open letter to Victor Wooten

[lucas vigor]

Victor, I don't know if you will read this, but I felt moved to ask you WHY?

Why is your album filled with vocals?

Let me explain.

The other day, I was having a bass jones day. I had been listening to "in the pocket" bass players for a while, and needed a bit of your virtuosity. I wanted something that would blow me away, and just buying a CD for the songwriting was not what I really wanted. See, you are like a bass God to me (and I am sure to many others) in fact, you are arguably the best bass player alive today. I get a sense that you are a spiritual person, and a non-ego type guy, despite the fact that you are the best of the best. Therefore, I doubt you will take offense at what I have to say.

There are many in the pocket bassists, who groove well, and play simple and tasteful stuff...James Jamerson, Duck Dunn, Pino Palladino and many others. Bass players who don't ever feel the need to show off or blow people away with anything other then good tastiing bass licks that service the song, not the other way around. But you Victor, have a special gift! Your bass playing is something I could listen to just by itself. Of course, you cause jaws to drop, and bass players to just quit (in shame and complete jealousy) so why why why would you ever make a bass album that has very few solos, and is mostly vocals?

I had read an article where you said the next album you did would be more for the bass player fans, and would showcase your virtuosity, rather then your previous albums which by your own admission, miminized your skills in service of the song.

This album is not it, my Brother! I hope I am not pissing you off by saying that there are enough lite gospel 6 string players out there these days. Sure, they are all good, but you are better then good. I was seriously hoping for an all-intrumental album that showcases your gorgeous tone, immaculate grooves and intricate style. Oh sure, there is one song "natives" which would be a great song no matter who played it, but most of your album seems designed to say "I am a total musician, and not just a bass player".

Victor, I already have several Sting albums. What I was hoping for was something else. Something where the bass finally takes the forefront, and does not hide itself.

I am begging you to please, please, please make your next album a vocal-free album, with more fusion, maybe even some bop, and bass pyrotechinics!

Until then, I will be listening to Marcus Miller's new album, "silver rain" which right from the first track, establishes him as a bass player.

When I think of you Victor, I think of the king of modern funk bass. I don't think of you as a pop star, or a rapper, or anything other then the king of bass. Long live the king!

I thank you for your consideration, and I know you put a lot of work into that album. This is all just my opinion, of course, and if anyone wants add anything....please do!

[lucas vigor]

Why? because I wanted to hear bass solos rather then rapping from the world's greatest bass player?

That makes me an idiot?

Should I expect some ripping, virtuoso french horn playing from the next Dr. Dre album?

Or would that also make me an idiot?

[Dr. Cheese]

I can understand why Lucas wanted an album of showstopping bass and I understand why Victor Wooten did a pop album. Listeners who listen to what they want and musicians should record what they want. Lucas answered his own question when he said he put on Marcus Miller's new CD, check out the folks that give you what you want Lucas. Victor has recorded super chops heavy stuff in the past and I'm sure he will again. He just didn't do it this time, and the person he needs to please first and foremost is himself.

[lucas vigor]

Dr., Can you tell me which album I should buy from him? I found one, but it appeared that only half the album was instrumental, the other half vocals...what I was looking for was like what I have seen in the bass videos....just out and out jamming!

[superbassman2000]

vitcor also said that he was making a cd that he wanted to make. is he wrong for doing that? i see what you are saying, but victor should be able to do whatever he wants, since i do believe he is already established as a world-class bassist.

[courderoy guy]

Ya know - different musician, same kind of story. I really like Leo Kottke, having seen him play a number of times, and wanted to get a few CD's of his that showcase what I think is his exceptional guitar style (great driving music, by the way). So I went a bought a CD....not much guitar, full of kinda jonny cash-style vocals that didn't work for me. Figured it was a fluke and got another - same thing. Finally, he released an album called "guitar-no vocals" and my jones was met. Not that he's got a bad voice, but I really just wanted to hear the instrument and not a singer.

[page]

Originally Posted by lucas vigor

Should I expect some ripping, virtuoso french horn playing from the next Dr. Dre album?

Or would that also make me an idiot?

Unfortunately ........yes.

[lucas vigor]

Yep, that was my point!

I was also let down recently when I was having an upright rockabilly bass jones, and found a Gene Vincent album that had all his hits...REDONE WITH SLAB BASS!!!! I did not know it, because the album cover had an upright on it.

(All my non-upright basses are Fender flat wound P's or J's..so I am not prejudiced he he!)

superbass, no, I don't believe he was wrong to make the album..I would just hope in the future, he would focus on bass. I love his playing on the Bela Fleck albums, but I really don't like too much new-grass music... really wanted something more like Jaco's debut album, or what Marcus Miller just did...

