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Victor Wooten on Conan O'Brien Tonght

#41
Missed it....dang it! If I would have known the DVR would have been set to go!

I have all of Victor Wooten's solo CD's.
They're cool, but I think when he's in a band setting like the Flecktones, he's 1000% better.

I'm kinda over him as a solo artist, but LOVE the guy in a band context.
What really ruined me going to see him live, was the last time he was in town and his brother Reggie, who IMO, is a SLOPPY guitar player, did a 20 min. bad version of Purple Haze/solo.
That and every song was this:
Intro
Melody
Double thumping like mad solo
Two hand tapping solo
Double thumping solo
melody
Outro solo Stanley Clark style.

Seemed like after 4 tunes, I heard everything the guy could do.
The other hour and a half was just more of the same and to be honest, kinda boring.

Saw him a few months later with the F'Tones.....he killed.
Flat out smoked.
Had me riveted for the whole two hour show.
Unreal.
He should play fretless more often!

That Conan clip.......I wish he would play more like that on his solo discs!
 
#43
I gotta agree on the "Love him in the Flecktones, don't love his solo stuff" sentiment. I missed the Conan performance, alas. I saw the Flecktones live in concert and they were just phenomenal. I watched and listened to a bunch of Wooten's solo stuff and basically went, "Okay, so I'll never be able to play this, but it's not all that interesting." Not to knock him, but I think his talent is much more worthwhile in a band context. There are some solo bassists that I think make it *work* (i.e. Manring) and some whose solo stuff just pales in comparison to their in-band stuff. In my opinion, Wooten is one of those guys.

Insane technique either way, though.
 
#44
colorblindbass said:
1- i just watched it, and that totally kicked a**

2- if you dont like wooten or the flecktones, then why the hell did you pollute the thread?
Click to expand...

It's pretty much a Talkbass tradition.

1. See a thread you don't really give a rat's patoot about.
2. Give that opinion to a bunch of people who don't give a rat's patoot about you.

Sweet!
:hyper:
 
#45
I'm glad I logged in. I can still watch it tonight as I'm on the west coast. To bad I'm not a Conan fan, but by the sounds of it, the gig will be worth watching.
I've seen The Flecktones live twice, and Bela, Stanley Clarke and Jean Luc Ponte once doing a side project. When I started reading BassPlayer mag, I got interested in Vic and the Flecktones. I've also got the tape of "Live at the Quick". Enjoyed Vic's playing throughout whether he was doing his solo's or holding down the groove.
Also enjoyed his projects with Steve Bailey.
 
#46
scotty77 said:
I'm glad I logged in. I can still watch it tonight as I'm on the west coast. To bad I'm not a Conan fan, but by the sounds of it, the gig will be worth watching.
I've seen The Flecktones live twice, and Bela, Stanley Clarke and Jean Luc Ponte once doing a side project. When I started reading BassPlayer mag, I got interested in Vic and the Flecktones. I've also got the tape of "Live at the Quick". Enjoyed Vic's playing throughout whether he was doing his solo's or holding down the groove.
Also enjoyed his projects with Steve Bailey.
Click to expand...

"Scratch and sniff" is pretty sweet off that tape.
 
#47
jsingles said:
its not like hes going on the show tonight to give us all insight on how to play the bass guitar and show us all just how fast he can wank and teach us techniques. hes going to be on the show attempting to play music with bela and the flektones.

I don't deny his obvious virtuosity and talent, but at the end of the day that means less than nothing to me because I have still yet to hear him write or perform an original piece of music that I find anywhere near as profound as the hype and credit he receives for being a virtuoso.

I am not trying to rain on anybody's parade, I just dont understand the excitement surrounding him sometimes. its all about the MUSIC, and his is subpar IMO.

and thank you for accepting my opinion, i respect yours.
Click to expand...

i respect and agree with you. im not that big of a fan either. i prefer miller over wooten, although wooten is supposed to be 10 times better.
 
#48
MikeBass said:
Missed it....dang it! If I would have known the DVR would have been set to go!

