Flecktones Returning With 'Hidden Land'

Bela Fleck and the Flecktones will return Jan. 31 with "The Hiddden Land," the quartet's first Columbia studio album since 2003's "Little Worlds." The Flecktones spent 2005 on hiatus while group leader Bela Fleck pursued a variety of other projects.

For "Hidden Land," the group gathered at Fleck's home studio in Nashville and quickly began working on ideas. For the song "P'lod," Fleck says, "[Percussionist] Future Man shared the song with us, and said that it had come from a dream, where [saxophonist] Jeff [Coffin] had taught it to him. He's still pretty convinced that Jeff wrote it, but we can't quite figure out how that's possible."

Other tracks include the Flecktones' take on J.S. Bach's "Bach Fugue," "Who's Got Three," "Labyrinth," "Kaleiloscope" and "Chennai."

Fleck is in the midst of a trio tour with bassist Stanley Clarke and violinist Jean-Luc Ponty but is planning to regroup with the Flecktones for North American touring next year.

Technorati tag: Jazz