Tres Bonn 2008: Bela Fleck

Notice to reader: you are far from Hollywood’s portrayal of banjo players. Throw out the image of that porch-dwelling, uncultured farmer chewing on a sliver of hay.

Béla Fleck (Wiki) is an accomplished, virtuoso-level instrumentalist who I can’t wait to see with Abigail Washburn at Bonnaroo next week. Fleck is New York city native named after famed composer Béla Bartok and has played the banjo since age 15.

Forming the Flecktones in 1989, Fleck and his crew are known for “raging eclecticism,” dwelling on a multitude of genres including jazz, be-bop, bluegrass, country, classical…nearly every genre befitting an advanced instrumentalist and then some. Add in the fact that every member of the Flecktones is renowned in their own right, most notably monster bassist Victor Wooten, and you have some powerhouse music-makers.

Fleck is often attributed as a major force in changing the perception, sound and musicality of the banjo, a flag-bearer simultaneously promoting and validating his instrument of choice in non-traditional circles. With such a massive one-sheet, it’s no surprise that Fleck has become massively influential and an inspiration to innumerable instrumentalists.

I can barely stand the anticipation.

MP3: Béla Fleck & the Flecktones - Kaleidoscope from Béla Fleck and the Flecktones Live at B.B. King’s on 2006-04-21 (April 21, 2006) @ Live Music Archive