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Sunday, July 1, 2012
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L AWRENCE J OURNAL -W ORLD
Multi-talented Victor Wooten keeps busy on and off the stage By Mike Krings
When people throw the word “virtuoso” around, they generally aren’t talking about the guy on bass. That adjective that’s used to describe so many shredding lead guitarists or pianists or classically trained musicians would certainly count in the case of Victor Wooten. A wizard on the fourstring bass, Wooten has been playing professionally since childhood, first with a family band, then with well-known acts such as Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Dave Matthews Band and others. He’s done plenty of work of his own, winning five Grammy Awards for his recordings of bass-driven songs. Music is just one part of his existence, though. For 13 years, he’s offered music and nature camps and recently moved his not-for-profit camps to his farm outside Photo courtesy of Steve Parke Nashville, Tenn. MULTI-INSTRUMENTALIST VICTOR WOOTEN’S TALENTS go He’s hit the road with beyond the stage. He’s a published author and runs a camp a new band and will play for aspiring musicians and children who love nature. Saturday at the Granada. He recently spoke with Lawrence.com about send them a copy of the multi-instrumentalists, resong with the melody, and cording solely with female I just liked the songs that vocalists, teaching, how way, with an instrumental. nature informs his music What: Victor Wooten And staying with the traand writing novels. (This When: 8 p.m. Saturday dition of doing things difis an excerpted interview. Where: Granada, 1020 ferent every time I make To read the entire interMass., Lawrence a record, I decided to do view, visit Lawrence.com) Tickets: $20 two records that way. And since I’m putting them out Mike Krings: I undermyself on Vix Records, I stand you’re touring with do that. Or Steve on trom- said, ‘Hey, I can do whata new band. Who’s play- bone or Dave on trumpet. ever I want.’ And that’s ing with you on this trip, We learned our parts, and how the idea came about. and what would you say we’re at the place now MK: Speaking of all the where we can improvise vocalists being women, they bring to the show? Victor Wooten: I have on ‘em a little bit. But the how did that idea come to two drummers that I’ve switches are scripted in be, and with all the great worked with for quite a the show, but a lot of times women singers out there, while: J.D. Blair and De- they’re happening right how did you decide whom rico Watson. Both of these in the middle of a song, to work with? drummers I’ve used quite someone might pick up VW: That was an idea a bit over the last 20 years. another instrument, then I’ve had for many years, But I also have four long- go back to this instrument. doing a record with female time friends that play bass So it’s a lot of fun. We’re vocalists, because I love to guitar and also multiple having a blast. support female vocalists, other instruments. One of MK: You also have a probably more than male them being Steve Bailey. He new record coming out in vocalists. I hate to even say is the new head of the bass September. Are you play- that, but there’s something department at the Berklee ing tracks from that or very sensual and soft about College of Music. Antho- saving that material for female vocalists that you ny Wellington and a guy future shows? have to understand to supnamed Dave Welsch. And a VW: No, we’re actually port them properly with wonderful vocalist named playing it. Most of the mu- your instrument, especially Krystal Peterson. But a cool sic that we’re playing is with the bass. Because it’s thing about this band is ev- from these new records. not something where I’m eryone is playing at least So we’re having fun play- just gonna be slappin’ it all two instruments, and some ing new music. There’s the time with my thumb, of us three. So, even though actually two new CDs or whatever. You have to a lot of us are bass players, coming. One of them is also be able to be gentle. it’s rare that we’re all play- titled “Words and Tones,” So it brings out part of my ing bass at the same time. and that’s a vocal record, playing that I like. So I’ve Somebody’s playing trum- featuring female vocalists. been toying with that idea pet, a trombone, or cello But if you take the letter for many years, and now or guitar or keyboards. So S off the end of “Words was the time. I actually it’s so much fun for us, be- and Tones” and put it on had too many vocalists in cause we found in teach- the front you get “Sword mind. I had more vocalists ing our camps over many and Stone,” and that’s the for the music than I could years that if you want to instrumental record. So, fit on a CD. So some of the make a musician smile, you on a lot of versions of vocalists I had in mind did put them on an instrument the songs, there are both not make it on the CD, so I they’re not that good at. vocal and instrumental have to visit with them in Then it becomes fun again. versions. And so we’re the future. We have big smiles on our playing, mixing versions MK: You’re well-known faces. together on tour. for touring and playing MK: You mentioned MK: I’m glad you with other well-known playing with a group of brought that up because I musicians such as Bela multi-instrumentalists. wanted to ask you about Fleck, Dave Matthews