THROWN DOWN YOUR HEART documentary about banjo virtuoso Bela Fleck

Thursday, July 9, the Coolidge Corner Theatre will present a preview screening of
THROWN DOWN YOUR HEART, a terrific documentary that follows
American banjo virtuoso Bela Fleck on his journey to Africa to
explore the roots of the banjo and record an album. Bela Fleck
will introduce the film and also perform on the banjo following
the screening. THROW DOWN YOUR HEART will continue its run at
the Coolidge beginning July 10.

Fleck's boundary-breaking musical adventure takes him to
Uganda, Tanzania, The Gambia and Mali. Along the way, he works
with an array of musicians - from local villagers who play a
twelve-foot xylophone, to a family that makes and plays the
akonting (thought by many to be the original banjo), to
international superstars such as the Malian diva Oumou Sangare.
Using his banjo, Fleck transcends barriers of language and
culture, finding common ground and forging connections with
musicians from very different backgrounds.

Fleck's trip provides a glimpse into the beauty of Africa and
its rich and diverse musical traditions. As Ugandan folk
musician Haruna Walusimbi says in the film: "There is this
negative thinking about Africa. There is nothing good in
Africa. They are beggars, there is HIV/AIDS, they are at war
all the time. But that is just a very small bit of what Africa
is."

Fleck's passion for the banjo runs deep. In his trailblazing
30-year career, he has brought the instrument into jazz, pop,
classical, and world music settings, and won eight Grammys
along the way. His journey was motivated by a desire to trace
the origins of the instrument who defines who he is and by his
deep love of African music.

PRAISE FOR THROW DOWN YOUR HEART

"an exhilarating feast of sight and sound"
LA Times

"you don't need to know the language to be gripped by the
force..."
New York Times

"vibrant and spontaneous..."
Film Threat

"a heartfelt personal journey...refreshing"
Village Voice

"both the documentary and the disc of Throw Down Your Heart
justify their existence independently-and rather beautifully."
Time Out New York

"demonstrates that no other language is needed when two people
sit down with their instruments and make them sing."
San Francisco Chronicle

Tickets:
https://www.readytick...,

Link:
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