The first week of the New Orleans Jazz Festival wrapped up on Sunday, and it was a spectacular day! Initially, there were concerns about rain, but the weather turned out perfect with clear skies and a refreshing breeze. The crowds were smaller than Saturday's, making it easier to navigate the festival grounds and access food quickly.

In an era where true musical connections seem as rare as they are precious, the announcement of "Remembrance," the latest and last album from 18-time Grammy Award-winning banjoist Béla Fleck and the late, legendary pianist Chick Corea, resonates with a profound sense of musical communion and exploration.

In a thrilling culmination of recent weeks, Béla Fleck has been at the center of a whirlwind of musical achievements and exhilarating performances. From captivating audiences across Europe and the UK with "My Bluegrass Heart" to clinching two Grammy Awards for "As We Speak" alongside Edgar Meyer, Zakir Hussain, and Rakesh Chaurasia, Fleck's journey has been nothing short of spectacular.

The first time banjo legend Béla Fleck, tabla master Zakir Hussain, and double bass virtuoso Edgar Meyer got together to make an album, it was to write, not to play.

The UCLA Center for the Art of Performance (CAP UCLA) is thrilled to announce an evening of transcultural musical brilliance featuring the collaborative genius of four global music icons: Béla Fleck, Zakir Hussain, Edgar Meyer, and Rakesh Chaurasia. This prestigious event will take place at the historic Royce Hall on Saturday, November 18, 2023, at 8 pm.

The first time banjo legend Béla Fleck, tabla master Zakir Hussain, and double bass virtuoso Edgar Meyer got together to make an album, it was to write, not to play.

Every June—for the past five decades—music fans known as Festivarians have made their annual pilgrimage to the box canyon town of Telluride, Colorado, for the legendary Telluride Bluegrass Festival. Inspired by the beauty of the natural landscape and the skillfully played music from a multitude of genres, this legendary gathering has long been a bucket list destination for musicians and music fans alike.

Smithsonian Folkways Recordings has just released the groundbreaking new album Ears of the People: Ekonting Songs from Senegal and The Gambia that represents the first full length representation of the West African ekonting. Considered the key ancestor of the American banjo, the ekonting is alive and well in West Africa, telling the stories of the artists who love it today. And yet it still exhibits some of the same or similar playing techniques as the American banjo, separated by centuries and some of the worst history in the world.

Following word of the Summer 2023 release of This Moment – their first new studio album in 46 years – revolutionary world music ensemble Shakti will continue to discover and explore the musical common ground bridging East and West on an extensive U.S. tour, beginning August 17 in Boston, current itinerary below with more dates TBA.

The Newport Folk Festival, one of the most highly-anticipated events of the summer music season, is set to return July 28-30th. Tickets go on sale to the public on February 1st, 2023 at 1:00 pm EST.