REVIEW: Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Left of Cool (Warner)
- Lang Whitaker
Bela Fleck and the Flecktones make jazz music for people who don't like jazz music. Fusing together spare parts and leftover bits of funk, jazz, country, bluegrass, pop, and rock, Fleck and his 'tones have been charming serious music fans for years. Unfortunately (for them), they've never been able to garner much mainstream acclaim.
To remedy things, Fleck grabbed his banjo and brought along the Flecktones (who consist of bassist Victor Wooten and drum machine operator Future Man) and went out on tour opening for Dave Matthews Band, even the joining DMB onstage during several shows. Fleck even guests on the latest overblown release from DMB, Before These Crowded Streets.
Banjoist Fleck and bassist Wooten are each preeminent in their fields. On this album they each play like, well, like only they can play. Wooten provides tundras of room for Fleck to rumble across with his cascading banjo work. Behind it all sits Future Man tapping away on his, "drumitar," a drum machine converted into a guitar-like apparatus that essentially allows Future Man (who is actually the brother of Victor) to play a drum machine like some play a drum kit. What is so surprising about the drumitar is Future Man's nimbleness on it. It's virtually impossible to tell that it's being played live, yet it lacks the canned sap of a programmed loop.
The opening track off Left of Cool is, "Throwdown at the Hoedown," a romp built around what sounds like the remnants of the Inspector Gadget theme. Fleck calls on Dave Matthews to contribute the vocal equivalent of loitering on, "Communication," and on, "Trouble and Strife." The latter is possibly the best opportunity for Bela and the 'tones to break through to radio, not only because of Matthews' golden touch, but also because it holds the same innate sense of melody that the most Fleck songs have. Amy Grant also turns up to bolster Royel on, "Step Quiet."
Even on the heels of a Grammy win in 1997 (best pop performance for, "The Sinister Minister"), Fleck isn't afraid to tinker with a winning formula. Such is the genius of the master.
For the first time, vocals play a major part in the Flecktone recipe. The idiosyncratic Future Man sings or speaks on eight of the fifteen tracks, although he is listed as vocalist under the pseudonym, "Royel." While his singing doesn't measure up to his vocal prowess, neither does he embarrass himself. To aid, "Royel," guest vocalists are entailed. There is also a new Flecktone in the mix, Jeff Coffin, who plays saxophone, saxello, clarinet, and flute. While the Flecktones were initially a 4-piece band, their original keyboardist/harmonica player left the band in 1992, and the band soldiered on as a three piece. Coffin's playing adds a life and sparkle to the band's sound, which was tight yet a tiny bit monotonous as a trio.
Unfortunately, there are those that feel a band's musical credibility is predicated upon their commercial success. And George Michael isn't gay, he's just well kept. As long as musicians the caliber of Fleck and the Wooten brothers continue meeting up in recording studios, I'll be happy.
