Bela Fleck and The Flecktones
6/30/19
Taft Theatre, 317 E 5th St, Cincinnati, OH
7pm doors, 8pm show, Buy Tickets
The original lineup of the groundbreaking quartet Béla Fleck & The Flecktones – banjoist Béla Fleck, Howard Levy on piano and harmonica, percussionist / Drumitarist Future Man and bassist Victor Wooten – will be celebrating its 30th anniversary with a US tour this summer.
In 1988, Béla formed the Flecktones for a single performance on PBS’ Lonesome Pine Special. “The band was so fresh and powerful that we all wanted more of it,” says Victor, who describes the band as a family. “I think we gave other musicians the courage to be different.”
“30 years ago, we made a wish list of dreams, and everything has manifested to reality,” says Future Man. “What a ride! I think we better keep our seatbelts fastened because there is more to come.”
The Grammy-winning quartet has been creating some of the most forward-thinking music during their long, storied career. With all manners of genres coming into play – from classical and jazz to bluegrass and African music to electric blues and Eastern European folk – the Flecktones’ sound is all their own. “There’s a special musical chemistry that comes alive every time we play,” adds Howard. “I am really looking forward to sharing that this summer.”
“The Flecktones is my dream team come true,” says Béla. “I imagined something unique, and then it came to life before my eyes – materialized by these incredible musicians, who appeared pretty much out of nowhere. There are so many things I love about this band, but one of the biggest things for me is that each of us regard each other member as a teacher. Each person has information that the other three does not possess and that constant learning from each other and the circle of inspiration has gone on for 30 years now, and could go on forever…”
“All the different projects I do come together to influence my ‘hybrid’ point of view, I suppose,” adds Béla, who released the acclaimed album Echo in the Valley with his wife Abigail Washburn and premiered his third banjo concerto with the Louisiana Philharmonic on March 15, 2018.
Béla Fleck & The Flecktones 30th Anniversary Tour
June 21 Telluride, CO Telluride Bluegrass Festival
June 22 El Prado, NM Taos Mesa Brewing
June 23 Salina, KS The Stiefel Theatre
June 24 Oklahoma City, OK The Tower Theatre
June 26 Apple Valley, MN Minnesota Zoo (on sale 4/20)
June 27 St. Louis, MO Powell Hall
June 28 Cleveland, OH Tri-C Jazz Festival
June 29 Fort Wayne, IN Sweetwater Pavilion
June 30 Cincinnati, OH Taft Theatre
July 1 Interlochen, MI Kresge Auditorium (on sale 4/26)
July 2 Bayfield, MI Big Top Chautauqua
July 3 Ann Arbor, MI Michigan Theater
Nov 22 Birmingham, AL Alys Stephens Center
Dec 3 Philadelphia, PA Kimmel Center
Dec 4 New York, NY Town Hall
Dec 5 Hartford, CT The Bushnell
Dec 6 New Brunswick, NJ State Theatre
Dec 8 Portland, ME State Theatre
Béla’s full tour schedule and ticket links can be found here.
