BELA FLECK & THE FLECKTONES THE ORIGINAL LINE-UP
Groundbreaking banjoist/composer/bandleader Bela Fleck has reconvened his extraordinary original Bela Fleck & the Flecktones line-up for a North American tour to celebrate the group’s new recording, “Rocket Science.” On stage with Fleck will be bassist Victor Wooten, Roy “Futureman” Wooten on drums, and pianist Howard Levy on keyboards and harmonica. The tour – and the record – mark the first time in 20 years that Levy has reunited with the band.
Fleck first formed the Flecktones in 1988, ostensibly for a single performance on PBS’ “Lonesome Pine Special.” From the start, the four musicians – each a virtuoso in his own right – forged a special kinship through their mutual passion for creativity and artistic advancement. “When we come together and put our separate soups into one big stockpot, it turns into a very diverse concoction,” says Fleck.
Although Levy hadn’t played with the band since late 1992, the Flecktones continued to record and tour as a trio, later adding saxophonist Jeff Coffin. They’ve shared the stage with artists as diverse as Sting, Bonnie Raitt and the Grateful Dead, and have toured with the Dave Matthews Band. Blue-chip musicians like Chick Corea, Bruce Hornsby and Branford Marsalis have been guest artists on their recordings.
For Flecktone fans – and those who have never experienced the “Tones” before – this return of the original line-up offers an extremely rare opportunity to experience this vibrant, visionary and iconic band live.
((Sidebar)) About Bela Fleck
Bela Fleck is widely considered to be the premier banjo player in the world. Beyond that distinction, he defies categorization perhaps more than any other living instrumentalist.
Although Fleck was originally inspired by the traditional banjo style of Flatt & Scruggs, he has since taken the instrument to an entirely new level, reinventing its image and sound through a remarkable career that has taken him all over the musical map. Fleck has won 11 Grammys and been nominated 27 times – in more different categories than anyone in Grammy history – which speaks volumes about the incredible diversity of his repertoire.
Early in his professional career, Fleck took bluegrass to new limits, mixing it with fusion and jazz (i.e., “blu-bop”). But he didn’t stop there. His work with the progressive bluegrass band New Grass Revival in the 1980s featured a unique blend of bluegrass, rock and country. He has also charted new territory for the banjo in the classical, gospel and contemporary Christian genres. In his “Tales from the Acoustic Planet” series, he explored the African origins of the instrument. Fleck – and his music – are true originals, not to be missed!
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