What a week it has been! From March 2 - 4, I was attending a workshop at The Haven on Gabriola Island delivered by none other than Victor Wooten. For those of you who do not know, Victor is arguably (and for me it would be a VERY short argument) one of the finest electric bassists around. I am still articulating my thoughts on the workshop and will put those up in a later posting (and thank you Pam and "Living for the Health of It" for helping me get some of those thoughts over the air), but I will make a brief comment on the solo concert from the evening of Thursday March 4th.
Outstanding.
There, is that brief enough?
To begin, Victor's solo excursions were sublime. A brilliant technician, he is also a brilliant musician. He used, but did not overuse, a multitude of effects pedals that helped him creat a unique musical tableau for the evening. He invited a number of musicians from the workshop up on stage to perform with him, the highlight of which was a bass duet with a former Nanaimoite and Montrealer now Vancouverite by the name of Jim Bennett. I've had the privilege of performing with Jim in what was then the Malaspina University- College Stage Band, and the Pocket Rockets, and seeing him perform with Decadence and the Kiltlifters. I've always admired Jim's musicality and technique on the bass, and to see him with Victor was a special treat. The played Billy Cobham's "Red Baron", which morphed beautifully into Stevie Wonder's "I Wish", then back to "Red Baron". A magical musical moment, and talking with Jim afterwards, one of the musical highlights of his life.
As I noted earlier, I'll have more on the workshop in an upcoming post...with any luck, we'll have a link to a podcast of the show below, where I managed to squeeze in a brief interview with Victor.
Bright moments!
CHARLES MINGUS - MINGUS AH UM - BETTER GET IT IN YOUR SOUL
ALEX CLEMENTS - WAITING FOR YOU - WAITING FOR YOU
STEVE KALDESTAD - BLOW-UP - A FLOWER IS A LOVESOME THING
BRUBECK BRAID - TWOTET/DEUXTET - IT'S NOT WHAT IT WAS
DWYER/JONES/WHITAKER - LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT MY DAY - I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT YOU'RE IN LOVE WITH ME
JAMES CARTER - THE REAL QUIETSTORM - THE STEVEDORE'S SERENADE
VICTOR WOOTEN - WHAT DID HE SAY - MY LIFE
VICTOR WOOTEN - WHAT DID HE SAY - NAIMA
JACO PASTORIUS BIG BAND - WORD OF MOUTH REVISITED - TEEN TOWN
THE HUGH FRASER QUINTET - RED & BLUE - THANK YOU VERY MUCH
BELA FLECK AND THE FLECKTONES - LIVE AT THE QUICK - HOEDOWN
BUDDY RICH - SWINGIN' NEW BIG BAND - WEST SIDE STORY
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