Track 26: "New South Africa" by Bela Fleck and the Flecktones

One of my favorite things about music is that moment you're first introduced to a new band that ends up blowing your mind. And that's exactly what happened when I first heard Bela Fleck and the Flecktones.

I was in college at the time and borrowed the album "Live Art" from a co-worker at the Pot Belly Deli in Clemson, SC. I was aware of Bela Fleck at the time, and by 'aware' I mean to say that I knew Bela Fleck played the banjo and that's about it.

I came home to an empty apartment (which was a sheer miracle in those days considering I had 3 other roommates) on a sunny Spring day, cracked open a cold beer, put disc 1 of "Live Art" in the stereo, and had a seat outside on our deck to enjoy the sunshine. And shortly thereafter my mind was blown. The grooves and melodies were unlike any other music I was into at the time. And who knew a banjo could sound like THAT?

"New South Africa" is the first track of disc 1 of "Live Art" (the entire album is absolutely stellar) and I must have listened to the song about 5 times in a row that day before I let the rest of the album play. It was unlike anything I'd ever heard of.

I became a fan immediately and to this day I regard Bela Fleck as probably the most talented musician alive, but the other members of the Flecktones are certainly no slouches. Bassist Victor Wooten has been named "best bassist" by countless publications countless times. His brother Roy "Future Man" Wooten plays the Synthe-Axe Drumitar--a hideous looking contraption of sampled electronic drumbeats. And one-man horn section Jeff Coffin (who also plays with the Dave Matthews Band now) is just amazing.

I've seen the band several times and always leave the venue completely amazed at what I just witnessed--four virtuosic musicians who can just play amazingly together. They literally touch on about every form of music on the planet, yet always sounds like the Flecktones. Definitely one of my favorite groups of all time.

And it always makes me remember that sunny day on my back porch in Clemson. And to this day, every time the song peaks around the 4-minute mark, I can't help but feel a little burst of adrenaline.

I also know that whoever the co-worker was never got back their copy of "Live Art." And for that I am only remotely sorry.