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| | VTT2: Vital Tech Tones, Vol. 2 | | | Music Artist : | | Scott Henderson | | Music Style : | | General | | Record Label : | | Tone Center | | Release Date : | | 2000-05-23 | | Store Price : | | $16.98 | | Artistopia's Price: $16.98 | | Usually ships in 24 hours | | |
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CD Tracks/Songs
Disc 11. VTT - Victor Wooten 2. Subzero 3. Litigants 4. Puhtainin' Thu... 5. Drums Stop, No Good - Steve Smith, Victor Wooten 6. Catch Me If U Can 7. Nairobe Express 8. Who Knew? 9. Time Tunnel 10. Chakmool-Ti
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Other Artist Albums
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Customer Reviews of This Album/CD |
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FUSION CAN BE FUN! Submitted on: 2006-07-21 |
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If you heard the band's debut album, "Vital Tech Tones [Vol.1]", and liked it, you are going to love this album! These are musicians at the very peak of their musical career, yet, they do not take themselves too seriously. This is indicated perfectly on the opening track when Victor plays a little tongue-in-cheek piece introducing the band. This is what VTT are all about, having fun playing. Victor is a remarkable bass player. Unlike many fusion players these days, he still plays a 4 string bass. What he does on this instrument is quite frankly bewildering! His rhythmically complex patterns suggest to me that he must have had tabla lessons at some point! Such is his brilliance. Later, on the album, he switches to fretless bass, taking some fantastic solos on that as well! However, VTT is not just about solos, it's about every aspect of the music.
There are tunes where only Victor and Steve play. Their interaction as a rhythm section is phenomenal. Yet there's still an element of humour throughout this album, as well as some excellent compositions and improvising. Every musician gets their own space to display their awesome talents to the full - without it ever becoming just showing off. It is perfectly balanced.
If you're a Steve Smith fan, this is him at his best. Once again, it's not all about solos. Steve lays down some really groovy beats as well, which set up Victor with the perfect forum to add his own magic. Scott, I feel, has finally shook off all those awful comparisons with other guitarists, and found his own unique voice on the guitar. He has an edge to his playing, while also still able to outplay most guitarists in the technique department. Yet, he doesn't overdo it. He is varied in his approach and writing style.
This is a band that shows how fusion should be played - with fun! Moreover, it certainly comes across in both their albums. They simply enjoy playing together as a band. They have it all - excellent compositions/improvising/interaction, all the criteria required to produce such a wonderful product.
The outstanding track for me is the very last one, "Chakmool-Ti", which is the band's showcase composition - simply wonderful. A MUST BUY for anyone interested in hearing musicians actually having FUN playing. VTT is the best band I've heard in ages.
Yanek
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Vital Tech Tones Submitted on: 2006-05-28 |
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| I have a lot of trouble finding fusion bands that I like, because usually they border way too close to smooth jazz what with the saxophones, synth, and gross guitar tones. So I usually don't venture too far outside of the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Miles Davis, and Herbie Hancock. Even a lot of the Flecktones stuff I find way too smooth. Fortunately for me, though, a friend of mine lent me this cd, and it is unbelievably good. Just guitar, bass, and drums. And they are such a powerful combination. They are all probably some of the best musicians in the world (Victor Wooten is probably THE best bass player in the world, just watch any of his dvds), but instead of pretentious, disparate, solo wankery (*COUGH* planet x *COUGH*), you have a very flawless three-piece band that actually sounds like a band, not just three stellar musicians playing together. All in all, this is a fantastic album. If you're a fan of music and hearing how a band works together to play something unique, you will most likely enjoy this very much. The only reason I gave it four stars instead of five, is because Scott Henderson's hair is just so painfully bad in the pictures. His hair can actually bring down the quality of this album, just look at the front cover. What was he thinking? |
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Way better than the first outing Submitted on: 2006-03-30 |
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| I almost didnt get this one because of the disappointment from the first one. The songs on this disc are more constructed and aggressive. Victor seemed to improve from the first recording. His solos are exceptional and his tone alot better. The songs have more substance. Though there are a couple jammers on here. For the most part its song oriented with the closing tune being the hottest. Id say get this one. But again, if youre looking for that warm full rounded drum tone, its not here. Its loud in the mix and clear, but that doesnt mean it sounds good. Overall id say this has good songs and great chops. |
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Curious stuff Submitted on: 2003-11-18 |
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| Curious stuff for the fusion, jazz enthusiast, who wants to know how big the real musicians can play. Every guy in the trio here is a fusion superstar, Henderson of Tribal Tech fame, Smith actually drummer for Vital Information, Wooten coming from Bela Fleck and his Flecktones. The results displayed here are not easy to categorizise. Nothing wrong from a technical point of view, but the focus often lacks as in many recordings of this kind. There are great moments but also moments when you sure can properly ask yourself "what the h..l am I listening to?" Very extraterrestrial, alien, outside sounding fusion, very exploral, forward kind of music. It is a very interesting listening for the music student (I am) because there is a lot of material for the brain. But apart from this at the end of the cd I always find myself asking for more structures, more emotions, more ... real "music". The title of the track "Catch me if you can" ... probably tells the whole story behind this music. But in the end as a fan of music in general I find this efforts curious enough to pay attention to them. |
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WOOOOOOTEN! Submitted on: 2002-12-07 |
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| YES! that bass makes me wanna shout! so poppy and funktastic, and the GUITAR IS PRETTY DAMN SLICK. Aeolian to Harmonic minor to pentatonic and back in blink of an eye.... and making it sound good. Drums are all they need to be, and a little more, making them quite quite quite good. All i can say is this is a rad album that makes you wonder why people listen to staind or pappa roach... ewwwwwwww. If you like this album, check out "the well tempered clavier" by this random guy named Johan Sebastian BACH. its the best music ever written. It has nothing to do with fusion, but if you can appreciate fusion, you have an open mind, so you can apreciate Bach |
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