Overall Comments

I just picked up the Tony Trischka "The Complete 5-String Banjo" Book, CD, and DVD. I got it because the ad promised "The History of the Banjo." I highly recommend it. Great book and CD, 1 hour of instruction on the DVD. While basically an instruction set, for me, the best part of all is the concert footage extra included on the DVD. Tony does a concert with his band and an excellent narrator where he plays a banjo evolution. He starts with a gourd banjo, followed by a minstrel banjo, then a turn of the century style open back and finally a bluegrass banjo. He chronicles the significance of the styles used on each instrument and finshes with contemporary arrangements of his own. Really a good experience for any style of five string player enthusiast. The book has an excellent bio synopsis on several of the key trand setting players of bluegrass banjo and samplings of their styles in tablature. A must read, listen and watch set.

Overall Rating

9