While many associate the banjo with Appalachian “hillbilly” culture and folk music, its roots lie in Sub-Saharan West Africa. Variety spoke with Rhiannon Giddens of her personal history with this instrument as well as why so many Black musicians are rediscovering its potential today.
Bela Fleck has successfully applied bluegrass banjo techniques to harmonic and contrapuntal structures in jazz and classical music, as well as working closely with African musicians to discover its African roots.
Origins
Many people today associate the banjo with bluegrass, country and old-timey folk music; however, its history dates all the way back to Africa. Renowned banjoists such as Rhiannon Giddens, Eddie Peabody and Bill Keith have capitalized on its African roots when performing it on stage.
Scholars believe the banjo may have evolved from the akonting, an eight stringed spike folk lute played by Jola people of Gambia during times of extreme discord and suffering. Constructed with its body made of gourd and four strings attached by string links, its neck could accommodate four strings for playing four notes simultaneously on an instrument as unique as an akonting. It served as an avenue of expression and communication among Black communities during such times as these.
The Akonting eventually made its way to America where it was adopted by both enslaved Africans and later whites. By the late 1800s, minstrel shows had become extremely popular, giving rise to banjo craze. White performers would wear blackface to mimic African slaves on southern plantations farms while mocking their worst stereotypes and providing entertainment – leaving a lasting mark on American culture.
As America’s racial composition shifted, this impression only deepened. Music soon began to be segregated by race – blues became exclusively for black audiences while banjo folk music came to be known as “hillbilly music,” promoted and sold specifically to white audiences.
These racial distinctions were reinforced through recording industry practices and media campaigns, cementing them further. Their influence can be seen today; musicians like those from Carolina Chocolate Drops often avoid playing bluegrass or folk genres for fear that they would be perceived as hillbillies.
Emergence of more advanced styles of banjo playing has shed light on this matter, particularly those employed by Monroe’s Bluegrass Boys such as Bill Keith (known for developing his signature melodic style of playing which did not rely on roll patterns). Bill Keith helped push banjo away from hillbilly music into mainstream entertainment and brought its use out from under the shadows.
Styles
Bluegrass music enlists various banjo styles as common tools of expression, especially the Scruggs style made famous by Earl Scruggs and Bill Keith pioneered melodic styles with Bill Keith introducing melodic picking which consisted of picking each note individually rather than playing rhythmic patterns on his banjo; this required using special tuning called the Keith tuning which allows more notes to be played at once on one instrument.
Clawhammer and frailing techniques are also widely utilized when playing the banjo. Clawhammer requires using your thumb to pick a drone string after most strums resulting in its signature “bum-ditty” sound; frailing employs index and middle fingers striking four strings like hammers while your thumb alternately picks its drone string; creating this characteristic sound made famous by Pete Seeger in his songs.
In the late 19th century, there was an upsurge of plucked-string instruments known as banjo orchestras to emulate classical orchestras. This type of music became known as classical banjo or bluegrass chamber music and has since been practiced by some virtuosic players like Noam Pikelny and Tony Rice who developed its distinctive style combining classical themes with improvisation.
Modern bands have explored various genres when using banjo, from rock and metal to modern folk revival – with groups such as Mumford & Sons and Bela Fleck and the Flecktones all using this instrument as part of their repertoire.
The banjo has long been a go-to instrument for African American musicians and was even frequently featured in minstrel shows during the Civil Rights Movement. Later, blackface performances featuring banjo were common; its use became part of this racist practice that would ridicule African Americans and their culture. Ragtime music made use of banjo too; its melodies blended traditional European jazz into blues and country styles such as country. Rhiannon Giddens has spoken out against lack of African American diversity within bluegrass/folk/Americana due to mainstream stereotypes and misinformation regarding these genres’ histories – with her voice being among its own instruments!
Techniques
When learning banjo music, the first step should be learning the fundamentals. Consulting an instructor may help with this and helping develop your technique over time. Furthermore, practice playing different genres to expand your repertoire; more styles of banjo music means easier adaption when adapting to other genres or improvisational ideas.
Although most commonly associated with bluegrass music, the five-string banjo has played an instrumental role in many other styles as well. One famous example is Bill Keith’s revolutionary five-string banjo work which introduced melodic playing techniques that revolutionized its sound; as well as being an innovator who created efficient tuning pegs for it.
The modern banjo’s early ancestor may have been the Gambian gourd-lute known as an akonting that was brought over from West Africa by slaves who played it to express their emotions and endure harsh living conditions. The Gambian akonting is closely related to its American counterpart in design and construction; musicians have observed similarities in playing techniques. Both instruments feature short drone strings played with thumbs.
West African gourd lutes include the ngoni and xalam, which are played by West African griots who hold special standing in many tribes, but ordinary people also play it – Laemouahuma Daniel Jatta is doing much to preserve the tradition through his foundation which promotes music and cultural heritage of his Jola people.
Banjo players frequently join jam sessions – informal gatherings where musicians of various types gather to play music together – often called jam sessions. Guitarists tend to participate the most in such jam sessions; however, anyone with a banjo is always welcome since this instrument can be used to perform all types of music genres.
Popularity
The banjo remains an extremely popular instrument today. Modern artists utilize it in creating original songs or even metal music composition. Furthermore, beginners often find banjo an easy and accessible choice; numerous songs exist to help newcomers start learning this instrument.
Cripple Creek was first recorded by Earl Scruggs in 1945 and has been covered by many artists since. It makes an ideal way to start learning songs as its melody is catchy yet straightforward. Once you master it, more complex tunes await you!
Country Roads by John Denver is another excellent song to practice banjo playing on. It provides a simple yet effective banjo part and serves as an effective practice ground to develop strumming and picking skills while practicing strumming and picking techniques.
A banjo can be used to play music from many genres, ranging from bluegrass and country to jazz and Celtic. Notable artists who use this instrument include Alison Krauss, Bela Fleck and Tony Trischka – the latter having pioneered newgrass style while writing multiple instructional books for banjo players.
Rhiannon Giddens is another esteemed banjo player with extensive musical experience and talent. She has performed with Union Station and Michelle Shocked and won various awards and nominations; additionally, she frequently collaborates on solo albums as well.
Banjo music remains a beloved tradition in American society, yet its popularity has steadily been declining over time. This decline can be partly attributed to early jazz forms gaining ground: features that made banjo ideal for minstrel music like open tunings and constant pitch drone strings make it less suitable for jazz chords; further compounding its decline is increased racial segregation of recording industry.