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I am from west Africa, and when she said the instrument originated from some African regions it clicked...Banjo in my language roughly translates to "dance with me," "dance for me" or something similar. Coincidence??? Maybe, but I'm suprised I never Made the connection.

"Great, now go practice that for two hours." That killed me.

I have a problem with remembering people's faces or discerning them when I see someone. I've watched Abigail with Bela in many videos, but when I met them both, I didn't realize Abigail was the person that greeted me. I'm a mailman, and when I delivered their packages/letters and recognized Bela's name on his electric bill, I was really excited and too scared I might scare them with my "fan excitement" so I just delivered their stuff like normally. When I had another chance to deliver their stuff. I was overcame with joy when Abigail (at the time I didn't realize it was her) came out and accepted the items they ordered and talked with me. I asked if "THE Bela Fleck" lived here and she replied, "YES!" We gave each other a high five and she asked if I wanted to meet him. Abigail is such a wholesome person and I'm so glad that I had the chance to meet her (and her husband) in such a regular and non fandom situation, it means so much more to me even months after meeting her and Bela at their home. YOU ARE AMAZING ABIGAIL AND BELA! MUCH LOVE from the postal service :)

Getting a banjo lesson from Béla Fleck is like getting a piano lesson from Evgeny Kissin. A rare honour indeed!

I didn't realize just, like, getting Bela Fleck to be in a video was an option. Fantastic as always!

Courtin' a girl by learning her banjo style. I never thought of that.

The guy saying "There's not much to it" and then playing baby shark cracked me up. Thanks for this video guys, I'm in love with Banjos and Mandolin. Interesting that the Banjo as seen as a "hillbilly" instrument when it's origin is West African.

This video made me buy a banjo, it was an entire add for banjos. I ain't mad.

As a long term banjo player, I love this! When I went to Morocco a few years ago I saw groups playing in the public squares using both the traditional gourd instruments from west africa and banjos at the same time. Two branches of the same instrument.So cool to see how music and instruments spread across the world and influence one another.

It doesn't matter how low, depressed or however I feel; the moment I hear Banjo, I immediately feel good. Greetings from Australia

Bela can take a lot of credit for its comeback honestly. As a musician I kinda liked bluegrass and only really accepted it in that genre. Then I heard the Flecktones and was completely BLOWN away as I liked jazz as well. I've been a Flecktones fan ever since and Victor Wooten's playing has been an inspiration to me for quite some time. I still remember hearing Bela Fleck and the Flecktones for the first time on the Tonight Show. They are still amazing!

You guys should do an episode on "talking drums" in West Africa (Bata, dundun, tama, etc.). People say music is a language as a metaphor, but in some situations, that's literally true.

My mom and dad got tickets to see Roy Clark when I was 3 or 4. The sitter never showed up that night. Dad wasn't about to miss Roy Clark so, they stuffed some cotton in my ears and, I got to go with them. It didn't take long for me to give my pop the slip. I always went my own way my aunt said I was so bad, my mom would hook a leash to my belt at times so she could grocery shop. They didn't bring it that night though and first chance, I snuck right up front. It was magical. The rest of the people melted away and it felt like he was playing just for me. The music made me laugh and dance. His smile was impossible not to return. I think he may have been a little charmed by me too. When he finished, I wasn't having any of that! My little face all hopeful, big brown eyes begging like a starving dog. Half a bubble off a tear; "Please mister, play me more?" He played 5 more songs and I was delighted. Seeing Roy Clark playing banjo and guitar is not only a good memory, it's my first. Looking back, I feel a little bad for the freak out my parents must have been going through. But seeing my next real memory I have is my brother pushing me out of a tree and breaking my arm, I can live with their trauma.

Nahre, you correctly pronouncing Appalachia blessed me!

Bela Fleck! I friggin love bela fleck

I think Bach would have loved the banjo. It's got a clear, precise sound.

