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Conference napalm::guitar

Title:GUITARnotes - Where Every Note has Emotion
Notice:Discussion of the finer stringed instruments
Moderator:KDX200::COOPER
Created:Thu Aug 14 1986
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:3280
Total number of notes:61432

3180.0. "Victor Wooten" by DREGS::BLICKSTEIN (General MIDI) Sat Feb 24 1996 20:22

    It's time Vic Wooten got his own note in here.  It's well past time
    he got his own note in here.
    
    Victor Wooten, the bass player for "Bela Fleck and the Flecktones"
    just released his first solo album "A Show of Hands".
    
    Folks, this album is amazing.   I never ever imagined that I could
    ever listen to an album composed entirely of bass guitar solos
    over-and-over again, but this album has caught me by the ear
    and won't let go.
    
    Anyone with a remote interest in the possibilities of the bass guitar
    NEEDS to check out this album.   The guy is just totally amazing on
    the bass, and yet the real story here is the artistry and musicality of
    the album, not the amazing bass techniques.   This guy is the total
    musical package.
    
    Of course the bass technique is mind-blowing.   Something I wouldn't
    have thought possible.  And its not just speed, it's also "control".
    The guy squeezes amazing expression out of the bass, almost like
    a Jeff Beck on guitar.
    
    And its pretty much ALL bass playing - no drums, no keys, no guitar,
    no banjos, just an occasional scat vocal.
    
    This album gets *****
    
    	db
    
    p.s. Remember this - you can't hold no groove, if you ain't got no
         pocket
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
3180.1great bass? count me up!RICKS::CALCAGNIrandom acts of beautiful chaosMon Feb 26 1996 08:172
    Sounds good, will have to give this one a listen
    
3180.2SSDEVO::DESKORick in Storage - DTN 522-3905Mon Feb 26 1996 11:394
    I've seen Victor live a number of times and all I can say is
    "he's not human."
    
    Rick
3180.3He also sweats alot.TMAWKO::BELLAMYI don't wanna pickle ...Tue Feb 27 1996 06:289
    Victor also has an instructional video that's been out for some time.
    He makes what he does look so easy, such as the example where he uses
    his thumb to pluck a string both on the down stroke and on the up
    stroke (kind of like the way Geddy Lee uses his fore finger as a pick).
    I have never been able to get any control out of my thumb ... I'm 
    stricktly a finger plucker kind of guy. He is amazing! I will hunt this
    solo album down at the first opportunity.
    
    Theo
3180.4BSS::HALLTue Feb 27 1996 17:051
    Is Victor any kin to Gene Wooten, dobrologist?
3180.5?CSLALL::ONEILLWed Feb 28 1996 10:163
    In what section of the music dept. would I find this recording
    
                                                      Jim
3180.6GANTRY::ALLBERYJimThu Feb 29 1996 10:229
    re: Gene Wooton
    
    I doubt it, but his brother Roy (a.k.a. "Futureman") is the
    percussionist for the Flecktones.
    
    re: Where to find it
    
    I'd look in jazz, but it's hard to say  (I've seen the Flecktones' 
    stuff in both jazz and bluegrass/acoustic). 
3180.7Look in "E" for "Eclectic"DREGS::BLICKSTEINGeneral MIDITue Mar 05 1996 14:1415
    re: Where to find it
    
    Because of his association with the Flecktones, and because the
    Flecktones (like the Dregs) tend to defy "categorization" you 
    might want to look in country, bluegrass and/or jazz.  You also
    are probably more likely to find it under either "Bela Fleck" or
    "Bela Fleck & the Flecktones" than under Victor Wooten.
    
    Usually they're in the "Country" bins because of the long association
    Fleck has with Bluegrass music.  This despite the fact that they
    really don't sound very "bluegrassy" to me other than the fact
    that they have a banjo (which often doesn't sound much like an
    acoustic banjo).
    
    	db
3180.8OCTAVE::VIGNEAULTMinister of chilesWed Mar 06 1996 05:104
    
    http://cdnow.com/ has this on CD for $13.96, or cassette for $9.78.
    
