Victor is the loving husband and devoted father of four; the youngest sibling of the amazing Wooten brothers (Regi, Roy, Rudy and Joseph), and the bassist in their famed family band; the student in the martial art of Wing Chun and the nature survival skill of Tracking; the teacher of dozens of Bass players at his acclaimed annual Bass & Nature camp; and the master magician.
Victor Lemonte Wooten got to music early, growing up in a military family in which his older brothers all played and sang. By the time he was 3, Victor was being taught bass by his oldest brother Regi, and at age 5 he was performing professionally with the Wooten Brothers Band. He recalls, "My parents and brothers were the foundation. They prepared me for anything by teaching me to keep my mind open and learn to adapt.” Working their way east from Sacramento, the band played countless clubs and eventually opened concerts for Curtis Mayfield and War.
Victor was influenced by bass mentors, Stanley Clarke, Larry Graham and Bootsy Collins, while learning about the music business at a wildly accelerated pace. By the early '80s, with the family settled in Newport News, Virginia, the brothers became mainstays at Busch Gardens theme park in nearby Williamsburg, making numerous connections with musicians in Nashville and New York.
In 1988 Victor moved to Nashville, where he worked with singer Jonell Mosser and met New Grass Revival banjo ace Bela Fleck. A year later, Fleck enlisted Vic, his brother Roy (a.k.a. Future Man) and harmonica-playing keyboardist Howard Levy to perform with him, and the Flecktones were born. After three highly successful albums, Levy departed in 1993, and the band's new trio format enabled Victor to develop and display a staggering array of fingerboard skills that turned him into a bass hero of Pastorian-proportions and helped earn the band a Grammy.
With the Flecktones in full flight, Victor set his sights on a solo career, first forming Bass Extremes with fellow low-end lord Steve Bailey (leading to an instructional book/CD and two CDs, to date), and finally releasing his critically-acclaimed solo debut, A Show of Hands, in 1996. Soon after, Vic took his solo show on the road with drummer J.D. Blair. Momentum and accolades built with successive tours and the release of What Did He Say? in 1997, the Grammy-nominated Yin-Yang in 1999 and the double CD, Live In America in 2001.
Wooten won two Nashville Music Awards for Bassist Of The Year and is the only three-time winner of Bass Player magazine's Bass Player Of The Year. With the honors came sideman calls, leading to recordings and performances with artists like Branford Marsalis, Mike Stern, Bruce Hornsby, Chick Corea, Dave Matthews, Prince, Gov't Mule, Susan Tedeschi, Vital Tech Tones (with Scott Henderson and Steve Smith), the Jaco Pastorius Word Of Mouth Big Band, and the soundtrack of the Disney film Country Bears, not to mention the stellar work with guitarist Greg Howe and Dennis Chambers with the group Howe Wooten and Chambers.
Fresh off sold-out tours with the Flecktones and Bass Extremes (with Bailey, Watson and Oteil Burbridge) in 2004, Victor is re-focusing on his solo side in 2005 thanks to a remarkable new CD, his Vanguard Records debut, Soul Circus. A three-ring affair, the disc boasts such guests as the Wooten brothers, Bootsy Collins, Arrested Development rapper/vocalist Speech, Howard Levy, Dennis Chambers, Saundra Williams, J.D. Blair, Derico Watson, Flecktone Jeff Coffin, and a who's-who of bassists, including Bailey, Burbridge, Will Lee, Rhonda Smith, Christian McBride, T.M. Stevens, Bill Dickens and Gary Grainger.
On Soul Circus, Victor performs his usual high-wire act on a bevy of basses, but the real ringmaster here is his collection of songs: The poignant "Prayer” and Prince-charged flipside "Natives” provide a thought-provoking look at our native Americans. The epic "Bass Tribute” pays homage to great thumpers past and present. "On and On” is an instant soul classic. "Cell Phone” makes a chuckle-filled, cutting-edge connection. "Higher Law” stands as a stadium-ready, rock-funk protest anthem in the best Sly Stone tradition. "Back to India” currys up simmering musical flavors. And the hip hop/jazz title track marks the sonic coming-out of the long-rumored eight-armed character seen on the CD's cover and in the liner notes: Yes, Virginia (and the rest of the world), there is a funktopus!
