Original air date: Week of July 6, 2009
Bela Fleck is often considered the premier banjo player in the world. While he is probably best known for his group The Flecktones, his musical projects have included straight-ahead and progressive bluegrass, as well as collaborations with jazz pianist Chick Corea, bass virtuoso Edgar Meyer, and Indian tabla master Zakir Hussain, among others. In the spring of 2005, Bela undertook his most ambitious project to date: on-location collaborations with musicians from Uganda, Tanzania, Senegal, Mali, South Africa and Madagascar. He wanted to explore the African origins of the banjo. Transcending barriers of language and culture, Bela found common ground with musicians ranging from local villagers to international superstars such as kora player Toumani Diabate, to create some of the most meaningful music of his career. On this second half of a two-part program, we listen to highlights from Bela Fleck's Africa Project in a concert performed at the 2009 Savannah Music Festival.  

Original air date: Week of July 6, 2009
Bela Fleck is often considered the premier banjo player in the world. While he is probably best known for his group The Flecktones, his musical projects have included straight-ahead and progressive bluegrass, as well as collaborations with jazz pianist Chick Corea, bass virtuoso Edgar Meyer, and Indian tabla master Zakir Hussain, among others. In the spring of 2005, Bela undertook his most ambitious project to date: on-location collaborations with musicians from Uganda, Tanzania, Senegal, Mali, South Africa and Madagascar. He wanted to explore the African origins of the banjo. Transcending barriers of language and culture, Bela found common ground with musicians ranging from local villagers to international superstars such as kora player Toumani Diabate, to create some of the most meaningful music of his career. On this second half of a two-part program, we listen to highlights from Bela Fleck's Africa Project in a concert performed at the 2009 Savannah Music Festival.