Following the acquisition of four old banjos with the support of the Friends of the Royal Museums of Art and History an four other instruments from the collection of the English banjo player Pete Stanley (1937-2020), Clarke Buehling is coming to the MIM!
Buehling is one of the most important representatives of the five-string banjo in the US. He was a pupil of Frank Bradbury (1896-1981) who was a close friend of the greatest players of his time, such as Alfred Farland, Fred Bacon, Sylvester Ossman and Fred Van Eps. He's also a figure who bridges the present day with the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The ‘classical’ banjo repertoire has its roots in older musical traditions associated with the minstrel shows. It is also a direct descendant of the plucked instruments of the Afro-Americans of the southern US who passed on the musical heritage of their ancestors. Indeed, the banjo has accompanied the history of the United States in many facets, both the best and the worst. This is what Clarke Buehling's music aims to show in the most nuanced way. Buehling also remains an undisputed master of the gourd banjo, the archaic banjo with very ancient roots.
With the support of The Friends of the RMAH and the cooperation of Gérard de Smaele.
Read more:
Article in French about the Belgian tour of Clarke Buehling
Article about the early history of the banjo