Back in 1992, when I was living in the Netherlands, I received a letter from my brother-in-law Mark. (Yes, this was back in the days when people actually wrote words in ink on paper, folded it up, put it in an envelope, paid for postage, and mailed it to someone living far away. The recipient could then curl up with the letter and read and reread it to her/his heart’s content. I still have this and many other letters.) Mark stated that he had seen God, and while he was sorry to say that God is male but is at least a minority. This was my first introduction to Victor Wooten, the bass player for Bela Fleck and the Flecktones.
I went to see Bela and the boys last night at Cain Park. It was the original lineup from 1992–Bela Fleck on banjo, Victor Wooten on bass, FutureMan on the drumitar (it’s a cross between a guitar and a drum), and Howard Levy on harmonica and piano. As we walked into the amphitheater, I was pondering how artistic and creative ability grows and changes as we age. I’ve seen Bela Fleck and the Flecktones three or four times now, and they keep exploring new musical paths. The things these four men did to the music is proof enough to me of the existence of genuine divinity, but Victor Wooten continues to be a revelation. The bass has traditionally been one-half of the rhythm section, providing the low whump-whump-whump undertone over which the melody is played. Wooten elevates the bass to a melodic, gorgeous lead instrument. I don’t know if it’s possible to fully describe music through words. The two experiences are so vastly different, the journeys they take us on stimulate us in different ways. Instead of wasting your time in a futile a attempt to explain Wooten’s virtuosity, I would just ask that you take a few minutes and listen to God play.