Victor Wooten, My Favorite!

[BuffaloBass]

JZ, right on.

The idea of "dissin' " itself is a negative vibe, antithecal to the learning/betterment/great acheivement process.

Dig it Heath.

( Slapped it up like that in a music store in Reading UK, and its like I had a neon sign flashing " YANKEE" above my head. Bet slap bass is a rare commodity down under as well? )

Anyway , keep the faith. Encourage you to listen to EVERYTHING that can potentially better you as a player, always looking for the positive side of the player to hopefully attach to your own ledger over time. Its how we can become

Great, Heath!

Peace.

[heath_the_great]

i know what ya's are saying, but theres no way im saying that im better than anyone, and i do like alot of other people more than vic, its just vics music (mind you its not just him) i just cant get into it, it doesnt make me want to listen to it repeatedly or divulge further, im not saying ive listened to classical thump and then not listened to anything else vic related i have, although i havent heard anything of soul circus yet....im just finding myself listening to other stuff/artists and being more interested in thier music...vic can play, he's got the technique, although its not for me, but sometimes its just what he plays that doesn't interest me

[EADG mx]

Originally Posted by DaemonBass

Make any sense to anyone else?

Well


Maybe if you read the post as a whole, and did not just edit certain parts out.


I am not so impressed with his technical skill than with his creativity, improvisational skills, and just love and dedication for the music. But I am ridiculously impressed with his technical skills.


I am ridiculously impressed with his technical skills. BUT. I am more impressed with his creativity, improvisational skills, and just love and dedication for the music. It's not that complex.

[jzucker]

Originally Posted by EADG mx

Well
It's not that complex.

Unless you try to play it.

[BuffaloBass]

word! He is an octopus.

Well Heath, I can sort of agree. I'm not into the Flecktones stuff as much as Soul Circus, only because I'm wired for blues/funk, not highly technical jazz. I simply don't feel it as much, or often, at all. Appreciate it, yes. Feel it, modestly.I realize that I'm in a very small minority here. ( nothing new there!)

I wish Vic would play nothing but Funk..... Put some good feeling and non-confrontational empowerment back into "Black music" and push the rap ganstas into history.... I can wish, can't I?

Methinks you'd enjoy Soul Circus. I have three Flecks CDs and Soul. Only Soul get splayed much. Tunes like Natives capture the essence of Funk, while Higher Law is more hard rock. Now, he doesnt trip the megatech meter on either ( although the tenor bassline in Natives is a doozy I can't even begin to replicate on a 4 or 5 string ), but I can FEEL those songs; they resonant one of my own natural frequencies. Lyrics help too.

Pipe dreamin', but t6hats the kind of stuff that I wish would get mass appeal, making Vic a mega-wealthy dude and MOSTt importantly, spreading the Gospel of FUNK!

The Funk WILL unite us.

Keep up the Slap Heath!

[heath_the_great]

just one last thing, theres nothing at all wrong with rap/hip hop, although there is some utter rubbish, fiddy cent for example, but im a big fan of the roots, de la soul, a tribe called quest (cmon, they had ron carter on one album), raphael saadiq, gorillaz, jill scott, erykah badu, cypress hill, snoop dogg....even bootsy is a minor playa in the hip hop scene...you just gotta find the right stuff...

i spose ive also gone off jazz bit lately so that isnt helping, ive mainly just been listening to stuff like john mayer, hendrix, john butler and those sorts...but i did pump up some bad plus today...just a bit of a bad experience with the last jazz trio i was in

but if i do get soul circus in the future its got some mighty competition, been listening to rhonda smiths intellipop, its got a few cheesy moments, but its a damn good cd, i just wish she'd sing in a lower register

[jzucker]

Originally Posted by heath_the_great

but if i do get soul circus in the future its got some mighty competition, been listening to rhonda smiths intellipop, its got a few cheesy moments, but its a damn good cd, i just wish she'd sing in a lower register

That makes no sense. Why not compare Soul Circus with Elliot Carter or Stravinsky's pieces?

A work stands on it's own and doesn't need to be judged in relation to other dissimilar works.

Try comparing Rhonda Smith's Intellipop (which is fairly lightweight albeit well executed) pop to Miles Davis Live in Paris with Hancock, Coleman, Carter, Williams...

Or Coltrane's Meditations...

What's the point. Soul Circus is a great record with great playing on it. I don't need to hold it up to Eric Dolphy's works to see if it's any good.

[heath_the_great]

Originally Posted by jzucker

That makes no sense. Why not compare Soul Circus with Elliot Carter or Stravinsky's pieces?

A work stands on it's own and doesn't need to be judged in relation to other dissimilar works.

Try comparing Rhonda Smith's Intellipop (which is fairly lightweight albeit well executed) pop to Miles Davis Live in Paris with Hancock, Coleman, Carter, Williams...

