Bela Fleck addition?

yea i think it's time they're in

2 thumbs way up from me.

Edited by Tapfret - September 02 2008 at 23:02

I looked around but could not find any evolution photos. Let's just say, when I saw them live in 1994 it looked much cleaner. The band photo on the back of their 1990 debut album shows him with it relatively unmolested.(i'd scan it if my scanner were operational). Apparently he bought the thing from Lee Ritenour. 

p0mt3 wrote: Oooh, ELEVEN Yays so far and only two Nays. Looks like the majority of the participating considers Bela a worthy addition here after all. Very interesting. lol, for some reason, I thought the results were going to be quite the opposite.

Still, only 13 votes so far.  I suspect the reason for the results not being opposite is a lot of people here simply haven't heard anything.  I would like to think that after checking out a few choice cuts they'd be with us, though.

In my view, you cannot get much more progressive than BELA FLECK AND THE FLECKTONES [ please let's not forget them by name ].

I had the pleasure of seeing them live in Sydney a few years ago and for anyone who hasn't seen them but who's interested, please get yourselves the " Live at the Quick " DVD. These people are musical freaks, and I mean that in the nicest possible way . The DVD is an unrivalled listening and viewing experience in 5.1 . From the Rahsan Roland Kirk style sax playing of Jeff Coffin, to the unconventional groove of 'Futureman'. Then , well Victor Wooten - his 'Amazing Grace' is just something else - incomparable for any student of electric bass playing and then, at the least, Bela oozes Pat Metheny type sounds and styles from a banjo adaptation . Sure he can play in the 'bluegrass' vein, but when he does it is truly bent, imo.

Sure, there's a lot of improvisation in their music , but man, is it clever or what?

Sorry guys n gals, how any band that features electric wah-wah bassoon solos could be described as anything else but progressive, on top of all the rest, in all their fusion elements, beats me ...........and that's even before we talk about the Tibetan throat singer who makes sounds in 3 octaves at once.

Get that DVD and you'll be left with no doubts as to whether they belong or not.

I voted yes early on, and support the addition. They've been suggested so many times (just for reference purposes):

Suggest New Bands and Artists
	Bela Fleck addition? By p0mt3, August 26 2008 at 00:57 12	30	271	By Desoc Yesterday at 15:39
	Bela Fleck and The Flecktones By Gentle Tull, September 20 2007 at 16:45	12	128	By GoldenSpiral December 04 2007 at 08:29
	Bela fleck and the flecktones By Carl floyd fan, August 27 2005 at 16:04	3	62	By Carl floyd fan September 02 2005 at 02:55
	bela fleck & the flecktones By Guests, April 28 2005 at 09:41	6	147	By Guests June 13 2005 at 20:39
	bela fleck and the flecktones By hope, May 27 2005 at 16:30	2	82	By pakish June 11 2005 at 12:38

I'm looking through for the arguments against.  As Dick Heath said in 2007, he didn't have any problem with them in Jazz-Rock Fusion (but was interested in the arguments against it).  I couldn't find it listed at ratingfreak.com (where we keep our prog charts, so I don't know what's happening with this).

p0mt3 -- did you bring it up in the JRFT thread?  I know they're very busy with various matters (and have a great deal to evaluate).

p0mt3 wrote: Logan wrote: p0mt3 -- did you bring it up in the JRFT thread?  I know they're very busy with various matters (and have a great deal to evaluate).   I have not. This poll was more or less for my own curiosity, and I figured that if the poll results ended up remaining in Fleck's favor after the majority's vote, it would be enough to validate a direct suggestion to the JR team.   However, the poll numbers are climbing much slower than I thought they would. I'm not sure if only fourteen total votes are enough to make a good case. If you think tyhe JR guys would honestly consider this seriousely, though, maybe we should directly approach them . . .

Good thinking.  It certainly helps in making a case for the addition -- especially for one that's been on the table for so long.  Of course they'd need sufficient music samples available for evaluation.  The suggested music first and foremost has to speak for itself to the team.  If someone provided them with appropriate music samples, and offered to write the bio, they might give this a higher priority.  The poll is very clearly in favour of the addition, and sufficient. Arguments help, but availability to music samples (and maybe some links to info that show its relation) is most important.


Edited by Logan - October 03 2008 at 18:45

Sounds good.

Gratuitous Chapman quote: "I can't talk to a man who bears an undeserved animosity towards ferrets.”