World Music Documentary Review: Bela Fleck's Throw Down Your Heart

Jennifer Merin, About.com's Guide to Documentaries, recently reviewed the new Bela Fleck flick, Throw Down Your Heart. In the film, bluegrass-fusion superstar Bela Fleck heads to Africa to uncover the African roots of the banjo and to record a new CD. I've seen the film as well, and reading Jennifer's review, I was happy to discover that I wasn't entirely alone in my opinion of it.

I should disclose that I'm not a huge Fleck-ophile. I think he's inarguably one of the world's finest technical musicians - any instrument, any genre - but I really don't like hearing him play anything other than relatively straight-ahead bluegrass, as his fusion work leaves me nonplussed... it's just a little bit too cerebral for my taste. I like genres of music that make you dance, that serve to aid in celebrations or assist in mourning, or pass forward ancient stories. Thus, my love for African music, both traditional and modern. So when I see a documentary about a musician going to Africa, learning about African music, I want to see and hear the darned African music! I want to know why that particular village was chosen on the quest, and what the motivations and histories of the musicians in that village are, and, at the simplest level, what their names are. Basically, I want the goofy American dude to step aside, so we can see the good stuff.

That said, I thought Fleck was reasonably humble (or at least figured out how to be at some point on his quest), is always talented and interesting to watch from a musical standpoint, and that the moments of Flecklessness alone are worth watching the movie for, especially the part with Oumou Sangare, because she's 100% awesome and no one can tell me different. Overall, reasonably entertaining, from my perspective, just not quite meaty enough. If you're looking for a movie about African music, you might find yourself frustrated, because this one really is about Fleck, and the African musicians are background players. If you're interested in the musical process, in how fusion happens, or you're mad about the banjo, then I think you might have a new favorite.

Have you seen Throw Down Your Heart? What did you think? Leave a comment and let us know!

Image (c) Argot Films, 2009