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Béla Fleck: Flight of the Cosmic Hippo

 A l b u m   D e t a i l s


Label: Warner Bros. Records Inc.
Released: 1991
Time:
 43:58
Category: Progressive Jazz
Producer(s): Béla Fleck & The Flecktones
Rating: *********. (9/10)
Media type: CD
Web address: www.flecktones.com
Appears with: Victor Wooten
Purchase date: 2001.07.05
Price in €: 10,99



 S o n g s ,   T r a c k s


[1] Blu-Bop (Gleck/Levy/Wooten/Wooten) - 4:22
[2] Flying Saucer Dudes (Fleck) - 4:51
[3] Turtle Rock (Fleck) - 4:12
[4] Flight of the Cosmic Hippo (Fleck) - 4:29
[5] The Star Spangled Banner (Key/Traditional) - 2:35
[6] Star of the County Down (Traditional) - 4:21
[7] Jekyll and Hyde [And Ted and Alice] (Fleck) - 7:04
[8] Michelle (Lennon/McCartney) - 5:10
[9] Hole in the Wall (Fleck) - 4:40
[10] Flight of the Cosmic Hippo [Reprise] (Fleck) - 2:14

 A r t i s t s ,   P e r s o n n e l


Béla Fleck & The Flecktones:
BÉLA FLECK - Banjo, Mixing, Electric Banjo
VICTOR LEMONTE WOOTEN - Electric Bass, Fretless Bass, Mixing
ROY "Futureman" WOOTEN - Synthesizer, Synthesizer Drums, Mixing
HOWARD LEVY - Synthesizer, Harmonica, Piano, Harp, Ocarina, Hammond Organ, Double Ocarina, Mixing

BIL VORNDICK - Engineer, Mixing
MARK NEVERS - Assistant Engineer
RICHARD BATTAGLIA - Assistant Engineer, Mixing Assistant
KEITH ODLE - Mixing Assistant
CARLOS GRIER - Editing
DENNY PURCELL - Mastering
LAURA LIPUMA - Art Direction
MARK TUCKER - Photography
ELVIS WILSON - Design
MARK FOX - Artwork

 C o m m e n t s ,   N o t e s


1991 CD Warner Brothers 2-26562
1991 CS Warner Brothers 4-26562



The Flecktones owe more to bebop than bluegrass, and here the group finally names its style "blu-bop." That's why Cosmic Hippo topped the jazz, not the country, chart. The Flecktones continue to make it look easy, adding banjo power chords to "Turtle Rock" and reworking Lennon/McCartney's "Michelle."

Brian Mansfield, All-Music Guide, © 1992 - 2001 AEC One Stop Group, Inc.



They're back.... And this time the Flecktones have landed with a Cosmic Hippo (Where do they get those names?). The second album for this amazing group makes it evident that these guys have been out there working. As good as their debut album was, this one is tighter and more expansive (sounds like a contradiction, but it isn't). They are definitely exploring new territory and it is definitely out there, but not to the point that it's inaccessible. Even though Fleck is still the primary composer of the music, there are more signs that he is even more influenced by the other 'Tones than in their debut release. Their self-titled debut album was recorded when the group was still really learning what they were all about. It's obvious now, both in live shows and on this recording that they have become a unit. Individual influences are more closely woven and mixed so that much of the time it's difficult to separate them. The bass lines of Victor Wooten have become an even more integral part of the mix and Future Man's drums are stronger and even more innovative.

"Turtle Rock" is one of my picks of the album. The song has a very strong rock pulse combined with an uplifting inspirational feel. Fleck describes it as a cross between The Rolling Stones and jazz guitarist Pat Metheny. An aptly named "Jekyll & Hyde (And Ted and Alice)" starts off with Fleck on banjo in what seems like an improvisational "noodling" and as he is gradually joined by the rest of his bandmates it evolves into different rhythms, melodies and styles. You may not be able to figure out all the different time signatures or influences (and I certainly can't), but like much of the music here, it doesn't matter if you understand the technique or whatever musical theries if any, this group has in mind; the sound is still enjoyable and accessible.

Fleck and bandmates again demonstrate their affinity for Beatles songs with "Michelle" and Fleck's love for Irish music with "Star of the County Down." Both of these display Howard Levy's lovely melodic harmonica style. Even though he has mastered the harp in ways others can only dream of, some of his finest moments come with his romantic phrasing of these types of songs. Coming up with a good summation for these guys is tough so I'm going to quote from their liner notes and let them do it for me: "We recommend that you listen to this sometime with headphones. It doesn't hurt to crank it up once in a while either. Don't hurt yourself though."

Denise Sofranko (Ellicott City, MD)
December 1, 1991 - Dirty Linen
 

 L y r i c s


Instrumental Album!

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