We think the twain just met...
Melora Koepke
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Fleck: Won't go over your head, promise
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Banjo-bearing bluegrassmen Béla Fleck and The Flecktones find deliverance in jazz
An old joke goes: How many banjo players does it take to screw in a light bulb? Five - one to screw it in and four to complain that it's electric.New York native Béla Fleck, though, has thrust a stick into the spokes of that kind of purism over the last two decades, almost single-handedly taking the banjo out of its bluegrass ghetto and giving it a major place in the acoustic revival of the last few years.
Fleck and his long-standing band The Flecktones are already the stuff of legend: Not only is Fleck himself considered one of the best banjo players in the world, his bassist Victor Wooten is the kind of player that gets voted Bassist of the Year by Bass Player magazine. Their long-time percussionist is Wooten's brother Futureman (described by one percussionist I know as "futuristic enough for anyone"), and saxophonist Jeff Coffin of Mu'tet fame rounds out the magic foursome.
Despite the Flecktones' geek cred, they're consummate crowd pleasers; it's possible to enjoy their sets even if you don't have any clue as to the subtle permutations of their musical conjugations.
"The Flecktones are interesting to people who don't normally like complex music," affirms Fleck. "Whether you know what we're doing or not, or whether you care, we have a common touch. We're not trying to go over anyone's head."
In recent years, The Flecktones have managed to straddle a multiplicity
of scenes. They tour fanatically, regularly performing at bluegrass festivals in North Carolina before booting up to play with the jazz greats in Montreal (they've played there every year for its 15-year lifespan). Finally, Ottawa is getting its own taste.Béla Fleck and The Flecktones play the Concerts Under the Stars series at the Ottawa Jazz Festival Main Stage, Confederation Park, Friday, July 2, 8:30 p.m. Ticket prices vary (see our Jazz Fest guide on page XX fore more info).
