Mark O'Connor & Bela Fleck's "Slopes" performed by 'Strength in Numbers'
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- Опубликовано: 1 фев 2010
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Mark O'Connor and Bela Fleck composed "Slopes" together for Strength in Numbers featuring Mark on guitar and Bela on Banjo.
Sam Bush - Mandolin
Jerry Douglas - Dobro
Bela Fleck - Banjo
Mark O'Connor - Violin, Guitar
Edgar Meyer - Bass
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"The new moments - new excitement." A lot of people back then, and even now make a big deal about the technical virtuosity of the playing in Strength In Numbers... Frankly I never really believed that the magic was completely about that - there was an emotional spirit to most of the pieces and the music-making, that leaps beyond anything technical. I always believed that the reason why the album was so good, is that it captured a "beautiful rebellion" that only people like us in their 20s could have experienced. Now of course, it would not have happened without the technical facility of each player - but no instrumental group could exist without chops of course. That is why this was so much more I think. It was a willingness to listen to each others every bow and pick stroke, not because we had to in order to make it work... but because we absolutely needed to for our own growth and sense of discovery. In order for us to feel right about our musical world that we were beginning to approach as people who could actually end up making a difference. We achieved that through being creative.
When we were talking about putting this on stage this Thursday for a 22-year reunion or something like that...at Telluride Bluegrass some were talking about covering the notes, each of us practicing with the tape until we saw each other the night before the big set... We could have tried to do it that way. But then we only had 10 songs, and two of people's favorites featured instruments I didn't play anymore (guitar and mandolin) and I co-wrote those two as well - it would have had to somehow grow and extend out from before - just logistically - in some form or fashion... Five creative players can't remain the same people they were. Five human beings - myself, who no longer plays the guitar. I realize now more than I ever did perhaps how good I was at the guitar, simply because it is gone from me now. Maybe chronic bursits and tendonitis in the right elbow that prevents me from controlling a flatpick with the precision I would require, ever again it looks like, makes you different. God said it was time to move. I would have to look in other directions to make up for the losses that life bestows. And of course I live a very rich life of music making in new settings. It is hard to go back, not impossible... but this weekend proved to me that the fluidity and power of creativity is stronger than we realize. It always wins, even though you just took one to the chin and one to the gut, the need to change, won the day, as we feel our loss of doing the reunion Thursday. -Mark O'Connor 
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When this was on ACL in the early 90's, about a song in, I went upstairs and got my young daughter out of her room to share the artistry that was Strength In Numbers. Stunning.
I recorded this show ACL the on the PBS channel Bloody tele first airing to VHS still has same effect affect on me such a good trip
There's only one word to describe Mark's solo: SMOKIN'. IMHO, this is the best rendition of Slopes, as Jerry verifies with his grins as Mark tears it up. Thank God Mark decided to return to the six-string in the past few years. All I can say is "Don't leave!!"
Love that album. The CD lived in my car's player for a long time.
Stars were in perfect alignment one time in the late 1900's.
Timeless. It'll take at least a century to get something like this group together again. Just unreal. The sync with each other plus virtuosity...a moment of brilliance that keeps us picker motivated to practice. Nothing but gratitude.
This song should have 10 million views.
Watch Jerry Douglas' reaction to Mark's playing - yeah.
Wow!!! What a composition. I can't believe this the first I have seen it. They are all incredible together and Mark...WOW!!
Bela and Mark's solos are amazing!
Yep, still timeless
I've seen Bela Fleck with the Flecktones...They are amazing musicians worth
seeing!
My reactions to this video are just like Sam Bush's. Who can sit still while listening to it? I get wild in my chair!
towards the end of Mark's solo there are a couple times on Jerry's face where he's like holy cow...and Jerry's solo is pretty dang good
Close to my favourite record
I saw this concert on television back in 1993. Soon after I managed to purchase the cassette. This performance influenced my playing quite a lot back in those days.
This CD is in my permanent playlist. I think it is the finest representation of the virtuosity of these players and speaks volumes that this incredible set of recordings did not win a Grammy or two.
Hello! How can I find this Cd on Spotify?
If I could go back in time to see one song performed, it’d be this one. I’d fly out to Austin, no matter the cost, just to experience this. Mark’s solo always sends chills up my spine.
agreed man
Five of the best musicians on the planet!!
This was perhaps the most magical of all concerts I've ever been to. (I've seen ALOT of great music)... The whole thing; being in the cool night mountain air of Telluride.... knowing the work of all these musicians and seeing the wonder of this "collaboration to test all collaborations" Brilliant compositions and jaw-dropping, musical execution. I'll NEVER forget this. Here's to you, Mark!
Im so glad I caught all this great bluegrass in my youth those were magical times, these guys are super gifted. There is talent out there but todays music doesnt come close to the old days
Bela Fleck's music takes the banjo into a completely different universe. All of the guys on this stage are the modern masters of Bluegrass, but they far, far transcend Bluegrass.
Absolutely great stuff, ain't it? I'm so honored I got to see Bela live, he's an incredible talent.
Truely pieces for the time. This my favorite version of "Slopes", put it to ski vids longest black run in Europe in France
Mark,you are untouchable
Wow, this is great! I wish I could find more videos like this in HD. I'm just learning how great these guys are! (Netflix is seriously lacking in bluegrass music. Glad I found this!)
