Béla Fleck banjo auction to benefit Kids on Bluegrass
The International Bluegrass Music Association is holding an auction to benefit the IBMA Kids on Bluegrass program, which offers young bluegrass musicians, aged 4-17, the opportunity to create and perform music together during the annual World of Bluegrass convention. There they are grouped by ability rather than age, and have the chance to meet and […]
Banjo auction closing soon for Blue Ridge Banjo Camp
The banjo auction in support of the scholarship fund for Béla Fleck’s Blue Ridge Banjo Camp closes in just two days, offering the opportunity to obtain one of four new banjos at a bargain price. Camp is in session this week at the Brevard Music Center in Brevard, NC, and the auction is for instruments […]
Two new vinyl re-pressings from Heady Wax Fiends
Attention vinyl lovers! Our friends at Heady Wax Fiends have projects of interest to bluegrass lovers over the next two months. The Fiends are a subscription record club for vinyl audiophiles who offer limited run, high-quality re-issues of classic albums, with the support and approval of the labels and artists, of course. If sufficient copies […]
Béla Fleck at Carnegie Hall
Bela Fleck performs Rhapsody in Blue at Carnegie Hall (5/4/24) – photo © Jen Hughes Béla Fleck’s Rhythm, Raga, and Rhapsody, May 4 at Carnegie Hall included performances from Bruce Hornsby, Zakir Hussein, Rhapsody in Blue, and My Bluegrass Heart. What a fabulous show. I’ll remember this one for a long time. Everyone there will. […]
Rhapsody in Blue(grass) from Béla Fleck
We shared the news last month that five string banjo maestro Béla Fleck was set to release a new album that explored the music of 20th century American composer George Gershwin, most prominently his masterwork, Rhapsody in Blue. Béla tackles the piece three ways, quite like the 1920s original with a jazz orchestra, again in […]
Béla Fleck’s banjo tackles George Gershwin
Photo of Béla Fleck © Jeremy Cowart Banjo maestro Béla Fleck has used his banjo to illuminate music from across the stylistic spectrum, starting with bluegrass, moving on to New Grass, before encompassing jazz and funk, classical, and world music. After his hugely successful return to a grassy sound with his previous project, My Bluegrass […]
Photos from Béla Fleck’s Bluegrass Happening in Grand Rapids
Béla Fleck's Bluegrass Happening in Grand Rapids, MI (6/27/22) - photo © Bryan Bolea Photographer Bryan Bolea was on hand when Béla Fleck brought his Bluegrass Happening Tour to the Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park in Grand Rapid, MI. The tour included Béla's superstar My Bluegrass Heart band - featuring Sierra Hull, Michael Cleveland, Bryan [...] Béla Fleck talks about his Bluegrass Happening
Everybody look what’s going down! Straight off the Telluride Bluegrass Festival, Béla Fleck grabbed his all-star My Bluegrass Heart band and teamed up with best buds, Sam Bush and Jerry Douglas, and their bands to create happenings at special spots around the country. Happenings? Bluegrass Happenings! What pray tell are those? Well, it is world-renowned, Grammy-laden banjo player Béla [...] In Song series from San Francisco Opera up for Webby Award
A good many readers enjoyed the video produced last summer by the San Francisco Opera which featured banjoist supreme Béla Fleck and operatic mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton. It was one of several collaboration projects commissioned by SFO for a series they titled In Song. For their In Song video, Jamie and Béla work through a couple of [...] 2022 Grammy for Best Bluegrass Album
Earlier this afternoon in Las Vegas The Grammy Premiere Ceremony was held, announcing the bulk of the 86 awards to be distributed during the 2022 Grammys. These are the proverbial "Awards given earlier in the day," which are often referenced during the main televised portion of the Awards show. As a part of this ceremony, [...] 