a HINK OF the banjo fora moment, Chances are the effort will conjure an internal, twanging soundtrack oozing hicksville sentiments — a melange defined by the Dueling Banjos theme from Deliverance, The Beverly : Hillbillies theme and Hee Haw. Michael Becker RECORD REVIEW And yet beyond the dross there is the sublime expression as well — old-timey master Earl Scruggs for one and now the new picker on the block, Bela Fleck. Fleck made his mark in bluegrass, His latest project takes the: instrument into uncharted banjo territory — free modern jazz. The vehicle, Bela Fleck and the Flectones, includes Fleck, Howard Levy on harmonica, bassist Victor Wooten and electronic percus- sionist Roy Wooten. The group appears in Vancouver for the first time July 2 at the Van- couver East Cultural Centre. Music Now recently caught up with Fleck while he was in Aspen, Colorado. Music Now: Before there was Bela Fleck And The Flecktones you played bluegrass music. What brought a goad ‘ol Manhattan boy to bluegrass? Fleck: { fell in love with the banjo. And since most of the music played on banjo is in that idiom 1 ended up learning that and going through groups and bluegrass music. But at the same time | was interested in all kinds of music so t was learning it all. When | heard the banjo it was a galvanizing experience. | still don’t know why. It was one of those things. Music Now: In comparing your work with New Grass Revival on the Friday Night in America album with what you are do- ing with The Flecktones on Flight Of The Cosmic Hippo t get the sense that there is more room io take risks in the new group. Did you ultimately find bluegrass too confining? Fleck: | always played in groups that were progressive, even if they were bluegrass. New Grass Revival was definitely a progressive bluegrass group. But at the time we made Friday Night In America, we were trying to fit into country music and get some hit records and stuft ike that, And that isn’t something | particularly wanted to dv. | don't want you to get the idea that we were just selling out, because the band had a lot of AWNINGS NEW! SOLARIUM SHADES For Glass Roofs & Skylights Interior and Extersor Systems 987-1 577 Weerdays 6-4 1547 Welch St NVan Seturcav 93 26 — Wednesday, June 26, 1991 - North Shore News & BELA FLECK and his band the Flecktones will be appearing at the Vancouver East Cultural Centre on July 2. depth and spirit and attitude. When | got to do my own record, got to do the purest music that} could to do — without thinking of commercialism. At its best the Flecktones are a very pure thing. Music Now: What are some of the considerations that even- tually took you to jazz-blues with the instrument? Fleck: | just always had an affinity for that kind of music. And also when I ptayed it people felt it was soinething very unique. | always thought there was a lot ef potential for it in the world. It’s a cool sound and nobody is doing it and | like to do it. And | found some guys who are doing the same kind of thing with their instruments. We all kind of push each other further and further. Music Now: Do you have a personal theory on why the banjo has been so narrowly linked to country and bluegrass Don Fleming IMMEDIATE DELIVERY (all sizes in stock) We wili meet any advertised price. + FREE DELIVERY est ancouver Seafood & Grill SN ae 2168 Marine Or. So Rwy 922-3312 > ats DID YOU SLEEP WELL LAST NIGHT? | “| WANT YOUR BED BUSINESS” Serta Single Serta Queen Plus Free Frame OTHER MAKES AT LOW PRICES LO ipo Come join Photo submitted musical styles? Fleck: 1 honestly don’t think any- one else has been out there pro- moting itin other idioms. | think if there was an alternative rock band out there with a really great banjo player in it then we would have heard of it. Somebody accused me of trying to make the banjo cool. But | don’t really see it that way. Music Now: Did the Grammy nomination in the best jazz in- strumental composition category for your debut, Bela Fleck And The Flecktones, come asa surprise? Fleck: J was just knocked out. { went from one year ago, where | had been in bluegrass music and country music as a wacky banjo player, to being in a category for a Grammy with Pat Metheny and Harry Connick Junior. | didn't care if | won. it meant so much that we had gotten that far. SERTA PERFECT SLEEPER $495 695° + WE WILL SELL YOUR OLD BED Choose your Entree then create your dinner er Flalibut Sauces: blucherry buttercream, tomate coulis, ginger =" cilantro cream . Baked, ‘Poached, Sautecd Grilled, Smoked Pe eect cat cred et apart a ree Arr retin the Living Legends Summer School KIROV BALLET STAR Guest Teacher NINEL KURGAPKINA Baryshnikov's Parmer at the Kirov Entrees: Grout, Salmon, Prawns, fz] Os CHOC KE. Ms, Kur gapkina will teach Elementary & Intermediate classes in theVaganova Technique. Aug. 4th - 31st Two, Four werk Courses: « Elementary + 3:30 / 5:00 “Intermediate + 5:15 / 6:45 Dinner trom 5:96 pm Brunch - Sundays 10:30 am - 2:30 pm Closed Mondays peas NN er