Bela Fleck Hidden Land CD

This is a DualDisc, which contains a CD on one side of the disc and a DVD on the other.

Bela Fleck's progressive fusion of jazz, bluegrass, classical, rock, and anything else he can get his hands on has been surprising listeners for some time now. 2006's THE HIDDEN LAND offers more of the same, though "sameness" for Fleck is liberated from its usual meaning. For example, the elaborate riff on Bach's "Fugue from Prelude & Fugue No. 20" that opens the disc is a stylistic whiplash that manages to incorporate bop, swing, funk, and psychedelia while still honoring the spirit of the original.

Fleck's genre-smashing banjo playing is enough to win the heart of any adventurous listener, but his Flecktones--who include bassist Victor Wooten, multi-instrumentalist Jeff Coffin, and drummer Future Man--are as flexible and risk-hungry on their instruments as the leader is on his. Whether on breezy, tuneful jams like "Roccoco" or frenetic free bop like "Couch Potato" (which comes complete with countrified interludes), Fleck and the Flecktones keep fans guessing, but in the most delightful way.

This dualdisc includes the complete album on the CD side. The DVD side includes a film by Bela Fleck and Sascha Paladino titled Long Way Home: A Flecktone Journey. This revealing behind-the-scenes film is filled with interviews and perforamnce. The short film humorously documents the return of the Flecktones to the studio to begin their rehearsals for the recording of this album, and includes rehearsal footage, as well as a full unreleased live performance. Also included is a brief, but insightful question & answer session with fans. Also included is the entire album in enhanced LPCM stereo.

Béla Fleck: Future Man (throat singing, synthesizer, drums); Béla Fleck (banjo); Jeff Coffin (clarinet, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone); Victor Wooten (bass guitar).Down Beat (p.68) - 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "Fleck exhibits his usual musical mastery of all styles, creating sparkling solos powered by both passion and precision."
JazzTimes (p.72) - "[I]t is wildly eclectic and teeming with all the complex parts, disciplined stop-time unison lines, odd time signatures and cleverly superimposed rhythms that have become a signature of this extraordinary band."
Dirty Linen (p.83) - "[T]his CD is a genre-hopping showcase of superb instrumentation and musical innovation."