Legendary bass player Victor Wooten and the Wooten Brothers played to a rapt, seated audience at Stable Hall on Tuesday night, proving why members of the group are revered as some of the best musicians in the world.
Wooten, an alumnus of Béla Fleck & The Flecktones, was joined by his equally talented brothers Regi on guitar, Joseph on keyboard and Roy — also known as "Futureman" — on drums. Roy also served time in the Flecktones.
San Antonio jazz collective Bluprint opened the night, impressing the audience with intricate and tight compositions. The group, led by baritone sax player Anthony Soriano, even got praise from Victor himself once he took the stage. “Bluprint is from San Antonio, right?" he said. "So it’s like that out here, huh?”
Near the start of the Wooten Brothers set, Victor asked "Who here is a musician?" Nearly every hand in the audience went up.
During the Wooten Brothers' performance, each brother got ample solo time to shine. Futureman stepped forward from behind the drum kit to play on the handheld Drumitar, an instrument he invented. Big brother Regi, known internationally as "The Teacher," started instructing his brothers in music when he was just 9 years old. For his lesson of the evening, he schooled Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page with a cover of "Kashmir."
It was the first night back for Joseph fresh off a tour with Steve Miller Band. The keyboardist deftly delivered a Stevie Wonder medley, prompting singalongs from the crowd. The Stevie selections flowed into the Bruno Mars hit "Leave the Door Open," a track that also featured Silk Sonic and Anderson .Paak. From there, Joseph melted seamlessly into a classical progression he devised and back to Wonder's "My Cherie Amour." He followed up the medley with a number on the talk box, as if to say, "I can do it all."
For his part, Victor showcased his skills with funk, jazz, bluegrass and everything in between. Taking his time and building anticipation, the bassist constructed a groove from the ground up utilizing a looper at his feet. Starting small, he added one note at a time as a musical figure slowly took shape, curling like a fern of half steps until it resolved. Finally, the diabolically complicated groove melted seamlessly into “My Life.”
At one point, Victor discussed the Wooten Brothers' start as a band playing in the family garage. Back then, "real bands" played without the assistance of AutoTune.
“I hate to say 'real bands,' because there are plenty of real bands out there today. But back then, if you heard music, that meant someone was playing it," he said. "If someone was in tune, that means they were singing in tune.”
But the forward-thinking brothers proved they weren't averse to all tech.
Victor honored his late brother Rudy, who played saxophone in the band before his death in 2010, and expressed gratitude that with the aid of technology, the group was able to play with Rudy again. The Wootens found a cassette from their formative years in the 1970s. From that, they were able to isolate Rudy's saxophone and accompany him, digitally reuniting the original lineup.
"We’re going to take you back to our garage [...] think fros, think bell bottoms," said Victor, who was only in the 6th grade when the band created a commercially viable funk song titled "Aw Come on, Let's Dance."
During the night's climax, Victor and Regi maniacally played on each other's instruments. Victor swung his bass around his body several times to gasps and cries of "Holy shit!" from of the crowd. The move demonstrated not only masterful musicianship but a flair for showmanship.
Naturally, a standing ovation was in order.
Wooten, an alumnus of Béla Fleck & The Flecktones, was joined by his equally talented brothers Regi on guitar, Joseph on keyboard and Roy — also known as "Futureman" — on drums. Roy also served time in the Flecktones.
San Antonio jazz collective Bluprint opened the night, impressing the audience with intricate and tight compositions. The group, led by baritone sax player Anthony Soriano, even got praise from Victor himself once he took the stage. “Bluprint is from San Antonio, right?" he said. "So it’s like that out here, huh?”
Bluprint bass player Derek Thigpen had the paradoxically both enviable and extremely unenviable distinction of playing a bass solo before Victor Wooten himself was to go on. Thigpen rose to the occasion and executed his moment in the spotlight with perfect precision.
Near the start of the Wooten Brothers set, Victor asked "Who here is a musician?" Nearly every hand in the audience went up.
During the Wooten Brothers' performance, each brother got ample solo time to shine. Futureman stepped forward from behind the drum kit to play on the handheld Drumitar, an instrument he invented. Big brother Regi, known internationally as "The Teacher," started instructing his brothers in music when he was just 9 years old. For his lesson of the evening, he schooled Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page with a cover of "Kashmir."
It was the first night back for Joseph fresh off a tour with Steve Miller Band. The keyboardist deftly delivered a Stevie Wonder medley, prompting singalongs from the crowd. The Stevie selections flowed into the Bruno Mars hit "Leave the Door Open," a track that also featured Silk Sonic and Anderson .Paak. From there, Joseph melted seamlessly into a classical progression he devised and back to Wonder's "My Cherie Amour." He followed up the medley with a number on the talk box, as if to say, "I can do it all."
For his part, Victor showcased his skills with funk, jazz, bluegrass and everything in between. Taking his time and building anticipation, the bassist constructed a groove from the ground up utilizing a looper at his feet. Starting small, he added one note at a time as a musical figure slowly took shape, curling like a fern of half steps until it resolved. Finally, the diabolically complicated groove melted seamlessly into “My Life.”
At one point, Victor discussed the Wooten Brothers' start as a band playing in the family garage. Back then, "real bands" played without the assistance of AutoTune.
“I hate to say 'real bands,' because there are plenty of real bands out there today. But back then, if you heard music, that meant someone was playing it," he said. "If someone was in tune, that means they were singing in tune.”
But the forward-thinking brothers proved they weren't averse to all tech.
Victor honored his late brother Rudy, who played saxophone in the band before his death in 2010, and expressed gratitude that with the aid of technology, the group was able to play with Rudy again. The Wootens found a cassette from their formative years in the 1970s. From that, they were able to isolate Rudy's saxophone and accompany him, digitally reuniting the original lineup.
"We’re going to take you back to our garage [...] think fros, think bell bottoms," said Victor, who was only in the 6th grade when the band created a commercially viable funk song titled "Aw Come on, Let's Dance."
During the night's climax, Victor and Regi maniacally played on each other's instruments. Victor swung his bass around his body several times to gasps and cries of "Holy shit!" from of the crowd. The move demonstrated not only masterful musicianship but a flair for showmanship.
Naturally, a standing ovation was in order.
