Early Bela Fleck Recording, a Classic

10/15/2005 09:06AM

Cambridge (Massachusetts), USA - Rounder Records has re-released Crossing the Tracks by Bela Fleck. Originally released in 1979, Crossing the Tracks is Bela Fleck's debut solo recording, and demonstrates his extraordinary skills as a composer and interpreter in addition to his innovative banjo playing. With virtuoso support from Bob Applebaum, Russ Barenberg, Sam Bush, Mark Schatz, Pat Enright, Jerry Douglas and Randy Sabien, Crossing the Tracks ranges from straight ahead bluegrass to acoustic swing and includes Fleck's inspired arrangement of Chick Corea's masterpiece "Spain." Crossing the Tracks includes newly written liner notes by Bela Fleck.

Bela Fleck is often considered the premiere banjo player in the world. A New York City native (named after composer Bela Bartok), he picked up the banjo at age 15 after being awed by the bluegrass playing of Flatt &Scruggs. In 1989 he formed the Flecktones. The group made its 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.

[Buy Crossing the Tracks].

World Music Central
http://www.worldmusiccentral.org/article.php/20051015090624540