[Dixielandjazz] speaking of the Flecktones

[Bryan Livett]

Well Bill it certainly "bubbles merrily along" and the musicianship is
incredible, a revelation to anyone who associates the banjo with
plunka-plink 2-beat rhythms; it just ain't my kinda music, that's all, but
worth a listen for a' that.

Cheers

Bryan (love Teagarden, Fontana and JJ) Livett

----- Original Message -----
From: "Bill Gunter" <jazzboard@hotmail.com>
To: <livett@rogers.com>; <stridepiano@tesco.net>
Cc: <dixielandjazz@ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Monday, October 07, 2002 12:14 PM
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] speaking of the Flecktones


> Hi all,
>
> Bryan observed:
>
> >Yes, Bela Fleck is reasonably well known in N America;  his group
> >is known as "The Flecktones" comprising electric keyboard, soprano sax,
> >electric bass, percussion and Bela on banjo.
>
> From the point of view of a washboard player, the percussionist, (known as
> "Futureman") plays his own invention call the "drumitar." It's a
complicated
> MIDI device sort of shaped like a guitar which he can wear with a strap
and
> move about the stage in the manner of a guitar player. The buttons on the
> 'drumitar' are MIDI triggers which key a particular drum kit sound (high
> hat, snare, bass drum, cymbal, etc.). The ax is wired to a bank of
> synthesizers which create the appropriate sound when the proper button is
> triggered.
>
> If you're not familiar with MIDI by now that's a whole 'nother topic.
> Suffice it to say it's simply a technical, electronic method of producing
> music note by note.
>
> Speaking for myself I really love the group. Some of their stuff doesn't
do
> much for me but hey, I'm not necessarily turned on by EVERYTHING done by
the
> bands I've been in. Most of Fleck's music is, to me, FANTASTIC.
>
> Bryan goes on to comment:
>
> >They produce "contemporary
> >jazz" in the manner of The Yellowjackets, Weather Report and John
Scofield;
> >a sort of elavator music... mountains of technique and NO swing!  (You
can
> >marvel at the chops but not be moved by the music).
>
> Now we're getting into subjective areas here. Bryan may not be moved, I
am.
> I don't know how much Bryan digs 'bluegrass' music, but Béla Fleck was
> initially inspired by Flatt and Scruggs bluegrass guitar/banjo stylings
and
> that influence is heavy in the Flecktones music.  Now I absolutely LOVE
> bluegrass and and virtually anything remotely connected to that style of
> string music where the strings are rich with open chords and the banjo
> bubbles merrily over the whole genre. So it probably stands to reason I'd
> dig Fleck and his gang.
>
> I think I'm trying to say that, for me, the music DOES swing (as opposed
to
> Bryans "mountains of technique and NO swing!").
>
> I guess if you're not familiar with "Béla and his Bánjo" you'll just have
to
> listen and see if it does anything for you.
>
> Respectfully submitted,
>
> Bìll Gúnter
> jazzboard@hotmail.com
>
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