Béla is a legend, i saw him with the flecktones live once, probably one of the greatest groups of musicians ever to exist, also he has the absolute best bassist in the world imo : victor wooten

I remember first seeing Bela Fleck and the Flecktones on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show on Feb. 5th 1992, and just 5 days later he played The Belly Up Tavern, a local San Diego area music scene. I was shocked that a guest on Carson would be in such an intimate venue, when I would normally expect first-time guests to be instantly launched into the firmament. Fleck himself was beyond mind-blowing, but so was his entire band. Most notably, the bassist was the incomparable Victor Wooten. During a break he came out and played a bass rendition of a classical piece (Bach, IIRC) that made the normally raucous bar completely silent, to the point that the bartenders stopped pouring drinks or using the cash register. The silence lingered long after Victor's last note completely faded away. After which we all "exhaled loudly". Bela wasn't the only virtuoso in the house! Victor's brother Roy, the funky pirate-hatted "Future Man" himself, played the drumitar. Something you must see to believe. I literally lack the words. Then there was Howard Levy, who played "everything else" including keyboards, harmonica, guitar, flute, and more. I believe he also acted as the de-facto musical director, keeping the band focused and in the groove, yet on their toes by tossing in improvised phrases to spice things up (as did everyone, but Howard's were special). That Carson show was the first time I realized I absolutely needed a better sound system for my TV (banjo brought out the worst in my speakers). And that Belly Up show was the first time I had been so close to true musical greatness, a huge step up from the awesome bands and terrific musicians that always played there. Bela totally upgraded my musical existence, and I haven't looked back since.

The masters of banjo indeed! Abigail vocals are so incredible!

62 yr old kraka horse here. Road HARD and picked up wet. AMAZING mini docu!!! Young LADY you have as much a gift as them, with added peripherals. GOD BLESS Y'ALL!!!

Wow! Just wow! Bela Fleck. One of favorite artists. Thanks Sound Field for bringing him on.

Just stumbled across this and haven't read through the comments, but was disappointed to not have anything brought up about the use of the banjo in Irish folk music.

Now you’re getting private lessons from Bela Fleck. What a cool gig.

I love this! The banjo needs all the love it can get. Thanks!

I got to do monitors for the Flecktones in the '90s in Madison WI. THE BEST SHOW EVER! And I got to listen to them up close. The things I heard on my headphones was AMAZING! Bela was the nicest person. Jazz banjo...yeah!

Very enjoyable, very well put together. It all comes down to what Dante said: 'I like the sound and it's fun to play'.

This is a great overview of centuries of history in a few minutes. Hearing more of the big banjo would be more than welcome!

A vastly underappreciated instrument. When my son was three, I was showing him some Bela Fleck, and he wanted to know who was playing the "barn guitar" He's had a fascination with it since, and he loved this episode too! Good stuff. Love you guys! 👍✌️❤️🤘

Wow - that rendition of "Bloomin' Rose" in the beginning was amazing. Had never heard it before - what a voice! And the melody's very "Irish" skips and cadences together with the more "American" ending to the phrase in the chorus... wonderful! Thanks for bringing more great music and its history to my attention, Nahre! :)

Oh man, I first learned about Abigail Washburn from a great TED talk she gave, about her journey in music. Apparently she can speak Mandarin Chinese, because she originally wanted to become a lawyer and improve US-China relations?! Anyway, to paraphrase her TED talk, I think what makes the banjo and folk music so appealing is it often sounds ancient, like it's been here for thousands of years (and some of it has!)

Wow! Guys, this was amazing video! I am from Bulgaria, a country proud with its traditional music, dances, ways of singing, but bluegrass, country music and southern gothic music are the styles I am starting to work with now. Thank you for this awesome content!!!

Was very amused to learn that the guy who gave me my first-ever banjo lesson actually wrote this episode.

I love seeing Nahre go from pianist extraordinaire, to banjo beginner! Did it feel weird going from a keyboard to a stringed instrument?

