Photo courtesy of USC- Chico

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. He began experimenting with playing bebop on the banjo in high school. In 1982, he joined the progressive bluegrass band New Grass Revival, where he made a name for himself in the country-bluegrass world. At the same time he was releasing a series of solo albums for Rounder Records.

Bela Fleck began the decade of 2000 by inking a deal with Sony Music.  The first release was Outbound, the aptly-titled Flecktones Columbia CD which features the band performing with an all-star cast of guest artists including vocalists Shawn Colvin and Jon Anderson (of the group Yes), guitarist Adrian Belew, oboe player Paul McCandless, and keyboardist John Medeski (of the jazz jam-band Medeski, Martin &Wood). Like previous Flecktones albums, the music on Outbound is a melange of styles-from bluegrass to jazz to world beat-that is often built around Fleck's concept of "the banjo being weird."

In 2003, Bela Fleck & The Flecktones released Little Worlds, the first new studio album from the group since 2000's Grammy-winning Outbound. Produced by Bela Fleck, the new album is a monumental work on 3 CDs and includes many special guests, including Sam Bush, The Chieftains, Jerry Douglas, Branford Marsalis, Bobby McFerrin, Nickel Creek, Derek Trucks, and Bernie Williams. The album is a collaborative effort showcasing the ever-evolving group dynamics of the band. The most ambitious work yet Little Worlds is a an eclectic, yet cohesive, collection of 27 musical pieces. The limited-edition 3 disc set includes liner notes by Bela Fleck and a 24 page booklet filled with photos taken by the Flecktones and their crew. The group began work on the album in October 2001, with the original intention of creating a "lean and mean" "no rules" record with just the four band members: Bela Fleck (banjo), Victor Wooten (bass), Future Man (synth-axe drumitar), and Jeff Coffin (tenor and alto sax). As the recording process progressed, it became apparent that these were no ordinary sessions and the floodgates of musical inspiration and diversity had opened. Ranging from hip-hop and jazz to Gaelic airs and bluegrass to classical and world music Little Worlds is the band's most adventurous album.

The band:

Béla Fleck: banjo
Victor Wooten: bass
Future Man: percussion, vocals and Synth-Axe Drumitar (his hybrid guitar/synth/drum machine invention)
Jeff Coffin: saxophone

Crossing the Tracks (Rounder Records, 1979)

Natural Bridge (Rounder Records, 1982)

Double Time (Rounder Records, 1984)

 Inroads (Rounder Records, 1986)

Daybreak (Rounder Records, 1987)

Drive (Rounder Records, 1988; SACD reissue: Mobile Fidelity, 2004)

Places (Rounder Records, 1988)

Bela Fleck & The Flecktones (Warner Brothers, 1990)

Flight of the Cosmic Hippo (Warner Brothers, 1991)

UFO Tofu (Warner Brothers, 1992)

Three Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest (Warner Brothers, 1993)

Tales From the Acoustic Planet (Warner Brothers, 1995)

Live Art (Warner Brothers, 1996)

Left of Cool (Warner Brothers, 1998)

Greatest Hits of the 20th Century (Warner Brothers, 1999)

The Bluegrass Sessions: Tales From The Acoustic Planet, Vol. 2 (Warner Brothers, 1999)

Outbound (Columbia 2000)

Perpetual Motion (Sony Classical, 2001)

Live at the Quick (Columbia Records, 2002)

Little Worlds (Columbia Records, 2003)

Music for Two (Sony Classical, 2004)

 Hidden Land (Columbia Records, 2006)

Jingle All the Way (Rounder Records, 2008)

Throw Down Your Heart, Tales from the Acoustic Planet, Vol. 3: Africa Sessions (Rounder Records, 2009)

The Bluegrass Sessions: Tales From the Acoustic Planet, Volume Two . Tablature Book. Published by Homespun Tapes.

Bela Fleck and Tony Trischka's Solo Banjo Works Tab. Taught By B?la Fleck, Tony Trischka. Tablature Book. Published by Homespun Tapes.

Banjo Picking Styles . Video and Tab book. Published by Homespun Tapes.

Bela Fleck's "Drive" Tab . Tablature Book. Published by Homespun Tapes.