Live at the Quick [Live]

Live at the Quick [Live]

ASIN: B00005YVQ9

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Béla Fleck's music is a three-ring circus of stylistic outreach, rooted in folk musics from around the globe, yet tethered to an American improviser's sensibility. Here, the composer and banjo virtuoso is captured in full flight at a concert venue with his core band of collaborators, the Flecktones, featuring multi-reedman Jeff Coffin and the charismatic Wooten Brothers, bassist Victor and percussionist Roy (better known as Futureman). The emotional and technical range the Flecktones routinely explore is showcased in a series of adventurous solo spots: Futureman's sampled percussion and evocations of African vocal traditions on "Ovombo Summit"; Victor's rapid-fire percussive techniques and masterful use of harmonics in a moving improv based on "Amazing Grace"; and Béla's crystalline adaptation of the prelude from Bach's Violin Partita No. 3. Better yet, Fleck augments his presentation with a Justice League of America-styled cabal of master musicians, who, like himself, push the envelope on instruments all too infrequently represented in jazz. Thus, we experience Andy Narell's lithe, sparkling steel drum harmonies on the Americana-inflected pathways of Béla's "Big Country" and on his gorgeous solo turn, "Interlude"; Paul McCandless's airborne, lyric oboe on the reggae changes of "Lover's Leap"; the funky facility of Paul Hanson on "Scratch and Sniff" (as he transforms his bassoon with wah-wah effects until it suggests a synthesizer); and the uncanny emotional impact of Tuvan throat singer Kongar-ol Ondar, who trumps any synth player you've ever heard through his use of multiphonics in the Mongolian vocal tradition. --Chip Stern

Tracks:

Earth Jam
That Old Thing (Intro)
That Old Thing (Intro)/Earth Jam
Zona Mona
Ovombo Summit
Hall Of Mirrors
Scratch & Sniff
Amazing Grace
Improv
Improv/Amazing Grace
Big Country
Interlude
Lover's Leap
Alash Khem (Alash River Song)
A Moment So Close
Improv
Improv/Prelude from Bach violin partita #3
Prelude from Partita No. 3 for Solo Violin (BWV 1006)
Intro
Hoedown

Amazon.com

Béla Fleck's music is a three-ring circus of stylistic outreach, rooted in folk musics from around the globe, yet tethered to an American improviser's sensibility. Here, the composer and banjo virtuoso is captured in full flight at a concert venue with his core band of collaborators, the Flecktones, featuring multi-reedman Jeff Coffin and the charismatic Wooten Brothers, bassist Victor and percussionist Roy (better known as Futureman). The emotional and technical range the Flecktones routinely explore is showcased in a series of adventurous solo spots: Futureman's sampled percussion and evocations of African vocal traditions on "Ovombo Summit"; Victor's rapid-fire percussive techniques and masterful use of harmonics in a moving improv based on "Amazing Grace"; and Béla's crystalline adaptation of the prelude from Bach's Violin Partita No. 3. Better yet, Fleck augments his presentation with a Justice League of America-styled cabal of master musicians, who, like himself, push the envelope on instruments all too infrequently represented in jazz. Thus, we experience Andy Narell's lithe, sparkling steel drum harmonies on the Americana-inflected pathways of Béla's "Big Country" and on his gorgeous solo turn, "Interlude"; Paul McCandless's airborne, lyric oboe on the reggae changes of "Lover's Leap"; the funky facility of Paul Hanson on "Scratch and Sniff" (as he transforms his bassoon with wah-wah effects until it suggests a synthesizer); and the uncanny emotional impact of Tuvan throat singer Kongar-ol Ondar, who trumps any synth player you've ever heard through his use of multiphonics in the Mongolian vocal tradition. --Chip Stern

Customer Reviews:

Everything they do is phenomenal!! .......2004-10-12

The Flecktones are unique. There is no other way to describe them. Just look through all the reviews of their albums. Live Art. Live at the Quick. Left of Cool. UFO TOFU. Outbound. Little Worlds. Just look at any of these albums and reviews and you'll realize they're always 5 stars. There is a reason. These guys are not only technically fantastic. They are original, inventive, beautiful, fascinating...and you'll find yourself humming the tunes over and over again and playing them constantly in your car. Big Country, Blu-Bop, Sherpa, Puffy...all of us Flecktone-heads can tell you all the tunes but this isn't slickly produced fluff for the mass market. It's difficult,complicated, engaging, interesting stuff. It attracts followers who stick like glue. I've gone to a couple of concerts since discovering him and they are just like the albums. Incredible. Fun. Worth every penny. His music is sort of like classical music for the jazz set. Fleck can improvise and make music with the best of them and attracts Chick Corea, Branford, Hornsby, Derek Trucks, Edgar Meyer, Even Josh Bell and John Williams (the guitarist, not the conductor although he probably has a gig with the Boston Pops in his future if he wants it. He goes way out with Indian, African, Chinese, it must be a hoot to tour with them because they are always trying new stuff and making music from the most unlikely sources.

One final note. Get the DVD Live at the Quick watch it and after you are blown away, loan it to all your friends. I gave it to my brother as a Christmas present last year and found it that it has been passed around his kids school, even the choir director at the school has picked up on it and is doing numbers with Tuvan throat singing!! you have to get the DVD to see what I mean. Every bass player has probably worn it out trying to figure out how Victor does all that weird stuff.

Get this CD and DVD and become a Flecktone fan if you want to see and hear great music by an original. Now read the rest of those 5 star reviews.

Improvisation at its Best.......2004-08-26

`Live at the Quick' is a snapshot taken of a band with all pistons firing. While most people wouldn't necessarily think of a banjo as an explosive instrument, Bela Fleck makes it so. Of course, he can also make it sound so delicate that you think it might just collapse in his hands. The same can be said for the virtuoso bass playing of Victor Wooten, quite possibly the most gifted musician I have ever heard play live (Fleck is another contender). This is a terrific addition to any music collection, particularly if you are interested in improvisation and modern variations on traditional music.

Amazing Talented Musicians Here People.......2004-02-27

You absolutely must get this CD. It is incredible, the musicians are so talented and the music flows greatly with a very weird sound that is cool if you are into Bela, check it out fans, 5 STARS!

response to 'a music fan' in regards to Live At the Quick.......2003-12-15

OK, 'a music fan', what would you suggest would make this album better? This is the first time in over 20 years I've ever publicly ranted about music, but I'm compelled to do so now. I see that you have some good taste in music, so what is it about this album that you find unpleasing? The musicians on this album are some of the best on their instruments in the world, if not the best, and boy, if you could do better, let's hear it. You're welcome to reply, but let's remember to keep it polite.

Better than the studio "outbound", which has same songs.......2003-10-25

Bela Fleck and the Flecktones have a "big band" concert which rehashes many of the songs on the "Outbound" studio CD. The live disc, I feel, works better because it has more spirit. Even though there are a lot of guests with different styles, it all works together fine because the guests, frankly, aren't prominent in the mix. You have to listen closely. One notable exception is Ondar's exceptional Tuvan throat singing on "Alash Khem", which he does solo. If you're deciding between "Outbound" and this one, pick this one. If you already have "Outbound", your decision will hang on just how much you like the Flecktones!