Community Corner
The Librarian And The Banjo-Film WI Native Dena Julia Polacheck Epstein
The WI Conservatory of Music & The Exclusive Company on Farwell Avenue Present "The Librarian And The Banjo" by Jim
Carrier. Documentary Film about Dena Julia *Polacheck Epstein was born November 30, 1916 in Milwaukee & raised in *Shorewood, Wisconsin.
The film tells the story of Dena as a Child in Southeast WI with her Polacheck family. It marks the journey of Dena Epstein a wife, and mother to a music librarian. Now 96 years old, Dena's trailblazing scholarship was
the first to take on the old myths about the banjo. Her work shattered
myths about the roots of American music, and has been described as
“monumental.” The film features interviews with Dena (as everyone calls her), academics, banjo historians and musicians including the Carolina Chocolate Drops, Bela Fleck, Tony Trischka and Eric Weissberg. The soundtrack, from dozens of banjo players, includes music on gourd akontings, minstrel instruments and bluegrass banjos. Among featured artists are Stephen Wade, Sule Greg Wilson and Pura Fe. Among
music historians interviewed in the film are: Bill Ferris (former NEH
chairman), Bob Winans, Tony Thomas, Greg Adams, Laurent Dubois, Bobby
Fulcher and Daniel Jatta. Advanced Tickets for 15th Annual Milwaukee Short Film Festival http://mkeshortfest.blogspot.com/2013/10/advanced-tickets-for-15th-annual.html