Tonight on Canada Live, a quartet of musical mavericks continue to chart their own course. Bela Fleck, arguably the world's most famous, eclectic and versatile banjoist, leads a group of musicians who unapologetically go where their muse leads them. You can't call it jazz, country, rock, pop, or fusion - each of those terms falls short in some way.
The Flecktones' music is, as Duke Ellington used to say, "beyond category". They create extended works of music, showcasing the extraordinary individual talents of the members, that take the listener on a musical flight of fancy. What else would you expect from a group whose instrumentation is banjo, piano, harmonica, bass, and a wearable drum machine?
Victor Wooten, Futureman and Howard Levy aren't merely Bela Fleck's sidemen: they are musical innovators in their own right. While the band might ride Bela Fleck's fame, it's truly the ensemble that gives this band its appeal.
We recorded them at the Saskatchewan Jazz Fest. Listen to Bela Fleck and hte Flecktones on Concerts on Demand, or tune in to Canada Live tonight at 7 PM (7:30 in Newfoundland), and enjoy the ride.
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