Banjo virtuoso Jayme Stone, this year’s Juno award winner for instrumental album of the year, is appearing at the Errington Hall May 12.
Saying that the Ontario musician plays banjo is like saying Wayne Gretzky can skate. Stone is a master of the instrument, almost to the point of disbelief … a Canadian Béla Fleck if you will.
Stone’s curiosity and unlikely set of reference points started early with the quirky physics of the banjo. This led him to a mysterious librarian who stocked the public library with a vast trove of banjo recordings, landing Stone long-lasting lessons with a series of maestros, from Béla Fleck to Bill Frisell.
Influenced by Japanese poetry and Brazilian literature and inspired by what he calls a “tiny symphony that takes place inside an imaginary light bulb,” Stone’s playing will astound you.
He loves to experiment.
His album The Utmost won the 2008 Juno Award for Instrumental Album of the Year and his newest release, entitled Room of Wonders just earned him his second Juno for instrumental album of the year.
Tickets for the 8 p.m. concert are $20 at the Errington Store, Cranky Dog Music in Parksville, and Heaven on Earth in Qualicum Beach.
Youth under 12 are $5 at the door, free for under five.