Music for Two (Bonus DVD)

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Music reviews of Music for Two (Bonus DVD)

Music Review: Two Masters at Work...
Rating: 5 Stars

Let's start with a bit of background. Bela Fleck is a banjo player who is originally from New York. He has been playing professionally for over twenty years, and has long been considered one of the most talented banjo players (if not simply one of the greatest musicians) that has ever lived. Edgar Meyer is a similarly talented bassist who has been friends with Bela since the early 80's, when they were both involved in the New Grass Revival. Bela gained huge success with his band, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones. They have recorded many critically and commercially successful albums, all worth a good listen, as they are phenomenal musicians. Victor Wooten is THE most talented bassist I have ever seen. His brother Roy "Future Man" Wooten is a percussion pioneer, and Jeff Coffin is an immensely gifed saxophonist and flutist. Not that it impacts the recording I'm about to review, but I can say after personally meeting Bela and the Flecktones that they are as gracious and kind as they are talented. Again, not that this has any bearing on the quality of their music, but it makes me feel good to know that some musicians genuinely appreciate the support of their fans. Anyway, on to Bela and Edgar.

Bela and Edgar first collaborated on Perpetual Motion, a classical album released in late 2001. The idea of a banjo playing classical music might sound a bit strange at first, but after listening to the album, it becomes clear that it was meant to be. Which moves us on to this album, Music For Two, which was released about a week ago. This is a live album that chronicles Bela and Edgar's first tour together in 2002. The setlist contains a mixture of classical songs with originals written by Bela and Edgar. Bela and Edgar call it "a work in progress." Well, if that's the case I can't even imagine what the finished product could be. The level of musicianship on this album is astounding. Bela and Edgar are two masters of their craft. You can get an idea of how they work together by watching the included bonus DVD which was filmed by Bela's brother Sascha during the tour. As Bela and Edgar are both perfectionists, they sometimes clash of the direction of their music, but it's very clear to me that they are close friends who have a great respect for each other's talent. I applaud them for showing us such an honest portrayal of their relationship. I tend to shy away from naming personal favories on this album because I view it more as a whole than the sum of its parts. Having said that, I particularly enjoy hearing them cut loose on "Pile-up" and "Woolly Mammoth". "Canon" is truly an awe-inspiring auditory experience, and "Wrong Number" shows that Bela and Edgar also have a great sense of Humor.

Bela Fleck is impossible to classify. His music can be found in stores under jazz, bluegrass, classical, country, and several others. His work with Edgar Meyer is further proof of his willingness to transcend musical genres. Who else could have put a banjo to classical compasitions and pulled it of so flawlessly. Egdar Meyer brings an unmatched level of dediaction and precision to his instrument. It is a joy to hear the music that they produce together. Simply put, all fans of music should give this album a listen. It is a testament to the skill and creativity of the musicians involved. I'm very happy to see the partnership between Bela and Sony Classical continue to prosper. Hopefully we can expect to see more amazing music come our way in the years to come.

Give this album a try...you will not be disappointed!

Description of Music for Two (Bonus DVD)

Classical CDs

• Music > Styles
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