Bela Fleck

Bela Fleck intended to bring the banjo back to its geographical roots in West Africa in the documentary Throw Down Your Heart. But the truth is, the project gave him an excuse to jam with West Africa's most inspiring musicians. Considering the collaborators, who could blame him? Fleck suffers from a tendency to noodle, but in the company of artists like Oumou Sangare and Toumani Diabate, he discards his inner show-off and finds a musical persona that collaborates rather than dominates. The gorgeous result forges fresh links between the American South and its African heritage.