Béla Fleck and Abigail Washburn – Historic Temple Theater

Béla Fleck is a 15-time GRAMMY® Award winner, with more multi-category wins than any other artist, an innovator of jazz, classical, and world music. His collaborations range from his ground-breaking standard-setting ensemble Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, to a staggeringly broad array of musical experiments: writing concertos for full symphony orchestra, exploring the banjo’s African roots, to jazz duos with Chick Corea. Many tout Béla Fleck the world’s premier banjo player. His wife Abigail Washburn has the earthy sophistication of a postmodern, old-time singer-songwriter who has drawn critical acclaim for her solo albums. She has done fascinating work in folk musical diplomacy in China, presented an original theatrical production, and has contributed to singular side groups Uncle Earl and The Wu-Force. Together, they are a fortuitous pairing with a deep, distinct and satisfying outcome. With one eye on using the banjo to showcase America’s rich heritage, and the other pulling the noble instrument from its most familiar arena into new and unique realms, this duo meets in the mean, head-on, to present music that feels wildly innovative and familiar at the same time. Whether at home, on stage, or on record, their deep bond, combined with the way their distinct musical personalities and banjo styles interact, makes theirs a picking partnership unlike any other on the planet. – belafleck.com