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April 5, 2006
Bela Fleck and the Flecktons
I have a few observations from my experience on Saturday night seeing Bela Fleck and the Flecktons live in concert at the Pageant.
1. Virtuosity is nothing without musicality. These four musicians are virtuosos at their particular instrument, but their blindingly fast chops would be completely boring without their impeccable musicianship. Especially Bela Fleck and Victor Wooten have an amazing ability to make complicated music sound as simple and as sing-able as a 3 min pop song.
2. Music is always conversation. All the guys in this band were clearly listening closely to each other. They were each responding and reacting to the statements that were being said by the other players. Listening is the primary function of a musician.
3. The more a musician masters and understands their instrument and the inner game of music the easier it is to cross genres. Bela Fleck has mastered his banjo and has come to understand music to the point that he is able to play folk, bluegrass, blues, jazz, fusion, Baroque, Classical, etc. with the same level of virtuosity.
4. Improvisation and Composition are first cousins. The lics, themes, and devices that I heard Bela play in his solos are the same building blocks that appear in his compositions.
Thank you, D, for dragging me out this weekend to see them. Thank you Bella and Flecktons for an excellent musical experience!
Making Music | By Kirk Ward | 11:49 AM
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Comments
You are just quite welcome, my man. I, like many of us I would suppose, am rather odd in my own way. My father played aMAzing jazz alto saxophone. Grew up listening to the genre and had as "uncles" many of St. Louis' finest black jazz musicians. So.....WHY do I love good Bluegrass??(PLEASE do not sing, though) Well, it's the jazz of Country music - so it follows. Bela actually took it literally. I've also gone to see him with a Bluegrass trio(at the Sheldon - again, aMAzing). They are one of my absolute FAVorite groups - fourth time I've seen 'em and they're better each time. And, don't miss the obvious.....the FlecktonEs are a white and black group. All of what Kirk is saying I would wholeheartedly agree with AND it pertains to us as well. While we may not be virtuosos, when we play and worship the Lord CLEARLY we "talk" to each other. The congregation, hopefully, is able to worship as we lead them, but, amongst ourselves, we understand things that are happening rather differently. While, I think like ALL of us, we really enjoy being able to see that level of what a musician can be, I still thank God for you all and am very glad He has me with you. Elder D
Posted by: Darwin White at April 5, 2006 10:27 PM