Bela Fleck and The Flecktones

I think that Bela Fleck and the Flecktones should be added to the site. Their merging of of jazz, bluegrass, rock, and countless other genres, and their constantly changing time signatures should definitly give them a place here on this site, perhaps under 'eclectic prog'.

Salviaal wrote: I really liked the triple cd "Little Worlds" when it came out, but I don't remember hearing a lot of rock on it. It was a mixture of jazz, bluegrass and funk. Their addition might open up the floodgates to other progressive bluegrass artists.

exactly.. as great they may be, they are not rock at all..

I think I suggested them in the past but that was back when I first joined.

I have some of their albums and the excellent 'Live at the Quick' DVD. I have seen the basic band live including the incredible VW. I have described them to friends as a band of musical freaks . I don't mean this in a derogatory sense, but in the sense that each has 'freakish' abilities on their respective instruments.

It is wrong to call their music ' bluegrass' although some tunes are certainly influenced by it and Bela may have roots there. However, his modified banjos and the sound produced often compares to a Pat Metheny guitar sound quality imo.

Also, to suggest that admitting them would open up doors for other progressive bluegrass artists is not so valid when the body of music they play crosses so many wide and varied genres .

They are 'progressive' in every respect, from their musical compositions, the extraordinarily eclectic combination of instruments , the innovative character of those instruments and their manner of playing them and their readiness to challenge the listener by the introduction of various guests , as on the DVD , where all manner of additional woodwinds are featured including the wonderful Paul McCandless and others. [ How many bands feature a solo on electric wah-wah bassoon]. The Indian, West Indian/Jamaican influences and the introduction of the Tibetan throat singer just add to the textures.

Not progressive enough ? ? I don't know what planet you're on if that were your opinion.

I agree. We're all for expanding people's minds, right?

Dick Heath wrote: I don't have any problem with them being in jazz rock fusion - so arguements against them being in that category please.

They almost need their own category like jazz rock bluegrass fusion.  Although just because there's a banjo doesn't make it bluegrass and probably many bluegrass enthusiasts would take exception to them being labeled so.  I get into bluegrassy things but not pure bluegrass so much, (many relatives from Kentucky including my parents. )

Speaking of bluegrassy, the Dixie Dregs are already here, so the floodgates have been breached.

I have a bunch of their stuff and can't really argue against their inclusion there. 

By the way, anyone heard Bela doing classical pieces - the Perpetual Motion album? Very interesting.


Edited by Slartibartfast - December 04 2007 at 07:58

Dick Heath wrote: I don't have any problem with them being in jazz rock fusion - so arguements against them being in that category please.