Search - Alison Brown :: Look Left

On her third all-instrumental solo album, Alison Brown follows in the footsteps of Bela Fleck by liberating the banjo from its usual bluegrass and string-band context to juxtapose it with trap drums, keyboards and other unexpected instruments. Like Fleck, Brown often slows down her attack on the banjo so the melodic shape and tonal quality of individual phrases can be better appreciated. This invitation to closer scrutiny is justified by Brown's rare ability to control both the percussive and harmonic qualities of each note on the banjo. --Geoffrey Himes