Or Coltrane's Meditations...

What's the point. Soul Circus is a great record with great playing on it. I don't need to hold it up to Eric Dolphy's works to see if it's any good.

i meant that as i enjoy listening to intellipop (lightweight? i wish i could play half as good as she does!) but i havent "enjoyed" listening to anything from vic yet...and in saying that, i dont like to listen to miles davis either...but are you saying that, intellipop being "lightweight" doesnt have great playing on it?...i mean, there MUST be a reason Rhonda and Mike Scott (who plays on most the tracks of intellipop) play for Prince

[jzucker]

Originally Posted by heath_the_great

i meant that as i enjoy listening to intellipop (lightweight? i wish i could play half as good as she does!) but i havent "enjoyed" listening to anything from vic yet...and in saying that, i dont like to listen to miles davis either...but are you saying that, intellipop being "lightweight" doesnt have great playing on it?...i mean, there MUST be a reason Rhonda and Mike Scott (who plays on most the tracks of intellipop) play for Prince

No, I didn't say that. I like Intellipop and have it on my MP3 player rotation. I am able to enjoy a wide variety of music from EmmyLou Harris to Bartok to Miles, Coltrane, Tower of Power and Tribal Tech. I see no reason to compare one to the other.

[heath_the_great]

Originally Posted by jzucker

No, I didn't say that. I like Intellipop and have it on my MP3 player rotation. I am able to enjoy a wide variety of music from EmmyLou Harris to Bartok to Miles, Coltrane, Tower of Power and Tribal Tech. I see no reason to compare one to the other.

i rarely compare albums by stuff like, great playing etc, its all about the moods and feels they create and the basicness of making me want to listen to it again....

i enjoy a wide variety too, led zeppelin, srv, primus, george benson, hendrix, the roots, meshell ndegeochello, erykah badu, chic, green day, the clash, parliament, snoop dogg, sly and the family stone, paul weller, john legend, maroon 5, frank sinatra, jeff beck and i could go on for days..

but as you said, soul circus has great playing on it, but does an album that has great playing make it a great album?..i have a cd - friday night in sanfransisco - al dimeola, john mclaughlan, paco delucia....ive listened to it once, i mean, G3 was cool cos they all took turns, those 3 guys playing at once they're all great artists, truly exceptional at what they do, but jesus, that album is like listening to 30 guitarists playing at once , but then you have an album such as the presidents of the usa, playing 2 and 3 string guitars with some truly excellent (sorry, been watching bill and teds excellent adventure) songs that you can listen to the years to come, even marcus millers album suddenly, thats something that ive never completely listened too

[jeff_bass28]

I like VW's playing, but, I'm sorry, he's not the greatest songwriter! He writes good stuff when it's a group effort (Flecktones), but a lot of his solo stuff is just plain dull. Great bass player, though!

[jzucker]

Originally Posted by jeff_bass28

I like VW's playing, but, I'm sorry, he's not the greatest songwriter! He writes good stuff when it's a group effort (Flecktones), but a lot of his solo stuff is just plain dull. Great bass player, though!

You're right. He's no james taylor...

[T. B. Player]

Originally Posted by jzucker

I guess being an old guy, I was brought up to respect cats who have put in the time to become good. Dissing someone without being on their level is akin to a 16 year old dissing jazz because it doesn't sound like Jessica Simpson.

One thing I've noticed about respect and putting in the time is that when you have put in the time and dedication yourself, you know how much hard work is involved so typically you then don't diss other players.

You guys dissing Jaco, Victor or Bona...When's the last time Weather Report or Pat Metheny called you? When's the last time Gary Willis called you to sub?

'Nuff said.

When I was 17 (almost 30 years ago), I got a call to play with the Temptations (yes, those Temptations) for a fill-in. I didn't because one of the shows for my high school's spring musical was the same night, and our band director promised an "F" to any of us that missed a show. While that doesn't count as call from Metheny or Zawinul, it's a message to those high schoolers...if you're that good, risk the "F", and prove your abilities. ANYONE can put a recording out there now, and I'm sure there are a lot of folks out there that are more advanced than any of the "top rated" bassists with reputation. Check out the contest last year where the program director for the radio station took first place.

Be thankful for the talents that you have been blessed with, do the most you can to become the best you can be, and make someone else's life better with it. Opining accomplishes nothing.

[lakiehelena]

For those of you curious about Victor's book - go to http://www.victorwooten.com/vixboox/ to read a chapter. It's not out yet (Fall 2006), but you can help expedite the printing by preordering your copy.

As a recent Bass Nature Camp Alum I will give you a big hint: This is no ordinary novel...The first chapter was filled with stuff we were taught ... I mean shown...at BNC. This is an important book that is going facilitate a lot of players to go from playing their instrument to playing music.

This is your chance to help Victor spread the Gospel of Groove. Order up!