To share a bit of craziness with you the last 24 hours. There was a last-minute cancellation of Mumford and Sons at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival this week due to a medical surgery on one of the members, and a call out for a "Strength in Numbers" reunion set this Thursday for a $100,000 fee to replace them. There was this mad dash of activity, apparently all five of us could have made it with some easy plan alterations. Since I don't play guitar and mandolin anymore and haven't for 15 years, I wanted great Nashville guitar player from my Thirty-Year Retrospective Bryan Sutton to play guitar on my tune "Slopes" - video link here with me playing guitar - (that I co-wrote with Bela Fleck). According to someone in the old group of five members, they had something against having a 6th guy join us even for the one song for the reunion set, and wished that I could just cover my "Slopes" piece on violin. I responded that I would be happy to play violin on it and take a solo on it for sure, but still think my composition was so guitar heavy and guitar driven, that it needed that instrument on that piece I wrote - or it should be struck from the set. Bryan would have just played the tar out of it!
Evidently there were misunderstandings in this tiny span of time, and the show was dramatically pulled after I thought it was on for sure, and given to Steve Martin and Edie Brickell. Middle of the night phone calls dealing with the issues of new people to cover my old parts on mandolin like Chris Thile who was my suggestion for my tune I wrote with Sam Bush "Macedonia," (also featured on my Thirty-Year Retrospective) but having dissent in the old group membership on that too... anyway... I couldn't have these great young artists come up on stage and play my old parts for the show because of argument over preserving the five original members only in performing the set. The show was pulled by the promoters when they had word of the hassle ensuing. Who knows, it could be the last chance for a reunion of it. Admittedly reunions are tough to do, but this came within absolute nail biting distance! It would have been epic...!!! But too many cooks in the kitchen telling each other what to do and too little flexibility - all wanting the music to come off the best it can be - but with various ideas about how that could be accomplished... and it was gone right before our eyes in a flash. So.... at least we still get to enjoy the old films of those pieces. Thanks and things are back to normal! Hope you had a nice Father's Day! Mine was certainly unusual! But very glad of my kids who make life so wonderful and rich for me! Love, MOC
Mark O'Connor & Bela Fleck's "Slopes" performed by 'Strength in Numbers'
They had a chance to have Bryan Sutton play at their concert and balked at it? Seriously?
to be quite honest, you guys standing in as a REPLACEMENT to the likes of Mumford and Sons is a bit insulting but maybe that's just me
stormtrooper86 I don't know, I likes the both of them.
Sorry that didn't happen with the younger players filling in. Of course it would have been wonderful. A little flexibility, a little trust, and a little more faith in really great songs to keep inspiring would have been nice.
Mark, a violinist now, just makes my head explode when I hear him on guitar and mandolin back in these days. Some kind of superman or something.
What a rotten shame that egos hinder the spirit of music. Much, much respect to you, Mark. (I have owned the Telluride Sessions CD for decades.)
And Bela.....WOW!!..too.
Stunning!! Thankyou!
Best of the best!
After he became the number one call for violin by the studios in Nashville, Mark moved to LA and became extremely successful there. Furthermore, he has played Carnegie Hall in NYC with I. Perlman and E.Meyer. His guitar playing is even more exceptional when you realize that it isn't even his main instrument. He is a violin virtuoso.
Mark, I have only recently discovered what a great guitar player you are. WOW! I have been attempting to play this style of guitar with others for quite some time and no one can identify with it. I cannot read music, I am just playing what I feel....thanks for the tunes. Don
I hope to play that well when I get older
Look at 2:58, Jerry can't believe his ears.
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
That saxophone story is true, cept it was Charlie Parker. You can hear him playing the plastic sax on the 'live at massey hall' album.
Precious wood and strings and hutspa.
its strength in one
Wow, I wish my guitar could do that.
I sometimes forget how much of a mean mammajamma Mark O'Connor is. Wow. And JD tearing the roof of sucka at 4:18!! I never ain't heard nothin like that on my dobro. Ooh Eee!
We appreciated this then,...we appreciate it now. This is truly the Ultimate Band IMHO, give maybe for Pat Flynn not being there.
4:53 what a wizard oO
Anybody know where I can find the guitar chords/tabs for this
There is a tale that John Coltrane had his sax in a pawn shop, and played a gig on a toy saxaphone, making it sound better than most players with an good instrument. Jerry Douglas could make a crappy dobro sound sweet. Any of these guys could be given a student instrument chosen at random and blow us mortals away...
That said, I would assume that a pro like him chose that guitar for a particular sound for a particular piece, and wouldn’t use it for most things.
I think you're mixing up Coltrane with Charlie Parker. Bird plays a plastic sax on the Jazz at Massey Hall album for just the reason you mention. And he does get an amazing tone out of it.
After trying to find good music at Lollalooza 9/03/2019, I came here to get my ear back in synch. Ill try again I guess, I like to be optimistic. Mediocre is now considered great. Anybody from 2019?
Is there another dobro player better than Jerry.
He gave up guitar in the 90s due to tendon problems.
Takamine is not a shit guitar I've seen many a pro playing one.it's all a matter of taste and the tone your looking for.if you can't make one sound good maybe it's you.
One of my first Acoustics was Takamine, was a great guitar actually! Up there with my favs that I've had :D
It doesn’t matter for two seconds what guys are this level play. As long as it stays in tune they are set.
One day the gods decided to step down on Earth and blow their breath over the people.