and Could you tell me a bit the two different versions others. How do you comabout the stage show in of the record, with both pare the experience of this dynamic? Is it choreo- the instrumental and vo- working in that dynamic graphed, or more of a free- cal takes. How did you de- versus taking your solo flowing, switch-when-the- cide to take this approach? material on the road? time-feels-right kind of VW: Well, I knew I VW: Well, they both thing? wanted to do a record kind of enhance different VW: Yeah, it’s choreo- featuring female vocal- parts of me, all the differgraphed times when we ists. And a lot of the times ent avenues that I get to switch because these are when I invite a vocalist go down. They all make instruments that we’ve to sing, I allow them to me a broader and more been playing forever. So write some of the lyrics, complete person. In my for me to go back to play- so that they’re lyrics that mind, the most important ing cello like I did in grade they feel good about. So gig that I’m doing is the school, I kind of need to I would record the music one that I’m doing at the know when I’m going to and add a melody to it and moment. So everything
VICTOR WOOTEN
before, whether it was with the Flecktones or Dave Matthews or Chick Corea, or whoever, I treat those all as warm-ups for tonight’s gig. No matter if I’m playing in a nightclub, a stadium or a secondgrade classroom. That’s the most important gig, right then. So, there are differences, but they’re all just as important as every other one. MK: In addition to recording and touring, you also host camps focusing on music and nature. What is it about teaching that inspired you to take on this endeavor, and how do you balance music and nature in your teaching? VW: Well you have to find time to do it. There’s a lot of time if you just make the most of it. You have to keep on top of a schedule, make sure my kids are taken care of and that I get enough time with them. But I’ve just always loved sharing what I know with people, and learning from other people also. And some of it’s also self-serving because I grow when I share and teach someone what I know. To me, that completes the circle of any knowledge, to teach what you know. You have to understand what you’re doing to teach. There’s a lot of people who can do something, but don’t even understand how to teach it. And there’s nothing wrong with that. But I enjoy knowing what I’m doing and being able to teach it. And when you see the excitement in someone’s eyes when they finally get it, or better yet, when they surprise themselves by doing something by doing something they didn’t know they could do, that’s one of the most exciting things in the world. MK: You’ve been playing music, and playing professionally, practically your entire life. How do you continue to find new ways to enjoy music and avoid falling into routine? VW: You know, learning music is like counting to infinity: no matter how long you count, you never get any closer to the end. So music is always changing and growing because it has a life of its own. So you have to find a way not to get bored, and the way to do it is to not try to keep things like they’ve always been. A lot of people try to keep classical music and jazz the way it used to be. And that’s hard to do because trying to keep anything the same is just like killing it. So for me, I allow myself to grow and I allow music to grow. And then I keep my ears and eyes open, my feelings open, and there’s no way for me to get bored. MK: Getting back to the topic of playing live, what would you say the good people of Lawrence can expect from your upcoming show? VW: Well like I always say, they’re gonna see things and hear things they’ve never heard before. I guarantee people have not seen a show like this one before. Where everyone’s switching instruments, it’s brand new music. So it’s gonna be an inspiring show that people can dance to or sit and listen to; it’s totally up to them.
Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes divorcing
AP File Photo
KATIE HOLMES and Tom Cruise arrive at the premiere of “The Kennedys” March 28, 2011, in Beverly Hills, Calif. Cruise and Holmes are calling it quits after five years of marriage.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — It always seemed more than a little weird, didn’t it? The whirlwind romance of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes with its very public, very emphatic proclamations of love. It all occurred too quickly and too loudly to seem real. Now, after nearly six years of marriage, Holmes is divorcing Cruise. She filed the papers on Thursday, said Cruise’s lawyer Bert Fields. The two share
a daughter, 6-year-old Suri, who’s been featured in celebrity media nearly as frequently as her parents. But it’s telling that even in addressing their split in the typically vague fashion of famous people, Cruise still refers to Holmes by the name he called her: Kate, as if to distance her from the adorable Katie audiences came to know and love from the teen soap “Dawson’s Creek.” “Kate has filed for di-
vorce, and Tom is deeply saddened and is concentrating on his three children,” Cruise’s representative, Amanda Lundberg, told The Associated Press. “Please allow them their privacy to work this out.” Cruise has two children with his previous wife, Nicole Kidman. The actor was also previously married to Mimi Rogers. This was Holmes’ first marriage.
