pac.html
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