I’ve Just Discovered Bela Fleck

I love fusion. Fusion is jazz after the style of some other music or instrument. In the early days of jazz, the banjo was a key instrument, but lost its standing among the trios or jazz orchestras and was relegated only to bluegrass and some of the dives that specialized in old-fashioned Dixieland music. Dixie Dregs, led by guitarist Steve Morse, came along and made country fusion popular, but their key solo instrument was anything but the banjo.

Now we have Bela Fleck who brings the banjo full circle with bluegrass fusion. He has been credited with redefining the instrument. I found so many clips I can’t possibly share them all, so I’ll include this one as a sample. This is grown up jazz, boys and girls

Hear more here.