Nick Krug/Journal-World Photo
BRIAN L. KRAEMER, OF THE BAND THE ARTIFICIAL RED, front, is pictured with his bandmates Thursday. Kraemer, who is a veteran, was released after being injured while serving overseas between 2003-04. He says he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder but feels at home when performing with his bandmates, Brandon Ripley, back left, Thomas Long and Jayme Deever.
Healing up: Injured war veteran, band perform to inspire By Alex Garrison acgarrison@ljworld.com
ARTIFICIAL RED SHOW
You can leave war, but What: T.A.R. featuring it’s not likely it’ll ever Story to Unfold, Mirror leave you. Image and The Artificial You can leave the war Red after you wake up in a When: 9 p.m. Thursday hospital bed in Germany, Where: Granada, 1020 your leg shattered, cripMass., Lawrence pled, disfigured and dysTickets: $10 for ages functional. Eight years ago 18 and over, $7 for ages this week, war destroys 21 and over. your leg and, almost, your life. You won’t talk about it specifically — no details on what exactly happened. all around a stage. Get up. But with your buddies, Heal up. Find the drive. hanging out in your prac!"!"! tice space, your eyes well The drive is critical. up a little bit talking about some of the thoughts that Anybody can get to his or went through your head her dreams, Kraemer says, then: You can leave now, emphasizing that those but then what do you do? dreams can include being If you’re Brian L. Krae- a doctor or being a rock mer, a veteran injured in star. You just have to find Operation Iraqi Freedom and hold on to your drive. in 2004, you get up, grow So Kraemer’s is beyond your hair out, put on a just healing himself. It’s about talkPink Floyd ing to othT-shirt and On stage, I’m at ers, being plan to bean inspiracome the home and I can give tion. most in- something to people. “ O n spirational I person any When something feels stage, of your that good, you’ve got think, ‘Look what I did. f r i e n d s to do more of it.” You can do know. Then something you write amazing, what you’ll — Brian L. Kraemer too,’” he later call says. “On — with the convincing confidence of stage, I’m at home and a self-made man — one I can give something to of the best albums you’ve people. When something feels that good, you’ve got ever heard. If you’re Brian L. Krae- to do more of it.” The Artificial Red hopes mer, aspiring Topekabased hard-rock frontman, to do more. They’re in talks you laboriously go from to do a base tour, playkidney failure and very ing for active duty troops near death to booking gigs across the country. They and donating your time to want to do V.F.W. halls too, give a bit of entertainment but that’s a little harder. — a short, loud, grungy dis- Many don’t accept Iraq and traction of relief — to the Afghanistan veterans. But other veterans who have that tide is slowly changing, left war but know its scars and Artificial Red is growing an audience playing won’t leave them. gigs in Topeka and LawIn short, you heal up. Those are his words, rence, especially veterans’ and he repeats them often. benefits when they can. “We’re building,” DeevThese are the phrases he uses to describe the last er says. “We’re building eight years of his life: Get from the ground up.” They’ve just recorded up. Heal up. Find the drive. When you’ve gone from an album and beam with paralysis to playing punk, pride about it. It’s in the your conversations are mixing stage and will be about movement, prog- out in September. ress and becoming an in!"!"! spiration for others. Kraemer wants The ArEight years ago this week, war destroys your tificial Red to be the best leg and, almost, your life. band ever, up with his heIf you’re Kraemer, though, roes. The Artificial Red you don’t let it destroy you. gets knocked down from time to time, like any as!"!"! piring band. They don’t Kraemer’s band, The make the cut on a battle Artificial Red, includes his of the bands. They get a friend of 15 years, Jayme bad review. They struggle Deever. They met in with PTSD. school and started hangBut they continue. “We’re having life’s ading out because of a shared interest in music. Deever venture,” says bandmate played guitar. Kraemer Thomas Long, clearly the stayed in the background, jokester in the group, lightplaying drums. Kraemer’s ening the mood. “We denow the frontman. Deever serve it, to have some fun.” helped carry Kraemer up Long and the fourth stairs after he came back member, Brandon Ripley, from several German have been in the band just hospitals weighing 120 a few months. But they all pounds, physically a shell work hard together, pracof his former self. There’s ticing five times a week, a lot about Artificial Red each taking a hand in their that exemplifies history growth and promotion. They’re working to be and pain. But don’t think of that, Kraemer says. It’s an inspiration, after all. Get up. Heal up. Find always about progress. Go from shy kid to lead- the drive. ing man. Go from using — Reporter Alex Garrison can be a wheelchair to using a reached at 832-7261. Follow her walker to using a cane to at Twitter.com/alex_garrison. walking to jumping up and
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