DescriptionThe five string banjo's reentry into the world of jazz in the 1970s highlights many of the unique qualities found in the instrument. I will chart the banjo's journey from the styles of Earl Scruggs and Don Reno into the modem styles found in jazz.
Earl Scruggs and Don Reno were the inspiration. They are mentioned as influences by virtually every modern player. Scruggs added drive and rhythm to banjo performance. Reno expanded the banjo repertoire. Thus they become the base of our developmental pillar and their influence forms the beginning of our study.
With the onset of new technology, their music was found in homes beyond the South. The instrument needed a more precise melodic role. The use of the fifth string needed to broaden from its drone function. The repertoire needed expansion. The training needed vast changes in focus. Bill Keith, Tony Trischka and Bela Fleck form a pedagogical path down the middle of this transition. Their contributions, their styles and their influence will form the gravitational center of this paper.
In order to gain a broader view of the "Progressive" banjo movement, I created a questionnaire, in the style of Paul Berliner’s Thinking in Jazz. Combining their responses with interviews of Tony Trischka, Bill Keith, and Roger Marks will allow us to form a composite of a progressive player and allow us to chart the progress made in banjo pedagogy.
Our study of the "Flecktones" will highlight the unique status of today's banjo. I will deal with such issues as its absence from the cannon, its future, the racial attitudes that influence its acceptance and its effect on the jazz repertoire. In examining Bela Fleck’s Arkansas Traveler, I will note the links connecting traditional bluegrass and jazz.
In conclusion I will make predictions about the banjo's future.