It's just a let down..there are tantalizing glimpses of what he can do, and I love the acoustic bass guitar, the sitar bass..and others....I think the album had potetial, of course...but a cell phone song? Really?

[page]

You sound like a Wooten stalker. I personally dont like Wooten and hate his music.

[Matt Till]

I'm hoping the reply is a big photo of Vic flipping you the bird and a big "YOU CAN'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO!"

[msquared]

Originally Posted by lucas vigor

Should I expect some ripping, virtuoso french horn playing from the next Dr. Dre album?

Dr Dre has been studying music theory and classical music for a while now, and even did a song with Burt Bacharach a while back. You probably won't hear french horns on a rap album anytime soon, but even Dr Dre can grow as a composer.

Originally Posted by fretlessrock

Your post probably belongs on a different TB = TigerBeat.

Awesome.

[Fuzzbass]

Victor Wooten has some nerve. So does Bill Shatner for playing any role besides Captain Kirk. In the words of my spiritual mentor, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson: "Know your role and shut your mouth!"

[jerry]

Man!.....I don't know what C.D. you bought, but I hear a lot of very hip bassplaying on Soul Circus

[cgworkman]

Originally Posted by lucas vigor

Victor, I don't know if you will read this, but I felt moved to ask you WHY?

Why is your album filled with vocals?

Let me explain.

The other day, I was having a bass jones day. I had been listening to "in the pocket" bass players for a while, and needed a bit of your virtuosity. I wanted something that would blow me away, and just buying a CD for the songwriting was not what I really wanted. See, you are like a bass God to me (and I am sure to many others) in fact, you are arguably the best bass player alive today. I get a sense that you are a spiritual person, and a non-ego type guy, despite the fact that you are the best of the best. Therefore, I doubt you will take offense at what I have to say.

There are many in the pocket bassists, who groove well, and play simple and tasteful stuff...James Jamerson, Duck Dunn, Pino Palladino and many others. Bass players who don't ever feel the need to show off or blow people away with anything other then good tastiing bass licks that service the song, not the other way around. But you Victor, have a special gift! Your bass playing is something I could listen to just by itself. Of course, you cause jaws to drop, and bass players to just quit (in shame and complete jealousy) so why why why would you ever make a bass album that has very few solos, and is mostly vocals?

I had read an article where you said the next album you did would be more for the bass player fans, and would showcase your virtuosity, rather then your previous albums which by your own admission, miminized your skills in service of the song.

This album is not it, my Brother! I hope I am not pissing you off by saying that there are enough lite gospel 6 string players out there these days. Sure, they are all good, but you are better then good. I was seriously hoping for an all-intrumental album that showcases your gorgeous tone, immaculate grooves and intricate style. Oh sure, there is one song "natives" which would be a great song no matter who played it, but most of your album seems designed to say "I am a total musician, and not just a bass player".

Victor, I already have several Sting albums. What I was hoping for was something else. Something where the bass finally takes the forefront, and does not hide itself.

I am begging you to please, please, please make your next album a vocal-free album, with more fusion, maybe even some bop, and bass pyrotechinics!

Until then, I will be listening to Marcus Miller's new album, "silver rain" which right from the first track, establishes him as a bass player.

When I think of you Victor, I think of the king of modern funk bass. I don't think of you as a pop star, or a rapper, or anything other then the king of bass. Long live the king!

I thank you for your consideration, and I know you put a lot of work into that album. This is all just my opinion, of course, and if anyone wants add anything....please do!

You have to much time on your hands.




Oh yeah, IBTL.

[33degrees]

yea i aggree, victor wooten became famous for his bass tecniques, specifically the double thumb tecnique that his brother taught him, not for his cheesy song writing skills.

[lucas vigor]

Here is another example.

Does anyone buy Flatt and Scruggs albums for Lester Flatt's vocals, or for Earl Srugg's banjo playing?

[i like tictacs]

Originally Posted by cgworkman

Oh yeah, IBTL.

[LiquidMidnight]

Originally Posted by Fuzzbass

Victor Wooten has some nerve. So does Bill Shatner for playing any role besides Captain Kirk. In the words of my spiritual mentor, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson: "Know your role and shut your mouth!"

LMFAO

[threshar]

It can be frustrating buying a cd expecting something and getting something else. However you can likely understand where Victor is coming from - everyone saying "PLAY CLASSICAL THUMP! PLAY FAST OMFG!!!". He made the album he wanted to make. Stu Hamm got a big backlash when his album The Urge came out - everybody expected it to be another bass wanking album but instead there were.. gasp.. songs!

Vic does often go wild on a lot of the Flecktones stuff.

[i like tictacs]

Seriously, if you want to hear vic play AMAZINg bass, go see the flecktones or download their FREE soundboard shows that they put out. how freakin' cool is that, for a band to put out a mastered and mixed soundboard show to it's fans, for free?