Victor L. Wooten is a world-famous bass player and here he explains in the weirdest of terms how he learned to appreciate music from a mysterious teacher, the god-like Michael. It is a story told in a simple but confusingly complicated way, with introductions to musicians Sam, eleven, Uncle Clyde, harmonica virtuoso, and Isis, the teacher of numbers. And not to forget visiting the lake to listen to the frogs! Yet there are valuable thoughts to help one to play and appreciate music better – concentrating, listening, focusing, and having adherence to tone, vibration and the groove, to name but a few. It does rather limit music to a jamming session!
The book began intriguingly as it delved into the deeper aspects of appreciating and playing music. Yet very soon it became more and more clear that this is a New Age exploration of music as life, as oneness and the creation of inner truth. Only by letting go and allowing the music to speak to you can you really become a true musician. Yes, music has spiritual qualities, but it certainly does not merit elevation to the meaning of all life. These ideas are anti-religious and tend towards the hippie. It is clearly advantageous for any musician to have a more holistic approach to his craft, but this book firmly strays into the weird. That is not to say, though, that it does not contain plenty of wisdom. It is a shame that the author did not stick to the concepts and ditch the Zen-philosophy storyline.