Victor Wooten has the rare ability to continuously raise the bar, always growing as an artist, and he's excited to have joined the Vanguard roster with the release of Soul Circus.
Justice
Victor Wooten Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hush this we're not supposed to discuss this
We got to hide it in a song
We got to keep things quiet
They don't want us to riot
Got to make it like nothings wrong
Cause when you talk about politics
You got to talk about all of it
We need to walk up to the front door
Tell em we ain't taking it no more
Whats it all about, about justice
I said its about justice
And now my heats been turned off from my job
I've been laid off what am I gonna do
What is the shape i'm in because of my dark skin
Now I know that can't be true
And since we're all down here together
Got to work to make it better
Do out best for what its worth
But you now the rules are bent
When you have to pay rent just to live on Earth
Where're talking about justice
Well we talk about justice
It's all about justice
Justice
Justice
Justice
Break it down now
First I read about it
I tried to forget about it
I didn't think about it for a while
About what they mean
22 cops on the scene and only 4 go to trial
Its about justice
Its about justice
what you say
Its about justice
Tell everybody what we gotta have
Its about justice
Its about justice
In Victor Wooten's song "Justice," Wooten discusses the taboo topic of politics and the importance of speaking up about justice. The lyrics begin with the notion that justice is often viewed as a subject that should not be discussed, as people fear backlash or even riots. However, Wooten argues that music can be used as a vehicle to express the need for justice while maintaining peace. The song then delves into specific examples of injustice, such as job loss and discrimination based on skin color.
Wooten highlights the importance of coming together to improve the current system and make it fairer for all individuals. He recognizes that the rules are often skewed, and people must pay rent just to live on Earth. Ultimately, the song's message is clear: justice must be pursued, no matter what the consequences may be. The constant repetition of "it's about justice" throughout the song emphasizes the importance of this message, making it clear that justice is a fundamental human right that we all deserve.
Line by Line Meaning
Here we go talk about justice
Let's have a conversation about justice
Hush this we're not supposed to discuss this
We'll be frowned upon if we talk about this subject
We got to hide it in a song
To avoid criticism, we need to convey our thoughts through music
We got to keep things quiet
We must keep our message low-key and not provoke any disturbance
They don't want us to riot
There will be consequences if we create a violent uproar
Got to make it like nothings wrong
We need to camouflage our message so it doesn't raise any alarms
Cause when you talk about politics
Political issues need to be discussed with ample care
You can't leave nothing out
Everything that's relevant must be discussed and taken into account
We need to walk up to the front door
We need to confront the oppressors directly
Tell em we ain't taking it no more
We will not tolerate this oppression anymore
Whats it all about, about justice
The crux of it is all about justice
And now my heats been turned off from my job
I lost my employment, and now I have no source of income
I've been laid off what am I gonna do
With no job, I'm helpless and uncertain
What is the shape i'm in because of my dark skin
I am facing discrimination based on my skin tone
Now I know that can't be true
I have realized it is not acceptable to judge a person by their skin color
And since we're all down here together
Since we all coexist, we need to work together to solve problems
Got to work to make it better
We need to put in our best efforts to improve the current situation
Do our best for what its worth
We need to do everything in our power to make a difference
But you know the rules are bent
The norms are not always fair to everyone
When you have to pay rent just to live on Earth
Even for basic survival needs, one needs to pay a price
Where're talking about justice
We're having a discussion centered around justice
First I read about it
I first read about it in the news
I tried to forget about it
I tried to keep myself from dwelling on it
I didn't think about it for a while
I took a break from thinking about this matter for some time
About what they mean
About what the happenings signify
22 cops on the scene and only 4 go to trial
Despite the fact that 22 police officers were present at the incident, only 4 withstand trial
Its about justice
The core of the matter is justice
What you say
What are your thoughts on this?
Tell everybody what we gotta have
Let everyone know what we must demand
Its about justice
It's all about justice
Its about justice
The matter pertains to justice
Justice
Justice
Justice
Justice
Justice
Justice
Contributed by Emma P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.