The lady who sang at 1:00, her voice gave me the chills. Absolutely heavenly. :o

My favorite thing about the banjo and folk music in general is the range of emotion it can convey. It can be happy go lucky in care free or it can be beautifully sorrowful and melancholy

Great video and so cool that you got to interview Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn 🤩🤩

Man I love Sound Field. My Dad is big on 60s American folk (Pete Seeger, Joan Baez, etc), so the banjo kinda reminds me of him and the music he plays in the car. My favourite use of the banjo, though, has gotta be Journey of the Sorcerer, the theme tune to the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Combined with the space-age synths and wooshes, it gives the tune this ethereal yet somehow also earthy vibe. Also, Dante Limon is one of the coolest names I've ever heard.

I would love to see a whole series of these kinds of videos, where you travel around the world with each episode focused on a different somewhat unique, non-mainstream instrument. Exploring the different kinds of playing styles, the histories of it, and how it is making a comeback in modern music.

Come from a family of black musicians and Im proud to be a part of their legacy.

This is one of my favorite episodes out of the last few, for sure!

I love the way Ms. Washburn plays. It’s just lovely.

I love how the description, "A drum head with a neck" perfectly describes the sound of a banjo to me. Awesome episode as always! Would love to see future videos, if you do more on specific cultural instruments, of things like the ocarina, sitar, or even didgeridoo!

A fretless banjo? YES! I'm definitely taking up the banjo now!

Since watching this video the algorithm is blessing me with banjo videos almost everyday. Praise be to the algorithm!

I’ve been looking forward to this moment for weeks since you released the teaser excerpt of it! Amazingly informative and constantly exploratory as always! I can’t even believe how much depth every single genre has that I feel regretful that I discovered them late! Thank you so much crew for opening that third ear as always! 😊🙏🎉🙌

Love you guys, every video you bring out is amazing! Also, thanks for introducing us to these musicians, Abigail Washburn has an amazing voice!

Theres a band here in Pittsburgh that plays old timey jazz tunes, as the old big bands used banjos before guitars went amplified, its 2 banjos and a standup bass and the soloist is CRAZYY

Today is the first day of Summer 2023. My banjo is being restored at Gotham brothers center. I write poems/songs/ stories. Waiting with baited breath for this. I am 75 willing to learn the banjo.

I grew up in Asheville NC and often saw béla fleck at bluegrass festivals. I've got bluegrass in my blood now.

Love this channel. Love the diversity of music you cover! Theres so much underappreciated music in the world

I'm a belgian Bluegrass and Old Time music player/listener and this video truly helped me on a work I'm doing for my last school year, thanks !

Saw bela and Abigail awhile back. One of the most personal sets I've ever witnessed. Such beauty

Wow, as a public school music teacher and a fan of folk and roots music, I have to say this was one great video. Thank you!

Glad I saw this in my feed, it brought back good memories. I was fortunate to see Bela Fleck in concert with Edgar Meyer (or the other way around!) at the Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor, MI. It was one of the best, if not the best, concert I have ever seen and I will not forget it.

Loved seeing Nahre Sol talking to Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn. This is great.

Every time I hear the banjo I have the early memory of Roy Clark playing both 4-string and 5-string banjos durring the 60"s and 70's..😃

This is such a brilliantly eclectic series! Thank you!

Everyone should listen to Béla Fleck's album Tabula Rasa with virtuosos of eastern music. Brilliant listen

Thank you Nahre🙂 It’s always so enlightening to hear you talk about music or here of it’s history

The history of the banjo is fascinating. The American Banjo Museum in Oklahoma City is a super cool place to check out if your ever in the area.

An episode on the pedal steel would be incredible

Nahre is always a joy to watch ! I wish she was my music teacher!!

There is a bigger banjo...

I would love to see a "reaction video" of Nahre and LA watching clips from "Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Live at The Quick". Has to be the most eclectic combination of instruments I've ever seen/heard.

great interview, nahre. so much interesting history. i just started learning to play the banjo a few months ago.... there is such a cool community for banjo players, and always something new to learn. also, that is a badass banjo.... well done, pbs. thanks for making his video. time for me to practice....

