Bela Fleck

Bela Fleck's performance last night was a glimpse of the divine, and I doubt this performance stands out from any other of his.

Victor Wooten, one of Bela's Flecktones, is one of the most talented and accomplished bass players of all time. The sounds, energy, and music he can create on the bass is spellbinding. When he performs you are amazed at his talent, the nature of the performance, and how he expresses himself through the instrument. We hear that a lot, that good musicians express themselves through the instrument.

I got a different take on Bela, though. He is so good at playing the banjo, I ought not try to describe it. While others express themselves through their instrument, Bela is his banjo. His banjo is himself. There's no attempt at expression. It is as though they are the same entity. A person cannot not communicate. That link between personhood and communication is like the link between Bela and his banjo.

He has mastered it.

Bela is the most unassuming guy I've ever seen on a rock stage. His jeans and tennis shoes seemed like they may have been bought from Walmart before Walmart tried to be cool. His untucked shirt from a distance seemed like something a man driving his family across the county in an RV might pick up at a truck stop... with something like a "spirit wolf" from Montana screen printing design (3/$10 style).

And then the virtuosity begins. Like I said, he is so good and he has so mastered his realm of ability to create that his creation almost becomes secondary. Whereas most artists and musicians esteem the creation and progress of their art so highly, Bela's surpassing mastery has freed him from even that obligation. And his attention is turned instead to people, mostly the people on stage with him. There was little attention paid to the actual performance and the desire to entertain.

Because Bela was able to execute (dare I say) perfectly, his attention was instead on making sure everyone got his own solos during the jam session the Flecktones had w/ the opening acts. He enjoyed the members of his band and the other musicians on stage with him. Everyone was valued, heard, engaged, and fraternalized.

It says something for practicing a lot.

Brody