Tales From the Acoustic Planet

Amazon.com
Bela Fleck has completely transcended any and all expectations we have for the banjo. Having spent the better part of five previous years exploring a variety of formal and improvised designs with his virtuoso ensemble, Bela Fleck & The Flecktones, this banjo innovator chose to celebrate a variety of musical friends and influences on this homey, elegant, immaculately recorded aural novella--one that clearly links him to such progressive jazz/fusion forebears as Return to Forever and Oregon (not to mention Bill Monroe & His Bluegrass Boys). While a manic hoe-down like "Cheeseballs in Cowtown" illustrates his command of post-modern bluegrass, his freeform duet "Bicyclops" (with mentor Chick Corea) is indicative of this great musician's astonishing technical and emotional range. Elsewhere tunes such as "Up and Running," "The Great Circle Route," and "System Seven" seem to reconcile his complex rhythmic inclinations with stately folkish themes, mixing traditional bluegrass instrumentation with the likes of electric bass, drums, piano, and oboe. And on extended forms such as "Circus of Regrets" and "Jayme Lynn," Fleck showcases his ever-expanding breadth and range as a modern composer. --Chip Stern

Tracks:

Blue Mountain Hop
Buffalo Nickel
When Joy Kills Sorrow
Spanish Point
Polka On The Banjo
Clarinet Polka
The Over Grown Waltz
Ode To Earl
Home Sweet Home
Valley Of The Rogue
Plunkey's Lament
Maura On A Bicycle, Stout And Molasses, Way Back When
Dark Circles
Old Jellico, Puddle Jumper, Dead Man's Hill
Katmandu
Do You Have Room?
Foggy Mountain Special
Major Honker

Amazon.com's Best of 1999

In a jaw-dropping return to his roots, banjoist Béla Fleck led a stellar lineup (Jerry Douglas, Earl Scruggs, Tony Rice, and Sam Bush, to name a few) through one of his finest albums. With incredible musicianship and a smidgen of Fleck's genre-hopping personality ("Polka On The Banjo"), The Bluegrass Sessions is fun, nostalgic, and inspiring. --Jason Verlinde

Amazon.com essential recording

Béla Fleck, the banjo-wizard leader of the fringe-jazz quartet the Flecktones, returns to more-bluegrass-oriented concerns with this 18-song outing, a complement to 1988's Drive and a more-traditional follow-up to 1995's fusion-leaning Tales from the Acoustic Planet. Most of these songs are instrumentals boasting Drive's core group of Sam Bush on mandolin, Stuart Duncan on fiddle, Tony Rice on guitar, Jerry Douglas on Dobro, and bassist Mark Schatz; they're augmented in spots by fine guest players such as Vassar Clements, John Hartford, and the incomparable banjo pioneer Earl Scruggs. Fleck's spidery, tasteful plucking style lends originals like "Major Honker" and "Katmandu" an ever-so-slightly offbeat air, while he gives classics like Scruggs's "Foggy Mountain Special" and "Polka on the Banjo" traditional readings that wouldn't be out of place at the Opry. Flecktones fans will find much to like in Fleck's rootsy playing, and so will bluegrass purists. --Gregory McNamee

Customer Reviews:

This is one of my favorit Bela Fleck records!.......2007-01-10

I love this CD, i think it is one of the best bluegrass collections Bela has produced, with a host of different styles and artists.

A Rarity..........2006-07-19

It's rare when a sequel exceeds the original. This album, though, exceeds the first "Acoustic Planet" effort by Fleck.

Why? Well, the playing is better technically, if you can believe that. And the energy and drive is stronger here than in Acoustic Planet 1.

You also get treated to a greater number of original compositions on this CD. I've come to appreciate this dimension of Fleck's artistic gifts even more as time has passed. While he does do a lot of variations on derivative music, his original compositions are memorable, too.

Hair Raising.......2006-04-12

I've had this album for two years now and it still sometimes makes my hair stand on end when I listen to it and I don't even consider myself a SERIOUS bluegrass fan. Absolutely amazing!

Outstanding CD!.......2006-02-25

Bela Fleck is arguably the premeir banjo player in the world and he does not disappoint on this CD. His music and that of the musicians he has gathered to play with him is superb. If your feet aren't tapping to the music in short order, then you probably have a few disconnnected nerves leading to them.

If you enjoy Americana/Bluegrass/Country, then you'll love this CD!

