Béla Fleck and the Flecktones in Stony Brook

Béla Fleck and the Flecktones is an American instrumental group formed in 1988 around banjoist Béla Fleck, bassist Victor Wooten, percussionist Roy “Future Man” Wooten and harmonica and keyboard player Howard Levy. The band plays jazz fusion rooted in bluegrass, funk and improvisation, and is known for compositions including “The Sinister Minister” and “Flight of the Cosmic Hippo.” The latter also gave its name to the group’s second album. Live Art, released in 1996, documented the group’s concert repertoire during its early years of touring. The 2002 film and album Live at the Quick later captured an expanded ensemble at Fairfield University. After Howard Levy rejoined, the original quartet recorded Rocket Science and toured behind it in 2011, followed by 30th-anniversary concerts in 2018. In its original-quartet format, the concert lineup features Fleck’s banjo, Victor Wooten’s electric bass, Future Man’s SynthAxe Drumitar and percussion, and harmonica and keyboards from Howard Levy.