ALL FRETS - July/August 2018 ENTIRE ISSUE | Página 33

When I heard that my banjo teacher,
Cynthia Sayer, would be the first four-
string banjoist ever invited to play the
Newport Jazz Festival as a featured
artist, all I could think was, "What took
them so long?"
As many of you know, the four-string
banjo has been considered a “fringe”
instrument at best in the jazz business, in
spite of its obvious history of being the
original fretted instrument in jazz. As I
learned from Cynthia, great historic jazz
banjoists like Elmer Snowden have
typically been left out of jazz history
books.
Granted, Béla Fleck has had huge commercial success as a contemporary banjoist playing boundary-
breaking music, including jazz, but he's a five-string player. As you likely know, the general public doesn’t
even know there is a difference between the five-string and four-string banjo, it’s all just “banjo,” never
mind plectrum vs. tenor! While Cynthia hasn't had the same level of commercial success as Béla, from
what I can see she has done more than anyone else so far to bring the four-string forward into today's
music landscape. She made it her mission to expand awareness of the instrument and delight audiences
with the four-string banjo's unexpected range and versatility, and she's accomplished this around the
world.
I'm glad someone at the Newport Jazz Festival finally woke up and realized it was time to feature Cynthia
Sayer on its stage. But without meaning to take away Cynthia's hard work and accomplishment as a player,
I can’t help but think that her being invited to appear at Newport is also symbolic of the four-string banjo
receiving a kind of official confirmation that it has finally “arrived” as a recognized jazz instrument. And in
the virtuoso hands of a woman, too -- but that's a topic for a different article!
Go four-string banjo!! And go Cynthia!!
HAS YOUR ADDRESS OR EMAIL CHANGED?
Please contact the ALL FRETS office with your current address or email address!
ALL FRETS, 2501 Saddleback Drive, Edmond, OK 73034 - [e-mail]
ALL FRETS JULY/AUGUST 2018
33