If I could recommend only one CD to anyone, this would be it........2005-11-20

This is the CD that was singlehandedly responsible for revealing my long-hidden love of bluegrass music to me. I can listen to it in any season or mood and at any time of day. Each performer on the CD has moved beyond mastery of his instrument to fusion with it, and the results are incredible to hear. My favorite track on the CD is "Buffalo Nickel," which combines a gorgeous wistful melody with a constantly shifting meter and an undercurrent of satisfaction. Other favorites include the rollicking opening track of "Blue Mountain Hop," the well-titled "When Joy Kills Sorrow," the lullaby favorite "The Over Grown Waltz," the deliciously fast ending track "Major Honker"...well, who am I kidding? The entire CD is amazing. It gets my highest recommendation. Don't waver. Buy it. You'll be glad you did.

Average customer rating:

Classic!
Bluegrass Fusion Lives!
Master of Many Genres
Definitely Different
From Good to Great?

Tales From the Acoustic Planet
Béla Fleck
Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Jazz Fusion | Jazz | Styles | Music

Bluegrass Jam Bands | Jam Bands | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music

Contemporary | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music

4-for-3 Country | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 Jazz | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 Pop | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 Rock | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

The Bluegrass Sessions: Tales From The Acoustic Planet, Vol. 2
Perpetual Motion
The Telluride Sessions
Live Art
Drive

ASIN: B000002MWU
Release Date: 1995-04-11

Tracks:

Up And Running
First Light
The Great Circle Route
Circus Of Regrets
Three Bridges Home
The Landing
Arkansas Traveler
Backwoods Galaxy
In Your Eyes
System Seven
Cheeseballs In Cowtown
Bicyclops
Jayme Lynn
For Sascha

Amazon.com

Bela Fleck has completely transcended any and all expectations we have for the banjo. Having spent the better part of five previous years exploring a variety of formal and improvised designs with his virtuoso ensemble, Bela Fleck & The Flecktones, this banjo innovator chose to celebrate a variety of musical friends and influences on this homey, elegant, immaculately recorded aural novella--one that clearly links him to such progressive jazz/fusion forebears as Return to Forever and Oregon (not to mention Bill Monroe & His Bluegrass Boys). While a manic hoe-down like "Cheeseballs in Cowtown" illustrates his command of post-modern bluegrass, his freeform duet "Bicyclops" (with mentor Chick Corea) is indicative of this great musician's astonishing technical and emotional range. Elsewhere tunes such as "Up and Running," "The Great Circle Route," and "System Seven" seem to reconcile his complex rhythmic inclinations with stately folkish themes, mixing traditional bluegrass instrumentation with the likes of electric bass, drums, piano, and oboe. And on extended forms such as "Circus of Regrets" and "Jayme Lynn," Fleck showcases his ever-expanding breadth and range as a modern composer. --Chip Stern

Customer Reviews:

Classic!.......2007-01-25

This is the first Bela Fleck record I ever purchased (April '95). Have been a huge fan from then on. This is still on of my favorite Bela records. Excellent songwriting, playing etc... The Landing and System Seven are two of my favorite songs ever. Both are very moving in different ways.

Bluegrass Fusion Lives!.......2007-01-11

Along with mates such as Jerry Douglas (dobro), Sam Bush (mandolin), Stuart Duncan (fiddle), Chick Corea (piano), Edgar Meyer (bass) and others, virtuoso banjoist Bela Fleck here recreates another CD of his masterful approach to acoustic bluegrass fusion.

With this remarkable CD, Americana has a new infusion of creative energy!

Master of Many Genres.......2007-01-05

Few musicians qualify as "master" of any genre. Bela Fleck joins Benny Goodman as one who qualifies as a master of many -- Blue Grass, Jazz, Classical. Any album associated with the name "Fleck" is worth your time.

Definitely Different.......2006-10-29

One of the nicest things about this CD is that it doesn't particularly sound like most other banjo albums. Sometimes I want the excitement of flying down gravelly roads in a hillbilly truck chasin badguys but usually by the end of the chase I'm tired and ready for something else or passed out. It gets old pretty quick but this CD doesn't! This is one of the most interesting titles featuring the banjo that I've ever heard in that it crosses into fields of bluegrass, pop, jazz, folk, fusion and back effortlessly. The recording itself is excellent too. No overamplified instruments or unbalanced sound anywhere.

Of course if you're looking for a sountrack to a Dukes of Hazzard, Sheriff Lobo or Smokey and the Bandit flic this probably isn't gonna do it fer ya but it's easily one of the most played instrumental CDs in my place.

From Good to Great?.......2006-07-19

The songs on this album are memorable and powerful. It's hard not to appreciate the sheer originality of Fleck's work.

However, the sparkle and energy of the earlier "electric" works are not evident here, and I miss them too much. While he is a virtuoso player, he cannot sustain as much interest as what I came to like so much in the amplified and synthsized works.

The album is very listenable, and I do prefer it for background music when working, etc. But it cannot sustain my interest.

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