Roy "Futureman" Wooten is a five-time Grammy Award-winning, American musician. Internationally known as the inventor of the Drumitar and percussionist/founding member of Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, he has reached unprecedented heights within the possibilities of percussion and composition. Whether playing traditional drums with a jazz combo, conducting his own symphony, or performing with the Flecktones, Futureman continues to reinvent and fascinate audiences and peers alike with each recent development in his mysterious world of creation. He is the second eldest of the Wooten Brothers (five brothers known for playing their respective instruments with paralyzing skill). As young children they began playing in the front yard for passers by and eventually went on to join the Arista Records roster and open for such acts as WAR, Curtis Mayfield, the Temptations, and Stephanie Mills. Futureman is the drummer of the bunch, but his insatiable thirst for innovation, technology, and exploration eventually resulted in the advent of the Drumitar, an instrument of his own invention which incorporates MIDI, trigger pads, and drum samples.
At the time, he was playing with his brothers as well as a band called Faces in Virginia. Soon thereafter he got a call from Bela Fleck in Nashville, TN and before too long would become a founding member of Bela Fleck & the Flecktones. At an early Flecktones gig at The Station Inn, Mark O'Connor and Jerry Douglas declared Roy to be some type of 'future man.' The nickname stuck and has since served appropriately and well as his alias to the world and pseudonym for his accomplishments. After two decades, several world tours, and five Grammy Awards, Futureman became known to many for his Drumitar playing (and signature tri-cone hat) with this group of innovators. The Flecktones' sonic image is unlike any other in the world of jazz, and they have toured with acts such as Chick Corea, Bobby McFerrin, Return to Forever, Herbie Hancock, and Tony Williams. Additionally, Futureman has recorded and/or performed with Whitney Houston, Kenny G, and Branford Marsalis. The most momentous compliment, however, is when jazz drumming legend Max Roach remarked that Futureman's is "the most creative approach to drumming" he had ever seen.
Outside of the Flecktones and beyond Jazz, Futureman has made strides in Classical music, but - like most of his endeavors – a number of exceptions must be noted. As if advanced composition were not enough, he has rehearsed, conducted, and premiered each of his own pieces. The most significant exception, however, is the compositional process itself. Though it should be no surprise, Futureman wrote these works on melodic, piano-like instruments of his own invention (The RoyEl and The Dorothy Graye), which resulted from his desire to play with the greatest possible emotional sensitivity. From these instruments came Evolution D'Amour, Evolution de la Musique, and his current project, The Black Mozart, which marks several artistic and technological firsts.
This new and revolutionary symphonic work shows all the familiar symptoms of a Futureman masterpiece: artful manipulation of rhythm, with an inflation of syncopation and relentless groove; seamless blend of styles, instruments, and voices that span the globe as well as centuries of its rich cultural history; exploitation of technology and talent. On the road and the record is The Black Mozart Ensemble, which is a group of virtuoso musicians in their 20s. Even younger than the talent is the technology. From his initial writings on The Dorothy Graye he went on to team with NOTION Music to complete the orchestration. NOTION's software brought the score to life with the sounds of the London Symphony Orchestra recorded at Abbey Road Studios. Then, The Black Mozart Ensemble took the music and ensemble playing itself to new heights.
The Black Mozart also introduces Futureman's alter ego, Ovombo Summit, a mysterious composer/author who transcends time in order to suspend reality, but, most significantly, this project tells the story of an epic rise from slavery to chivalry by a mixed-race revolutionary of 18th century France who was sometimes called "The Black Mozart." His real name is Joseph Boulogne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, and, tragically, the fullness of his legacy has been overlooked due to the fact that, despite everything he did right, his color was wrong. Saint-Georges' efforts to reconcile these differences are most exemplified in his final orchestra, The Circle of Harmony. Today, Futureman continues the Circle of Harmony, which – through art – demonstrates to the world the beauty of diversity and co-existence.
The Black Mozart Ensemble is a group of young, virtuosic performers who have found a home in embracing the creative demands of Futureman's compositions, pushing ensemble playing itself to new heights. Diverse in both artistic and cultural backgrounds, each member brings a unique flavor, the result of which is a refined, modern ensemble that evokes what has become the 'Black Mozart sound.' While audiences astound at the individual brilliance of each player, their collective performance sounds beautiful and feels good – truly reminiscent of the spirit in which Saint-Georges' original symphonie concertante encouraged human collaboration rather than individual indulgence. Members include Zach Casebolt, Lyndsay Pruett, Lindy Donia, Tyler Andal, Jesse Hale, Andy Pond, Todd Johnson, and special guests.
blackmozart.comFlecktones.com FOR BOOKING:
The Sound Kitchen (817) 781-3576
booking@thesoundkitchen.org
www.thesoundkitchen.org
FOR MANAGEMENT:
Michael Mallicote
(615) 585-5950
mjmallicote@gmail.com
Check out more Futureman & the Black Mozart Ensemble Videos on youtube.com
