Perpetual Motion—Béla Fleck, banjo; Joshua Bell, violin; Gary Hoffman, cello; Evelyn Glennie, marimba; Edgar Meyer, bass & piano; Chris Thile, mandolin; James Bryan Sutton & John Williams, guitars (Sony 89610)
Banjo virtuoso Bela Fleck on Perpetual Motion: “This CD was my chance to learn and perform true classical pieces on the banjo. Pieces by Bach, Chopin, Beethoven, Debussy, Scarlatti and Paganini were included. Edgar helped me with the production and the arrangements. And I was able to play with some of the top classical musicians on the scene, partly due to Edgar’s involvement. This was one of those projects that did not come easy for me. I had to fight for it. These pieces can all be played on the banjo, but they use every bit of the banjo’s range, and I had to come up with specific new techniques to deal with trills, and other ornaments. In the end, it was well worth the time spent, and this album made a lot of noise, even winning a couple of Grammies in the classical field.” This 2001 release came to light here at WCLV in connection with an October concert by the Cleveland Bluegrass Orchestra. The CD ends with a Bluegrass version of Paganini’s Perpetual Motion that you have to hear to believe! (Note: Link sends you to the Amazon webpage for this album.)