An Evening with Bela Fleck
Review: Perpetual Motion

Written the week of February 16, 2003

Imagine my surprise when I got home from work:   Bela Fleck was sitting on the front porch.

Well, this was perfect.   I'd had a relatively stressful day and week, and I knew Bela was a respectful guest.  He leaned against the railing on the east side of the porch so he could stretch out & play his banjo.  He seemed to be woodshedding "My country tis of thee" — turns out it was Beethoven's "7 Variations on 'God Save the King'."  He was turned in toward the banjo like a yoga master practicing the lotus.

He heard me coming, looked up from the banjo & said, "Hi, Jac.  Hope you don't mind, but I've invited a couple of friends to join us."

"Gosh, I don't know Bela," I said, "I haven't had a good night's rest in the past two days.  I don't think I'd be a very good host."

"Don't worry a bit about that, man.  I'll be the host.  You sit & relax & I'll fix everything.  Here, sit next to the kitchen as I whip up the food & tell me about it."

I told him about the stresses at work.  The perpetual lateness of the researchers as we prepare their grants.  The weeks of boredom & feeling useless.  The days of high anxiety as the last sentence of the Research Plan is typed an hour before the deadline.  The frustration of feeling powerless.

I told him about the Valentine’s Day Pot Luck luncheon I hosted at my job.  Elk meat chili was good.  Folk were excited all week at the prospect.  I treasured watching my co-workers enjoy themselves.

I told him a little about my love-life.  "Boy, jac, only you could live so comfortably inside a myth."

Just then, Evelyn Glennie came to the door.  "Say, James, this soup could simmer for a bit.  Mind if Evelyn & I work on something?"

Mind?  I was ready to kiss Evelyn's feet just for giving the world so much joy.  They played Bach's "Two-Part Invention No 13."  Well, I love Bach — he seems to cover every aspect of the human heart (a musical Shakespeare).  And hearing Bach played on marimba — my!  Bet Johann is up there in heaven wishing he'd known about the marimba while he was alive.  Betcha he would have composed for Glennie for free.

Joshua Bell & Gary Hoffman came by shortly after that.  They played Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" with Bela as a trio.  I also have a deep appreciation for the cello — I love the way the low tones resonate in my chest.  And Gary's got the touch.  For most of the piece, Bella was playing the piano part — makes sense, as both the piano & banjo are rhythm instruments.  But he also played the closing section of the adagio.  Who knew the banjo could be so melodic?

"Say, Bela, did you ever hear the classical stuff Pete Seeger recorded on the banjo?"

"Oh, yeah.  Pete's almost every banjo player's hero, and that little album set was an inspiration for what I'm working on."

"So this is going to be a cd?"

"Yep, I'm thinking of calling it 'Perpetual Motion'."

"Call it what you like: 'If music be the food of love, play on!'"

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Dedicated to Brother Dave, in appreciation for the gift of the above cd.  Your timing could not have been more synchronistic.
BTW: I heard an interview with Bela when this was released, in which he mentioned the Seeger recordings.  I came close to buying a set (sadly was beyond my means at the time), and remember Padre talking about the set as well.