[Dixielandjazz] Electric (Electronic) Washboard

[Bill Gunter]

Hi all,

Future Man doesn't play an "electic washboard," he plays an electronic 
percussion set. You can find them in drum departments of large music stores 
or online. They're made by Roland, Yamaha, and several other companies.

They usually are set up like a regular drum kit but instead of actual drums, 
cymbals, etc. one just has small disks which one strikes with the 
drumsticks, hands, ball peen hammers, whatever  . . .

It looks to me like Future Man just built all those disks into a guitar like 
contraption which he can hang over his shoulder and stand up there like Bela 
and honk away.

The first time I ever saw him was when they were warming up and doing a mic 
check for a concert they were giving later in the evening. It was at an 
outdoor venue near Medford, Oregon and people were free to wander around the 
grounds.

Anyway, I wasn't aware of who these guys were at the moment but I saw a huge 
drum kit set up on the band stand and I kept hearing drumrolls, cymbal 
crashes and tom toms just sort of noodling around like drummers do when 
they're warming up.  Only there was nobody sitting at the drum kit which was 
quite puzzling until I figured out it was that guy in the funny hat with the 
weird ax slung over his shoulder that was producing all those extremely 
realistic drum sounds.

It truly didn't sound like a novelty electric toy - it sounded like a real 
drum kit. But then, after all, these electronic devices produce sounds that 
are derived from samples of the real sounds.

Bela himself plays some electronic banjos with built in MIDI devices which 
enable his banjo to sound like anything from a bassoon to a piccolo.

I don't mean to detract from the music Fleck makes . . . matter of fact, 
he's one of my favorite musicians!

Respectfully submitted,

Bill Gunter
jazzboard at hotmail.com


>From: "mmckay" <macjazz at se.rr.com>
>Reply-To: macjazz at se.rr.com
>To: "'Mike Woitowicz'" <banjomusic at charter.net>
>CC: Dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com
>Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Electric (Electronic) Washboard
>Date: Mon, 13 Nov 2006 11:00:40 -0500
>
>  Future man played here in St. Augustine Thursday and was very well
>received.  He was with a sax player whose main attraction seemed to be the
>ability to play two saxes at once and I didn't bother to go.  (I was pretty
>sure it wasn't MyKOM, let along OKOM!) I have heard Future man play with
>Fleck (last year when Fleck was playing) and he does add an interesting
>modern mix but I agree with Mike that it is basically an electronic
>washboard and contributes more in terms of effect than in terms of music.
>
>Mart
>
>Martin D. McKay (Designated (in this case, non-)listener).
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: dixielandjazz-bounces at ml.islandnet.com
>[mailto:dixielandjazz-bounces at ml.islandnet.com] On Behalf Of Mike Woitowicz
>Sent: Monday, November 13, 2006 10:51 AM
>To: Dixieland Jazz
>Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Electric (Electronic) Washboard
>
>Jerry Gordon wrote (in part):
>
>"Hey! has any body developed an electric washboard Yet ?? "
>
>The answer is "Yes." The rhythm player with Bela Fleck and the Flecktones
>(known as "Future Man") uses an electronic washboard.  It's wired up with
>synthesized percussion sounds to provide rhythmic background to the banjo,
>string bass and reeds in Fleck's band.
>
>Personally, it's a bit much for me. My own opinion is that a regular 
>drummer
>would add a lot more to the mix, and would be less intrusive. On the other
>hand, Future Man is the Bass Player's (Victor Wooten) brother, so they're
>keeping the family gainfully employed.
>
>With regard to the tongue in cheek comments about "Washboard Artists", one
>only has to see and hear washboardists such as Ralf (sp?) Reynolds with the
>Rhythm Rascals, or Don Sheske with my band, the Dixie Barons Dixieland 
>Band.
>Both are virtuosos on the "instrument", providing background color as well
>as solid rhythm. Listen to "Coney Island Washboard" in the Dixie Barons
>section on my website and you'll see what I mean. Listmate and drummer Bill
>Sargent also plays outstanding washboard. I talked Bill into putting a
>washboard setup together a few years ago, and whenever I can, I use him in
>my group. The man provides terrific rhythm, colorful fill and outstanding
>endings.
>
>There are probably numerous other washboard "artists" in the USA and 
>abroad.
>Rolf Seidal of the Norwegian band "Louisiana Washboard Five" plays a very
>"tasty" style on the 2 CD's this group has published. I'm sure there are
>many, many more.
>
>
>Mike Woitowicz
>Banjo Player
>Occasional Washboardist
>The Banjo Barons Ragtime Band
>The Dixie Barons Dixieland Band
>www.banjomusic.biz
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