Grammy-winner Victor Wooten brings jazz, funk, pop and soul to ECC
Grammy-winning bassist Victor Wooten, best known for his work on bass guitar with Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, Stanley Clarke, Dave Matthews and more, will make his third appearance at Elgin Community College on Saturday, Oct. 13, with another genre-bending performance spanning the styles of jazz, funk, pop, soul, gospel, world music and more.
The Victor Wooten Band will perform at 7:30 p.m. at the ECC Arts Center’s Blizzard Theatre located in Building H on the Spartan Drive campus, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin.
Armed with a bass since childhood, Wooten has become a tour de force with his instrument of choice. He’s been named “Bass Player of the Year” three times by Bass Player Magazine (the only person to win more than once) and was voted one of the Top Ten Bassists of all time by Rolling Stone Magazine. Wooten continues to build upon his extraordinary bass skills as a solo artist, in addition to composing, arranging, producing, writing, teaching, and experimenting with other instruments.
It’s been a busy year for Wooten: he released two new albums: “Sword and Stone” and “Words and Tones” and has been touring with his new band: The Victor Wooten Band. The band features Wooten on electric, tenor and upright basses, cello, guitar, and vocals; Krystal Peterson on vocals, keyboards, and drums; J.D. Blair on vocals and drums; Derico Watson on vocals and drums; Anthony Wellington on bass, keyboards, and vocals; Steve Bailey on bass, keyboards, trombone, and vocals; and Dave Welsch on bass, trumpet, keyboards, and vocals. Each musician will multi-task (actually switching instruments mid-song) resulting in a part choreographed and part improvised display of musicianship and showmanship at its best.
Tickets are $35 and $32. A three-course, preshow dinner prepared by ECC’s award-winning Culinary Arts and Hospitality program and served in ECC’s Spartan Terrace Restaurant (just a few convenient steps from the theater doors) can be purchased for an additional $35. Dinners include wine and must be purchased before Monday, Oct. 8.
Prior to his ECC performance, Wooten will hold an interactive workshop at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 13. The session, which is ideal for any musician, includes an opportunity to talk with Wooten and some of his bandmates. Although the workshop is not jam session, participants are welcome to bring instruments. Workshop tickets are $20.
Tickets for all performances in the ECC Arts Center are available online at tickets.elgin.edu or at the ECC box office located in the Arts Center. Box office hours are noon to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and noon to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday. To purchase tickets by phone, call (847) 622-0300. All major credit cards are accepted.
Visit elgin.edu/arts for more information about the ECC Arts Center, including video clips of upcoming artists and events, the Standing Room Only blog, and links to the Arts Center’s Twitter and Facebook pages.