The vision for his new banjo CD "Perspective" is described by Adam Hurt for BanjoCrazy.com

 

I really liked the way my more recent CD, "Insight," took shape: totally banjo focused, but not solo banjo per se; banjo mostly taking the lead role in various duets, with a smattering of unaccompanied banjo and some stringband pieces. This presented a fairly complete picture of my world as a banjo player.

 

In putting together a new album, I wanted to stick fairly closely to this previous model, but feature the accompaniment of some different musicians and include more uncommon tunes (yet still in the old-time canon).

 

 

Banjo/guitar duets are perhaps my favorite sound right now, and are a combination that isn't nearly as frequently heard in old-time music as fiddle/banjo or fiddle/guitar pairings. I enjoy letting the banjo take the fiddle's role when there is no fiddle present, and particularly enjoy being able to play highly melodic lines--much as a fiddler might play--without having to worry about providing my own accompaniment at the same time, something I might do more of in a totally solo situation.

 

The guitar provides just the right amount of support without being overbearing, and the rather similar tambors of these two instruments mesh so nicely. I am always thinking about chords and chord progressions as I play old-time music, whether or not I have a guitarist or other rhythm player with me. In arranging the banjo/guitar duets for the CD, I generally gave to my guitarists my general concept of the chord progressions, and then encouraged them to insert something of their own chordal sensibilities around my ideas. Hearing my chordal visions come to life through these fantastic musicians, with their unique styles and creativities, is such a treat.

 

Of course, solely focusing upon the banjo/guitar relationship would make for an incomplete picture of what I do and love, and would ignore too many other elements of old-time music. I try to craft my banjo arrangements to both stand on their own without a fiddler, but to also fit in seamlessly behind a fiddler (of course, I am constantly adjusting what I do to suit my surroundings, but this is the general idea), so it is big fun for me to be a part of a tight fiddle/banjo duet unit as well. Bringing a guitar into this scenario for the stringband-style material is, in a way, the best of all worlds.

 

The title of the album, "Perspective," is another part of my vision, I suppose. Of course, in recording my music, I am always trying to show off my own personal take, or perspective, on this material. That said, my banjo style is heavily influenced by a wide variety of traditional musicians and styles, and while I have tried to make what I do my own, I try to pay respect to my sources and influences as I do so. With that in mind, I am also hoping to present a bit of the unique perspectives of the various source musicians from whom I learned the material on the album, intertwined with my own voice.

 

 

 

Concert in Colorado Adam visited us in the Four Corners area and performed a wonderful solo concert. This inspiring live musical evening featured four different banjos and even a bit of fiddle playing by Adam. Read a review of this concert here	Adam Hurt   Adam Hurt draws on diverse musical influences from the North Carolina piedmont, the mountains of central West Virginia, the Ohio River Valley, and beyond to create his own elegantly innovative clawhammer banjo playing. Visit our BanjoCrazy.com's Adam Hurt Page here

 

 

 

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More Adam Banjo Articles	Listen to Adam's CD's	Videos
Inspirational Banjo Virtuoso	Adam's CD's at CD baby	Kennedy Center Performance
Review of new CD "Perspective"

 

 

Adam Hurt, Clawhammer Banjo
 

 

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