However colorful our image of the banjo may be, it does not do justice to the history of the banjo. Otis Taylor's newest album "Recapturing the Banjo" (2008) is all about this history, communicating the instrument's rich past on an album that can appeal to fans of Hendrix, John Lee Hooker and Ben Harper alike.
A descendent of the African xalam, the banjo was brought to the Americas through the slave trade. During the mid-18th century a bleaching of the banjo occurred. Racist minstrel shows became popular, featuring performances by white actors in blackface. At the same time, the banjo came to be used extensively in the southern Appalachian Mountains within the traditional Scottish and Irish repertoire. White co-option of African-American culture, coupled with a growing interest in blues and jazz caused the banjo to fall out of favor among African-American musicians.
In the 1950s and 1960s the folk revival, however, led by Alan Lomax's musical research and the music of Pete Seeger and Earl Scruggs, restored prominence to the banjo. Awareness grew that many white banjo players had been directly influenced by African-American players and vice versa.
"When did black become white?" asks Journeyman-member Dick Weissman in the liner notes for "Recapturing the Banjo."
Taylor's new effort attempts to answer this question. As the instrument sheds its racist baggage there is an opportunity for black musicians to reclaim their musical heritage. Taylor experiments with many styles of playing on the album and brings in folk and blues heavyweights such as Guy Davies, Alvin Youngblood Hart and Keb Mo'.
A cover of "Hey Joe" -- best known as recorded by the Jimi Hendrix Experience -- is a fusion of traditional, acoustic twang and wailing guitar that does justice to Hendrix's raw electricity. The album's dexterity is demonstrated by Guy Davies' claw-hammer style performance of the traditional tune "Little Liza Jane."
There are also several original songs on the album. "Ten Million Slaves" features an intriguing instrument -- the electric banjo. One might assume this to be an oxymoron, until you hear its effectiveness. Accompanied by Taylor's daughter Cassie's powerful vocals, "Ten Million Slaves" is haunting in its repetition and resigned vocals.
It is rare to find music that can be both historical and listenable. "Recapturing the Banjo" is an exception. The music itself is performed by giants of the genre who, through their virtuosity and sincerity, make largely historical music relevant again.