Béla Fleck & The Flecktones - 1993 "Three Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest"

Three Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is the fourth album released by Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, released in 1993. It is the band's only release as a trio, after the departure of Howard Levy but before the arrival of Jeff Coffin. Wiki.

Those who have enjoyed earlier Béla Fleck & the Flecktones recordings will not be disappointed with Three Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest. The Flecktones have stuck with the formula that made their previous records successful: complex, tight grooves wrapped in a very musical, user-friendly package. The Flecktones still suffer from the departure of keyboardist/chromatic harmonica player Howard Levy, who provided the band with needed additional musical colors and textures. Guest appearances by Bruce Hornsby (no vocals) and Branford Marsalis help fill this void. As always, the musicianship is excellent, and all players involved have ample space with which to display their virtuosity.  All Music.

This is the one! The departure of Howard Levy and his often annoying harmonica (Note: Howard, loved your keyboard playing but that harp had to go!) forced the three remaining 'Tones into a different, jazzier direction than before. Victor's writing really comes into its own on this album (his several tunes here are jaw-droppingly great), and Future Man's synth-drumming style improves exponentially. Technically, the all three are really on fire. Anyone who own's even one Flecktones album needs to get this one. By A Customer.

This CD was recorded right after Howard Levy (piano, harmonica) left the band to stay home more with his family. The band plays over 200 live dates each year! Bela Fleck, Victor Wooten, and Future Man (Roy Wooten) decided they were having too much fun to quit. So they became a trio (thus the title of the CD). This album will take you from uplifting jazz type numbers to smooth soothing music to foot-stomping jams. Check it out!  By Belafan.

If I was on a desert island... This CD would be one I MUST bring with me. This is a wonderfully lively, soothing, and outright enjoyable CD. I was already hooked on Bela when I bought this for my Dad--now *he's* hooked. ;)
This is simply a must-have for anyone who likes the Bela Fleck style of jazz, and for fans of DMB-type rock who're looking to expand their horizons, it makes a great stepping stone. By A Customer.

Being an avid BFF fan, I have to say this is their best, though "Live Art" comes a very close second. Bela, Vic and Futch have a magic on this one that I don't think I've ever heard before. Such versitality, smoothness and connection is a very rare thing indeed for any band, but it's here on this one. I vary rarely go through the gambit of emotions on one disc as a whole, but this one did it to me. It's a must for all BFF fans.  By A Customer.


What we have here is music explosion at a very high level of creativity.These GUYS have guts and play with a tremendous musical authority.All the pieces of the disc deserve respect for the homogenous result they offer plus the fact that the compositions gives you the feeling that they will never faint out.What else to say top class musicians that seems to respect their audience. A LANDMARK RECORDING . By blueish.

Track listing

01    "Vix 9" (Victor Wooten) – 4:27
02    "At Last We Meet Again" (V. Wooten) – 5:34
03    "Spunky and Clorissa" (Béla Fleck) – 4:30
04    "Bumbershoot" (B. Fleck) – 5:22
05    "Blues For Gordon" (B. Fleck) – 5:16
06    "Monkey See" (B. Fleck) – 3:16
07    "The Message" (music: The Flecktones; lyrics: Joe Wooten) – 4:03
08    "Interlude (Return of the Ancient Ones)" (Future Man) – 2:06
09    "The Drift" (The Flecktones) – 3:30
10    "A Celtic Medley: Meridian/Traveling Light/Salamander's Reel" (B. Fleck) – 6:39
11    "Peace, Be Still" (V. Wooten) – 4:05
12    "The Longing" (B. Fleck) – 5:25
13    "For Now" (B. Fleck) – 2:40

Personnel

    Béla Fleck – Acoustic (tracks 2, 3, 5-7, 10, 12) and electric banjos (tracks 1, 4, 9, 12), gut string banjo (track 11, 13), synth (track 4), sustain pedal (tracks 1, 3, 5, 9, 12)
    Future Man – Synth-Axe Drumitar (tracks 1-12)
    Victor Wooten – Bass guitar (tracks 1, 4, 6, 9), fretless bass (tracks 10, 12), tenor bass (tracks 2, 3, 5, 7, 11), stereo effect (tracks 1, 2)

Guest musicians

    Bruce Hornsby – piano (tracks 3, 7)
    Branford Marsalis – soprano saxophone (track 9), tenor saxophone (track 7)
    Roderick Ward – alto saxophone (track 10)