Great interviews and vid! Thank you!

I'm so happy I bought a banjo!!!!!! Can't wait to be as good as Bela Fleck ( i have all my life plus several more to learn!)!

What a great compilation of banjo history. Well done.

have to say this is an excellent video with a lot of perspectives on the banjo most people don't see, awesome stuff.

The Flecktones Live at the Quick album is so phenomenal, and is one of my favorites. Also, I saw Rhiannon Giddens with Dirk Powell last month, and that was a killer show where no song was in same genre as any other song. Dirk picked up an accordion and played a Cajun waltz, and then Rhiannon sang a Gaelic song. Her nephew went up and rapped while band grooved behind him. They played a song in the vein of Carole King, a gospel song, a swamp pop song... And every performance was solid gold. I noticed there was a lot of communication that made me realize this was very off-the-cuff, and in fact learned afterwards that this show was never rehearsed.

That was so fun! Thanks for that.

Fantastic! Thanks for the history as well as the wonderful examples! -Kate in Gustavus, Alaska in the Everyone Welcome Library Band

Thank you Abigail and Be'la for putting the good word out on Banjo's. Looking forward to seeing you all in may '20.

Well done! Very enjoyable documentary!

I am a guitar player that has played for 50yrs. I played in prog rock and jazz fusion bands as a guitarist in the 70's to 90's, when I heard Bela Fleck and the Fleck Tones in the 90"s I could not believe how good this music and playing was. It does not matter what instrument you are playing, if you are a good and can write good music you will be heard!!!

My great grandfather and my great uncle used to make mountain banjos and dulcimers, so I know a little bit about them and know it would take me a long time to make one like they did.

I'm still learning banjo! (Haven't practiced in a while tho, lmao) So happy to see this episode!

Thanks so much for this! Talk about legitimizing the banjo, no one could have been a greater ambassador than Bela Fleck. I can still remember clearly the first time I heard him play. Our young family was shopping for a television 40+ years ago. Over the intercom cam a tune called UFO TOFU, and after that I couldn’t get enough. And Dr. Gradus ad Parnassum from The Children’s Corner blew me away. Such different sounds from a master.

Awesome little history of our little instrument!

It seems like we're due for another American folk Renaissance. I'm here for it.

loved seeing Nahre playing ! Thanks for the vid ! I also learned a lot of things about this instrument ^^

great video! thanks for all your work and sharing lovely stories :--) -Lucas

I just became obsessed with Banjo after years of guitar playing.Thanks so much for the video. I love the song Abigail sings Bloomin' Rose! It's so pretty I had to find it and download it along with several other songs. :D

Aside from my ears, I know little about music and less about banjos. So, this is brilliant. Well done!

Their kid is gonna be a banjo legend

was lucky enough to have he and the flecktones show up at college for a free symposium before lunch hour, we all skipped class of course, futureman teaching 9/16 on his knees while speaking to the crowd at the same time. ive never since seen such musicianship ...if thats even a word, and humility. shook hands, answered questions, played a hell of a show that night at the auditorium. i may be old, but this music is ageless...

What a great video! I could've sat here and watched an hour plus doco on the banjo. Thanks heaps! :D

That was a bloody good documentary. 👍

Nahre, thought that was your voice. I've been following Abigail for years now and of course Bela. Glad you did this.

Fantastic- thank you for this !

I am so happy you did this.

Bela is the best! I still am not over the live show at the Quick, i watched that video a thousand times!

Way cool! Now I want to learn banjo, too!

This was wonderful,,,TY

Thank you! This was really great.

Here in Chile Banjo is an instrument related to evangelical Christianity. They use to learn to play banjo to sing in the church. It looks like a simple instrument to play but is not. Thank you Sound Field, the amount and quality of information is amazing as always :D Love Nahre, but where is L.A? They are the dynamic duo LOL :)

I'm a clawhammer banjo player! Thank you for talking about banjo.

She has such a beautiful voice too.

Nahre, you make such beautiful and interesting videos!