Grammy Nominees were announced, with two mentions of Bela: Best Pop Instrumental Performance (!) for the Sinister Minister from Live Art, and Best World Music Album for Tabula Rasa. The actual awards are announced on February 26th.
The Official Flecktones Web Site, with tour dates and merchandise and much more is now online. Check it out! as Futch would say.
I interviewed Bela at the '96 Merle Watson festival, and have transcribed it for your reading pleasure. Read what Bela has to say about his early years, the albums he has recorded, and his hopes for the future.
01/21/97: Tabula Rasa entry finsished. Live Art entered.
Curandero is the Indian classical drum and Flamenco guitar duo of Miguel Espinoza and Ty Burhoe. Joined by Bela Fleck on banjo and Kai Eckhardt on electric bass, their second album "Curandero" is fantastic. It's available on the Silverwave label, as SD911.
Live Art, Warner 9 46247-2, is a double CD of live tracks. Tracks are: New South Africa, Stomping Grounds, Lochs of Dread, Bigfoot, Far East Medley, Flying Saucer Dudes, UFO Tofu, Interlude: Libation, The Water Ritual, Vix 9, The Message, Improv/Amazing Grace, Shubbee's Doobie, Oh darling, Blu-bop, Sunset Road, More Luv, Early Reflection/Bach/The Ballad of Jed Clampett, Cheeseballs in Cowtown, The Sinister Minister, Flight of the Cosmic Hippo.Featured musicians include Howard, Chick Corea, Branford Marsalis, Jerry Douglas, Sam Bush, Paul McCandless, Edgar Meyer and Bruce Hornsby.
The chord book (of changes to Flecktone tunes) is being polished. Bela wanted to make sure it was as close to perfect as possible. The original announcement follows:Hal Leonard is going to be releasing a book of changes to Flecktone tunes. The tunes will be: Hurricane Camille, The Sinister Minister, Tell It To The Gov'nor, Blu-Bop, Sunset Road, Star Spangled Banner, Flight of the Cosmic Hippo, True North, The West County, Sex in a Pan, Bonnie & Slyde, UFO TOFU, Magic Fingers, Life Without Elvis, Vix 9, Bumbershoot, Monkey See, Spunky & Clorissa, Stomping Grounds, New South Africa, Three Bridges Home, Backwoods Galaxy, After the Storm, Cheesballs In Cowtown, Frontiers.
The message I received from the Hal Leonard online people says that the book should be ready in April. Its item number is 00672359 and it will cost $16.95. You can order it through Music Dispatch at (800) 637-2852.
I have lost a computer bag that contained several valuable things a week or so ago. We were in Indianapolis at a great gig. I had my Sony TCD-D* #0503831 and the SBM1 #0106047, as well as a clear com headset, sony V-6's and a portable CD-ROM player. I thought I had safely stached my case on the bus as I do everynight, but the next day, it was nowhere to be found :-( I must have left it somewhere, apparently not in the Indiana Roof Ballroom. It's part of the Embasy Suites and the return rate for lost goods is supposed to be very high. Alas, no return. So somebody has it, I sure would like to get that stuff back. I only had the DAT machine for about 5 months. -- July, 96.