Bela Fleck Live At The Quick CD

Jeff Coffin (soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, flute, clarinet); Victor Lemonte Wooten (synthesizer, electric bass); Future Man (synthesizer, percussion, electronic percussion, background vocals).

Additional personnel includes: Congar Ol'Ondar (throat singing); Paul McCandless (sopranino saxophone, soprano saxophone, oboe, English horn);

Paul Hanson (bassoon); Andy Narell (keyboards, steel pans); Sandip Burman (tabla).

Bela Fleck and the Flecktones bring sophistication to the hard-to-define genre of jam-band music. While Phish and Dave Matthews Band helped to modernize the jam-band approach, Bela Fleck almost single-handedly took it to the next level by employing a drummer who plays on a home-made, electronic "drumitar" and by using his own instrument--the banjo--more like a jazz guitar. Fleck certainly knows how to break down musical borders and sandblast musical stereotypes.

On LIVE AT THE QUICK, Fleck takes his penchant for all things weird one step further by employing an improvising oboist and bassoonist, a steel drummer, a Tuvan throat singer, and a tabla player. What makes Fleck so interesting, unique, and downright brilliant, is his ability to take a motley bunch such as this and create cohesive, listener-friendly music. Particularly strong tracks include the hypnotic "Big Country," which features a riveting electric solo by Fleck, and the Middle-Eastern influenced "A Moment So Close." On the latter, we are treated to the bass virtuosity of Victor Wooten, together with Sandip Burman's tabla playing and Congar Ol'Ondar's fascinating throat singing.

Recorded live in 2000. Includes liner notes by Bela Fleck.

Bela Fleck & The Flecktones: Bela Fleck (banjo, guitar, synthesizer)JazzTimes (5/02, pp.114,116) - "...Sure to delight the Flecktones faithful while showing the uninitiated what they've been missing..."
Mojo (Publisher) (7/02, p.106) - "...The virtuosity dazzles..."