Bela Fleck & The Flecktones - Montreal Jazz Festival (2018)

Their story is one you wouldn't believe if it was a novel. Bela was doing a "banjo special" for a televised music series that included him solo, with an Asian string quartet, and with the "Flecktones" although they weren't billed that way for the show. The original group, together here, had never met until the afternoon of the show. Bela had heard of this guy in who played piano and a crazy diatonic harmonica and asked Howard Levy to be part of the show. The producer suggested he contact this bass player he'd heard was doing really different stuff and Victor auditioned over the phone to Bela and then when Bela said all he needed was a drummer, Victor said you gotta meet my brother. They had a brief jam together before the show and then just destroyed the audience with music no one had ever heard before. It was magic and the lucky audience will never forget it. Six months or so later their debut album came out. One of our truly favorite bands of all time. Kudos to those responsible for this video.

Roy Wooten doesn't get nearly the respect he deserves.

A lot of people in the comments seem to know this band already for a long time. I consider myself a real music fan for many years now, and found out about them TODAY 😅! This is brilliant, and it's always refreshing to hear something new to ones' ears.

Frontiers - 0:46 Flying Saucer Dudes - 7:45 Magic Fingers - 13:41 Mars Needs Women - 22:44 Sex in a Pan - 32:48 Life in Eleven - 42:02 "Futureman Solo" - 52:26 Hurricane Camille - 55:14 Sunset Road - 1:04:37 Juno - 1:16:03 The Sinister Minister - 1:23:03 Flight of the Cosmic Hippo - 1:32:18

This drumitar is unbelievable! I spent half the concert wishing they’d show the drummer. I have never seen or heard of one in my life.

I got to meet Victor Wooten in Portland, Maine 7 years ago. My wife bought me tickets to see him for Father's Day. He's a very nice and humble man,

This music is the only thing that can escape a black hole.

Futureman - my all-time favorite pirate!

I'm critiquing now. when I watched them the first time, I was loving the perfection of the band, at the very top with other top top musicians. I really liked the melodic creations of these guys. Watching this fine video has me saying-that harmonica /piano player gets sounds and notes like I've never heard from a one key short scale harmonica. The bass layer shows how easy it is to play bass because he always flows and it's natural, after years of practicing and inspiration. The drummer , playing his own creation, truly is the master of His instrument. That 'Banjo' player somehow learned to play top notch banjo, but also his own 'new banjo'. He broke out of the box of simply 'banjo'. The group is always tight. I couldn't describe the music to give it justice. But it is a mix of styles , forms, rhythms, ...but it becomes their creation.

Roy futureman is indeed a genius thanks to Bela Fleck & the Flecktones for all the amazingly great music. Thanks.!Love you guys.

l had the pleasure of seeing BF and the Flecktones on the Big Island of Hawaii years ago ,after the show the band sat on the edge of the stage and talked story with anyone who came up....a real down home group....l still have all their autographs on their 3 CD album... Mahalo Nui gentalmen....Christo

man, Vic and Roy Wooten go head to head, I'm so lucky to live in this time Howard is killing it and Bela is just grooving I think I was born at exactly the right date to appreciate this. Sucks to be young, they'll have to keep digging out this gem;.

they are just grooving in every second, they could have a concert of 6 hours and no one would ever want to leave

Seen them , I think 7 times, they never disappoint, All of them innovators and masters of their instruments

Been such a fan of these guys since almost the beginning. There's always at least one moment in the performance where my jaw drops because something defies physics or just builds to an amazing musical moment. So fun. Bela continues to get better somehow. But dear lord...Howard Levy. He provided the "I don't think anyone can do that in the world," moment in this one.

God bless you Howard! Glad to see you with Flecktones again!

I saw these guys at SxSW in the 80’s after their first album came out. My friend and I were expecting straight-up bluegrass. They blew our socks off.

This performance made me weep tears of excellence several times. Music is intended to be THIS GOOD!

Ok, so I am 65 and remember Bela when he was a kid playing with New Grass Revival. He has evolved that mountain music instrument into a cutting edge sound that spans many genres. Along the way he has attracted musicians who want to experiment outside the box and create something unique. What can you say about Victor Wooten that isn't being said everywhere. He deserves every accolade he receives. His brother Roy "Futureman" Wooten is equally talented but on another level. An innovator who creates a driving percussion sound with a box full of transistors and buttons. I keep listening then suddenly it dawns on me that this is a guy tapping on a box making those great drum sounds. Howard Levy on the harmonica was great to hear but sometimes stopped the groove of a tune for a second but each harmonica lick was done tastefully and with high skill. I can't wait to hear what is coming down the pike.

they all compliment each other so well, so glad we get to experience this in our lifetime