Library Journal Review

It's time to give the banjo some love. Quintessentially American (via Africa) and with a rich and varied musical tradition, the banjo is enjoying something of a cultural renaissance. Narrated by actor, comedian, and Grammy Award-winning banjo player Steve Martin, Give Me the Banjo details the many musical forms in which the banjo has played a major role, including work songs, minstrel shows, ragtime, early jazz, old-time folk, country, bluegrass, and the folk revival. With wonderful historical footage and interviews with musicologists and performers such as Earl Scruggs, Pete Seeger, Bela Fleck, and Abigail Washburn, the film elucidates Martin's statement that "one of the dark secrets is that the banjo is an emotional instrument." Bonus extras include performances by Ralph Stanley, Taj Mahal, and others. VERDICT Director Fields has put together an excellent introduction to the rich history of the banjo. The film resonates long after the last note on the fifth string has been picked. Delightful.-Bill Baars, Lake Oswego P.L., OR (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.