I have all of Victor Wooten's solo CD's.
They're cool, but I think when he's in a band setting like the Flecktones, he's 1000% better.

I'm kinda over him as a solo artist, but LOVE the guy in a band context.
What really ruined me going to see him live, was the last time he was in town and his brother Reggie, who IMO, is a SLOPPY guitar player, did a 20 min. bad version of Purple Haze/solo.
That and every song was this:
Intro
Melody
Double thumping like mad solo
Two hand tapping solo
Double thumping solo
melody
Outro solo Stanley Clark style.

Seemed like after 4 tunes, I heard everything the guy could do.
The other hour and a half was just more of the same and to be honest, kinda boring.

Saw him a few months later with the F'Tones.....he killed.
Flat out smoked.
Had me riveted for the whole two hour show.
Unreal.
He should play fretless more often!

That Conan clip.......I wish he would play more like that on his solo discs!
Click to expand...

Man, I had the same exact experience. I saw him with his brothers and all Reggie did was sweeps the whole time. Victor was cool but he could have mixed it up a bit more. I actually got in an arguement with one of the guys in the Jeep with me as we were driving home about how much I disliked Reggie's playing. He was saying how awesome he was and I was saying whatever, just like TB. MC Divinity and Anthony Wellington were there too and Anthony was amazing.

Then a month later I saw the Flecktones. Man they were awesome. I just sat there in amazement and watched the whole show with my mouth open. Seeing Jeff Coffin play 2 saxophones at the same time and then harmonizing them was a first for me. IMO Jeff was the best musician in that show, although all of them were incredible.
 
#54
capnsandwich said:
Seeing Jeff Coffin play 2 saxophones at the same time and then harmonizing them was a first for me. IMO Jeff was the best musician in that show, although all of them were incredible.
Click to expand...

I played on a few gigs with a sax player that used to bust out the 2 Sax routine. it was killer. Real crowd pleaser.

I really dug Victor on his Soul Circus tour. Good stuff. I've had the pleasure to see the Flecktones a bunch of times. They always put on one heck of a show. It's funny, I actually got into the Flecktones long before I started playing bass. I was really into playing banjo for awhile and it was Bela that actually attracted me to them.

Haven't watched the show yet, but got it DVR'ed. Sounds like it was pretty good.
 
#58
Everyone has their like and dislikes when it comes to music, bass, and artists. Lord knows I have mine.

But the Victor: thumbs up/thumbs down thing, fascinates me from a human perspective. I can't get enough of a sampling to submit a theory and thus, so far my study is like a bikini on a pretty girl- what it reveals is interesting but what it conceals is vital ;)

So far every person who does not like Victor has two things in common- an extensive and detailed gear list-just like Victor, and an extensive and or eclectic list of musical influences- just like Victor. Again no theory here, just submitted for its interest.

One person has a list of influences that includes players who play music in the same genres as Victor, have played or recorded with him, and site him has an influence on themselves. Again, I find that interesting but do not exactly know why.

Part of my interest in this I think, is that we as bassists are usually so open minded, analytical, and most often provide such a leveling and objective perspective in our bands that this somewhat visceral reaction to this artist seems in a way, out of character.

I would suggest with great confidence, that if another player, say Tal, Stanley, Les, etc were a performing on Conan, that there would most likely be discussion, but we would not see anywhere near the negativity or the dichotomy of opinions.

Interesting :)

JKT
 
#59
it was a good song... very fun...

but the whole time I was just staring at the Hartke rig.. I also couldn't get past Future Man with a real drum kit... lol

i have been listening to Bela since the way early 90's.. and I love there fun style.

As for Victor's playing.. he is a great musician no doubt, but I am not fond of when he goes off the path to execute a really fast bass part.. I enjoy his tasteful funk playing and his amazing techniques, but sometimes his need for speed gets to me..

Don't flame me.. it's my opinion...

it was a VERY fun song and Jeff was, as usual, amazing!!

Merry Christmas..
JON
 

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