People Are Talking About…Bela Fleck’s Africa Project
Posted: 2/12/10 -- 10:00 am
by The UMS Lobby
Performance Date: Wed, Feb 17
Have you seen Throw Down Your Heart? (It’s airing on Mon, Feb 15 at the BSRB Auditorium if you haven’t seen it yet!) We’d love to know which of the African musicians — and which instrument — appearing with Béla Fleck you enjoyed the most and why.
In honor of the umsLOBBY.org launch at the Béla Fleck/Africa Project concert, we’ve come up with some conversation starters to get everyone talking (you might have received these at the show on the back of a green UMS LOBBY card):
- People often say that music has the ability to transcend language or other cultural barriers. What sorts of musical conversations did you witness in the concert?
- What parallels did you notice between the banjo and other instruments onstage tonight?
- What did you expect to hear or see tonight and how did it compare to what you experienced?
about 4 days ago 
about 7 days ago 
Saw the movie on Monday night. Thanks for offering the film showing! (Great intro by Prof. Kelly Askew too, btw.)
Definitely looking forward to seeing Anania Ngoliga live and in person.
BlueMorpho
Excited to be at Bela Fleck!
Jim Leija
I saw Bela on the street a few hours before the show…I'm so psyched for it to start now! I think it's been about 2 years since I last saw him in concert, and I'm thrilled to see what he's bringing this time around.
Time to rock, Hill.
Maureen Stych
Excited to be here!
Neal
Loved the huge marimba over a ditch.
Harv
two crazy girls in lime green are making me do this!! they are stronger than me!!!
anthony
I've been hearing Bela since Louisville in the 70s when he played with New Grass. This is a wonderful new pleasure. The film is great too.
Anne
So anyone know why 5 members of the group Ngoni Ba are wearing purple and 2 are wearing orange?
anthony
Was wondering the same – but the colors do match Bassekou's outfit!
Paula
fabulous!!!!
Anne
awesome!!
Sara
What an unbelievable first half! I feel like I'm at a rock concert–can't wait to hear more!
Rachelle
definitely! i'm already wondering how the different acts are going to come together in this second half. i think it's going to be overwhelmingly amazing.
Maureen Stych
Bela Fleck is even better than Ladysmith Black Mambazo!!
Elly
I want the Big Nagoni !!
Jenny
What an AMAZING concert – this was my first time hearing Bela Fleck, and he is absolutely fantastic. And what stellar African music! I agree with the other people who commented, I felt like I was at a rock concert. This is the most fun I've had at a concert in such a long time! The music was great, the instruments were so interesting and created such a cool sound, and the ambiance was so energetic. I loved it!
Sarah Wilber
The show was fantastic!
What great energy!!!
Adrienne
It was amazing! I loved it!
Renee
what a special night of music. Bela is so worldy and kind and brilliant for bringing all of these folks together
jmgp
Wow.
Jon
AWESOME!!!!!!
Nanci
I found the evening very enjoyable!!! As a whole everyone felt the music was wonderful!
Gerry
Anania Ngoliga and John Kitime have THE most captivating voices, especially when they sing together. My winter heart feels so much warmer; I could listen to them play all day and night.
Maureen Stych
Those guys were rockstars. I enjoyed the musicians from Tanzania. Their music was the epitome of relaxation for me. The band and Kouyate were stunning. I'm pretty sure that people around me were tired or me shouting out and dancing, but I honestly didn't care. And Bela is too amazing to put into words.
Chauntee Ross
The album doesn't do the concert justice. What amazing musicians! Thanks to Bela for bringing this outstanding music to us.
Susan Albrecht Burke
Thanks for inviting Bela Fleck, and having the African theme performances this year. Bassekou Kouyate alone was amazing, but the whole ensemble was amazing, revealing and inspiring.
Fai Foen
One of the best events I've seen at Hill. Fleck tore it up on the banjo and expected and Ngoni Ba brought the house down. I loved it!
dpj
Outstanding event. The past 5 times I've seen Bela couldn't have been more diverse. He is unbelievable – I can't think of another musician who is as accomplished with such a diverse range. He's full of surprises – even though I was excited to see him play within the context of the Africa project, next thing you know he's playing a solo piece with the Keith tuners (which I've never seen him use). The guy is something else!
And what a treat for UMS to set up a table to meet and greet the artists after the show. They all signed the shirt I bought. What a fanboy thrill!
John(notJon)
I really liked how the concert started with all of the performers very separate, and built up to combine everything toward the end!
Chris
I expected more of a "bluegrass" kind of performance. Instead, we were treated to an amazing mix of African and American music! Does anyone know what that drum was called? The one that Bela described as a "bald man's head"? The huge resonating sound it produced was so cool!
Jenny Graf
This concert was all about the good vibes both on and off the stage. The musicians and crew were all some of the nicest folks I've had the privilege of working with backstage at a UMS production.
Mary Roeder
Bela let the African musicians show their amazing talent without letting his own virtuoso performances become the center of the show. Good fun hearing the American bluegrass standard, Old Joe Clark, backed by a powerful African rhythm section. The musical connection is there!
Frank
incredible. anania worth the price of admission alone, but bassekoe and ngoni ba were excellent. such joy in simplicity.
dave cubbedge
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