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Your Gateway to Music and More from a Christian Perspective Slow down as you approach the gate, and have your change ready....
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Since 1996 |
Your Gateway to Music and More from a Christian Perspective Slow down as you approach the gate, and have your change ready....
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Throw
Down Your Heart (documentary)
Artist: Bela’ Fleck (banjo) Director: Sascha Paladino Rating: not rated but could be PG Running Length: 98 minutes www.throwdownyourheart.com Winner: Audience Award Vancouver International Film Festival Whether you are a banjo lover or not, Throw Down Your Heart will give you listening pleasure. It is a documentary about the Grammy-winning banjo artist, Bela’ Fleck, and his trip through Africa in search of talent for his next album Throw Down Your Heart. This documentary was directed by Sascha Paladino, who is Fleck’s half-brother. This documentary begins with the idea of having an African theme for the proposed album, and then plotting a route through Uganda, Tanzania and into Mali. Musicians from each country are introduced to the audience and then do musical selections with Fleck. Dialogue is somewhat limited to greetings, however, there are sections where people who live along the coast tell of the slavery that occurred in that area during the 1800’s. One man says, “If they saw the sea, they knew they would never return home again.” Most of the musicians are men, with an occasional female singer, such as Ruth Akello who is nicknamed “the wizard,” and in Mali, the elegant singer Oumou Sangere, who drives a black SUV with no license plates because “everyone knows who I am anyyway.” Music selections are done with a set-up of instruments, and then the actual performance for the recording. Native instruments are used and we see the history of the banjo in Africa, which includes the akonting, a 3-string banjo with a long neck. Most of the time, travel through Africa is smooth, and the audience can follow language because of an interpreter. Fleck is an amiable person who blends in seamlessly with musicians. He had his own group at one time called The Flecktones. Whether you are an accomplished musician, amateur musician or a listener, the banjo is a versatile instrument and Bela’ Fleck will show you how it is done. Photography is beautiful and brings you into the music groups. Copyright 2009 Marie Asner
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