Customer Reviews

Throw Down Your Heart, Tales from the Acoustic Planet, Vol. 3: Africa Sessions

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Overview:

Bela Fleck took his banjo and traveled across Africa including visits to Uganda, Mali, Tanzania, and South Africa. At each location Bela jammed and recorded with the local stars, including kora master Toumani Diabate, guitarist D'Gary, vocalists Oumani Sangare and Baba Maal, ngoni player Baekou Kouyate, djembe player Madou Sanogo. This brief list of African stars only scratches the surface of what probably amounts to about 100 different African musicians that play on the various tracks on this album. Each track features a different group of musicians and is recorded in a different locale. The end result is a magnificent fusion of the banjo and traditional African music. There is just an enormous amount of material here with a total of 18 tracks. With so much diversity of material you are likely to find a track two that disagree with your tastes, but overall its hard to imagine any fans of Bela Fleck and/or traditional African music not loving this CD. My only criticism is it is too bad that legendary kora master Toumani Diabate only plays on one track. However, the two are currently touring the together, so if your lucky and they come to your town, you can see more of their amazing chemistry in concert.

Song Highlights:

D'Gary Jam - this is track features an all-star cast included Toumani Diabate and his Malian band, D'Gary on guiar, plus great vocals.

Throw Down Your Heart - Written by Bela Fleck on his way to Africa during a layover in Amsterdam, this is the best song writing on the CD. A great new Bela Fleck tune played with a small group of musicians from Mali.

Ah Ndiya - This track is highlighted by the gorgeous vocals of Oumani Sangare. Pretty and moving.

Whenever I see a new Bela Fleck album is being released, I order it immediately. Bela is one of maybe 3 artists whose work I can always count on loving at first hearing, no matter what style of music it is. (And Bela has always been an eclectic and adventurous musician, exploring a wide range of musical genres.) This album is certainly no exception. The music contained on this CD is among the most soulful and hypnotic I've ever heard, and does an excellent job of illustrating the journey Bela undertook, to explore the African roots of the banjo. Also, I literally wept when I read the liner note explaining the album's title... then I wept again when I explained it to my wife! I am a huge fan of all Bela's diverse body of work, but the acoustic planet series is especially satisfying. Now I can't wait to see the documentary!

On THROW DOWN YOUR HEART, banjo virtuoso Bela Fleck travels to Africa to trace the origins of his main instrument and play with local musicians. In doing this, he has created a beautiful album affirms his role in the banjo continuum and highlights some wonderful performances by his African host musicians. This album is a five star tour of the wonders of African music that uncovers one stunning performance after another. Working in several countries and with different musicians on each track, the album is packed start to finish with strong performances that will keep the adventurous music fan coming back again and again to enjoy. Also be aware that a film version of Fleck's journey will soon be released.

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".

What a great CD this is. The music is fantastic. I was already a fan of several of the musicians, and Oumou is one of the greats, but in reading the liner notes by Bela you can't help but feel the emotion that went into this project. If you are a fan of music you just can't go wrong with this one.

This is one of the most complex and beautiful CD's I've ever heard in any genre. I've listened to it over and over since getting it. Other reviews have praised the stars on the album, but what amazed me were the folks no-one's ever heard of and wouldn't have if it weren't for this CD -- the lunch ladies on the first track, the amazing folks from villages in Uganda with xylophones so huge they have to be placed into holes in the ground, etc. I'm a big fan of African music but had never heard music from Uganda and Tanzania -- someone needs to make CD's of their (semi-)traditional music available, that's for sure. The complexities of the rhythms are amazing -- sudden shifts, counterrhythms --- you can't help wondering: how do they do this? On many tracks there aren't even standard percussion instruments (or they're barely there) and the complexity is carried by voices and stringed instruments. And the sheer joy of so many of the performers! The only track I don't like is the D'Gary Jam (sorry all you D'Gary fans). The other tracks are purely wonderful.

This CD deserves 10 stars, not 5, absolutely.

Maybe... This is certainly the most compelling piece I have ever encountered. The 2 other reviews that were not favorable left me scratching my head. I cannot stop listening to it! I have played banjo for 20 years and I believe this is a masterpiece! He needs about 10 grammys for this!! Energetic, haunting, authentic, thrilling! There were one or two pieces where the banjo seemed slightly out of sorts. But, Bela made it seem like the long lost son has returned home! This work is far and away his most important ever! Not the most complex, but definitely most artistic! Thank you Mr. Fleck!!!!

I usually don't expect anything but great from Bela, and he still has not let me down. Its obvious that he put a lot of thought and time into this album. It is a beautiful collection of songs, outstanding musicianship, and the perfect direction for the third volume of tales from the acoustic planet. Can't wait to see the movie!

Bela Fleck, never a person to stick with one musical style, took his banjo to Africa and visited musicians throughout the continent. He recorded himself playing banjo with different musicians in various countries, who had diverse styles of indigenous music, or indigenous music influenced by contemporary world music. The result is a tapestry of musical styles, all of which are obviously "African" but also "Bela". One need not read the liner notes to realize how deeply Bela was affected by his interactions with these musicians. He did throw down his heart to them, and in return they played their hearts with him.

I must admit I have not heard anything from Bela Fleck that I don't enjoy except his Christmas song recordings and I think that is due to the forced singing of those songs I endured in elementary school. I love the Flecktones (Live at the Quick always brings tears to my eyes) and was mesmerized at the first concert live I heard in person with Fleck and Edgar Meyer - a very different musical style than the Flecktones. Last year (2010), I heard Bela, Edgar and Hussein Zakir (on tablas) live in concert and that went beyond any musical genre that has a name.

Throw Down Your Heart continues to capture mine and I've owned it over a year. But then, for me, as long as it isn't Jingle Bells, Bela can do nothing wrong musically.

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.