Throw Down Your Heart
Royal Bank Cinema
Directed by Sascha Paladino
2008, 97 minutes
"An exhilarating feast of sight and sound." - LA Times
The documentary, "Throw Down Your Heart" follows American banjo virtuoso Béla Fleck on his journey to Africa to explore the little known African roots of the banjo and record an album. It's a boundary-breaking musical adventure that celebrates the beauty and complexity of Africa - an Africa that is very different from what is often seen in the media today.
At first glance, it might seem odd that the banjo is the catalyst for this journey. But in fact, the banjo is originally an African instrument. And Béla Fleck's passion for the banjo runs deep. In his trailblazing 30-year career, Béla has brought the instrument into jazz, pop, classical, and world music settings, and won eight Grammys along the way (not to mention the 20 nominations, in more distinct categories than anyone else, ever).
As Béla travels across Africa, he forges both musical and personal connections. Using his banjo, he transcends barriers of language and culture, finding common ground with musicians from very different backgrounds and creating some of the most meaningful music of his career.
Béla Fleck, Zakir Hussain and Edgar Meyer will perform at the Chan Centre on Saturday, Oct. 24th at 8:00pm. For more information or tickets click here.
*Please note that the entrance to the Royal Bank Cinema is directly off of Crescent Road on the upper level above the main entrance to the Chan.