Spokane Symphony sizzles with Béla Fleck & the Flecktones

Nov 5, 2008

For Immediate Release

Contact: Annie Matlow 326-3136

The Spokane Symphony, lead by Resident Conductor Morihiko Nakahara, is pleased to welcome Béla Fleck and the Flecktones to center stage at the INB Performing Arts Center on Saturday, Nov. 15 at 8 p.m.  This Grammy Award winning band is combining their unique style of music with the Spokane Symphony, which is  sure to be a recipe for a night to remember.

Formed in 1989, Béla Fleck and the Flecktones offer a refreshing and unique “blu-bop” style of music.  This fusion of jazz and bluegrass with a variety of other musical influences is a musical niche that they have boldly carved out for themselves.  This incredibly unique fusion of music genres has earned the band eight Grammys in five different categories.  With their recognition in the areas of Country, Pop, Jazz, Classical Crossover and Instrumental, Béla Fleck and the Flecktones showcase the diversity and broad appeal of their music. 

Béla Fleck and the Flecktones strong emphasis on virtuosic musicianship will be highlighted with the accompaniment of conductor Morihiko Nakahara and the Spokane Symphony on the hits Sleeper, Sunset Road and Big Country among others. 

Béla Fleck is often considered the premiere banjo player in the world. A New York City native (named after composer Béla Bartok), he picked up the banjo at age 15 and began experimenting with playing bebop on the banjo in high school. After playing with the progressive bluegrass band New Grass Revival, he formed the Flecktones in 1989. They made their self-titled debut recording in 1990 by playing a "blu-bop" mix of jazz and bluegrass and soon became a commercially successful, critically-acclaimed and award-winning band. Fleck is the only musician to be nominated for Grammys in jazz, bluegrass, pop, country, spoken word, Christian, composition and world music categories.

The Flecktones are comprised of musicians of outstanding abilities. Percussion is provided by RoyEl, an inventor, scientist, musician, composer, who goes by the nickname "Future Man". Audiences became curious when RoyEl appeared with Béla Fleck and the Flecktones due to his ground breaking percussion technique performed on his first invention he calls the Drumitar. The guitar shaped Drumitar allows him to replicate sounds of an entire contemporary drum kit with just a few fingers.

Victor Wooten redefines the word musician. Regaled as the most influential bassist since Jaco Pastorius, Victor is known for his solo recordings and tours, as well as with The Flecktones. He is an innovator on the bass guitar, as well as a talented composer, arranger, producer, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist. He has repeatedly demonstrated that he is a constantly striving to raise the bar of his artistry.

Jeff Coffin is a saxophonist and composer who rejects all labels and categories other than "music" and "musician." Since 1997, Coffin has traveled the world with the Flecktones, performing with musicians of all walks and styles. Along the way, Coffin has absorbed an astounding range of influences. "Whether it be New Orleans Second Line, African music, Indian Ragas, folk songs, Alan Lomax field recordings, jazz, or funk," he says, "the spirit and breath of the music is what I take away from listening and playing. It's what decides for me whether I like it or not." Jeff is also a dedicated teacher and studio musician and has played on hundreds of recordings with a wide variety of artists.

Ticket prices range from $23 to $53 and are available in advance at the Spokane Symphony Ticket Office, located at 1001 W. Sprague inside Martin Woldson Theater at The Fox, or by calling 509-624-1200. Tickets are also available at all TicketsWest outlets or by calling 1-800-325-SEAT or at spokanesymphony.org.