     Lv
3180.9That's where I got my copyDREGS::BLICKSTEINGeneral MIDIWed Mar 06 1996 07:366
    Yes, I got mine from CDNOW.  I don't think I've seen it in a store
    yet.
    
    Amazingly, my copy arrived on my door the day it was released.
    
    	db
3180.10GANTRY::ALLBERYJimWed Mar 06 1996 07:4521
    >    Usually they're in the "Country" bins because of the long association
    >    Fleck has with Bluegrass music.  This despite the fact that they
    >    really don't sound very "bluegrassy" to me...
     
    The same is true of much of David Grisman's work and some of Tony
    Rice's as well.  They most commonly show up in the folk/bluegrass
    section for the same reasons as Fleck/Flecktones, but I've seen Grisman
    under jazz as well.
    
    I was somewhat impressed that my local Best Buy had Bela Fleck under
    *both* bluegrass and jazz, and had done a reasonable job of assigning
    the titles (e.g., Flecktones and "Tales from an Acoustic Planet" under
    jazz, "Drive" under Bluegrass)-- at least as reasonable as you could do
    with the electic Mr. Fleck.
    
    Speaking of Fleck's "Tales from an Acoustic Planet,"  this is another
    place to hear some great (non-solo) bass playing.  About half of the
    cuts feature the incredible Victor Wooten and the other half feature
    the equally incredible upright bassist Edgar Meyer.  
    
    jim
3180.11pass the A-1RICKS::CALCAGNIjust back'in over the catsWed Apr 24 1996 09:357
    Well, after picking up "Show of Hands" yesterday (Tower Records, in the
    jazz section) I may have to eat some of my words from the Guitar Show
    note re slap bass.  Victor clearly has taken this technique into the
    90's and beyond.  A stunning disc.
    
    /rick
    
3180.12I'm getting Tommy Lee and Pamela to sing on my solo recordRICKS::CALCAGNIjust back'in over the catsWed Apr 24 1996 11:5312
    Something that db didn't mention (or at least didn't make obvious)
    in the bass note; the solo bass playing on this disc is performed with
    NO OVERDUBS!  Just Victor and a 4-string Fodera or his piccolo bass.
    Keep telling yourself that while listening to what often sounds like
    two or three interlocking lines, each of them alone a mind-blower.
    
    A cool inside sorta joke is having Will Lee provide vocals on the first
    cut.  Although known as a hot studio bassist, Will has probably done as
    many sessions as a vocalist as he has on bass.
    
    /rick
    
3180.13poseursASABET::DCLARKmovin' to Montana soonWed Apr 24 1996 12:062
    what's with these guys playing piccolo bass? Why don't they just
    play guitar with their thumb?
3180.14RICKS::CALCAGNIjust back'in over the catsFri Apr 26 1996 10:029
    Been listening steadily to "Show of Hands" for a couple of days now.
    The highlight for me may be the track "Justice".  I would recommend
    this for anyone who doesn't "get" rap (I include myself in that group)
    or argues that it's not really music.  It's sort of a halfway step into
    that world.  Listening to this cut, for me, clearly shows the power and
    potential of that style.  An ear-opener.
    
    /rick
    
3180.15DREGS::BLICKSTEINThe moment is a masterpieceFri Apr 26 1996 17:307
    My favorite is definitely the first track...  
    
    But almost EVERY other track was in contention for "favorite" and
    you may hear a different pick from me from week to week, but that
    one tends to be my favorite.
    
    	db
3180.16love dat someday my prince will comeCRONIC::PCUMMINGSMinority RulesSun Jul 21 1996 11:016
    This is a beautiful album.  Wooten really has a lush harmonic sense...
    something not associated with alot of bass players!  It really holds
    me.  Incredibly musical!
    
    paul