“Throw Down Your Heart” grew out of Béla Fleck’s passion for the banjo, but it turnedinto something more. As we traveled through Africa, we encountered such wonderfulpeople who opened up to us through their music. It quickly became clear that the heart ofthe film was not only in Béla’s journey, but also in the many stories of what it means tobe a musician, an artist, today in Africa. I hope that the intertwining threads of thesestories and Béla’s cultural exchange shed light on the beautiful corners of the world thatwe were lucky enough to experience, and that the film puts the audience right in themiddle of our musical adventure.