E. Doctor Smith's Blog

Bela Fleck will bring the results of his recent African adventures to Yoshi's in Oakland this weekend, in performance with the great Malian kora player Toumani Diabate. Fleck's new release Throw Down Your Heart, Tales From the Acoustic Planet, Vol 3: africa sessions, also features other well known African musicians; D'Gary (Madagascar), Vusi Mahlasela (South Africa) and Anania Ngoliga (Tanzania). Fleck went to Uganda, Tanzania, Mali and The Gambia in 2005 to find and collaborate with great acoustic musicans and research the roots of the banjo. The album will be released on Rounder later this year. The award-winning documentary, also titled "Throw Down Your Heart" was directed by Sascha Paladino and will also be released later. Mali's Toumani Diabate is considered by many to be the greatest kora player in the world, and he is certainly the most well known. His many solo albums and collaborations have placed him on top tier of instrumental artists

Spawned by the extraordinary Northern California bassist Michael Manring, the "Bass Solo Night" concert series has quickly become a stomping ground for some of the San Francisco Bay area's best musicians. It's a movable feast of talented bassists and features a rotating pool of extremely creative and innovative players. I'd had been asked to perform at one of those shows alongside the bassist and fellow Flecktone fan, Ariane Cap. Ironically, it was during this show at Oakland's Rooz Cafe that led to my first encounter with the bassist Edo Castro. Like Manring before him, Castro was another master of the "E-Bow". His 7 string bass playing was simply gorgeous and his ability to build loops and solo live was equally astounding. Needless to say, I was surprised when Castro graciously asked me to join him for a "gratuitous funk" tune. The result was a truly magical experience and a unique new musical friendship was born. We'll be