yeah, okay... that was impressive.

but what is it with these jazzbos and their lush, deep reverb?

What'd he say? What'd he say? My name is Victor. Uh!

Vic is the man. I discovered him through Bela Fleck and his album/dvd "Live at the Quick." Here's a few of my favorites :

Amazing Grace (new window)

Scratch and Sniff (new window)

Earth Jam (new window)

/not subby.
//but thanks subby.

His brother, Future Man, is amazing in his own right:

Most awesome "drum" solo I've ever seen. (new window)

Saw him with Stanley Clarke and Marcus Miller on their "Thunder Tour" last month. Epic bass.

Impressive

I love those tree trunks he calls fingers.

For the longest time I didn't know who Victor Wooten was, but if you have around in Rush discussion groups, his name will come up . . . repeatedly.

So I'm at the House of Blues in Las Vegas watching Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, and I'm thinking . . . ya know, if all those assholes who think Victor Wooten is so great would see this guy, they'd shut the hell up.



/ Béla: let me introduce the band . . .

Check out Michael Manring. He might be New Age or fusion, but he is excellent.

Meh. It's too technical, no feeling. Typical Vic.

I think Reminiscence is probably the song that I think that Vic really expresses something.

I have to say, the Flecktones suck ass. It's the tamest, cheesiest weather channel crap I've ever heard.

Bela Flecks solo stuff... now that's the shiat. You can really hear the Scruggs.

Seriously, Wooten lives on another planet when it comes to the bass. Another planet is far off galaxy where the bass is purely a melodic instrument.

It's like he does to the bass what Bjork does the voice.

Bears all the hallmarks of every guitarist/bassist virtuoso: too much snapping, slapping, plucking, tapping and harmonic wanking. The melody of the song was lost about 30 seconds in when it turned into all that technical finger popping wankery.

Impressive, no doubt, but leaves no doubt as to the reasons why nobody can name any memorable songs written and performed by Vic Wooten, Steve Vai, etc.

thanks but no thanks. ive seen vic. it's a barrage of notes that can be called a song if you can call spilled paint a mona lisa.

thoughtcancer: Seriously, Wooten lives on another planet when it comes to the bass. Another planet is far off galaxy where the bass is purely a melodic instrument.

It's like he does to the bass what Bjork does the voice.

And for the record, he did that on a a 4 string bass.

I'm a fan of Vic Wooten but I always end up thinking the same thing with the guitar and bass fretboard tappers - go play a Chapman Stick.

Saw the Flecktones live years and years ago, about the time that Live at the Quick DVD came out. Victor Wooten is something special.

...and, he ruined it.
completely, totally destroyed it.
yes, it's amazing.
yes, it's incredibly technical and upbeat.
but then, that's exactly what "Norwegian Wood" wasn't.
It wasn't technical, it wasn't upbeat, it wasn't complicated.
it was slow, simple, organic and heartfelt.
and perfect the way it was.
Jesus, Vic...please stop this. this is not the first song you've "perfected."
Being a great bassist, or musician in general, is not about playing the most notes, the fastest notes, or the most disparate notes. it's about playing the RIGHT notes, at the RIGHT time.

I saw Victor in a small club, like maybe big enough to hold 25 people, a few years before he joined up w/Bela Fleck. It was obvious that he was destined for greatness.

Aladár Pege was an amazing bass player. Check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5na-QEf7moM for a bass solo that
might just blow Victor Wooten away.