STARR HILL PRESENTS: BÉLA FLECK & THE FLECKTONES: JINGLE ALL THE WAY

December 16
8:00 PM

The Paramount Theater

215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. Charlottesville, VA 22902
Charlottesville, VA 22902

Feat. Victor Wooten, Roy "Future Man" Wooten & Howard Levy

with special guests Jeff Coffin & Alash

Banjoist Béla Fleck, harmonica and keyboardist Howard Levy, bassist Victor Wooten, and percussionist/drumitarist Roy "Future Man" Wooten have been creating some of the most forward-thinking music throughout their remarkable careers. Drawing from a vast array of genres – from classical and jazz to bluegrass, African music, electric blues, and Eastern European folk – their sound is impossible to define. It's a unique musical language forged by the union of four brilliant minds, each contributing something distinct to the whole. Simply put, it is The Flecktones: music that only emerges when these four musicians come together.

This winter Béla Fleck & The Flecktones return to bring you Jingle All the Way, a reunion tour featuring the group's beloved tunes – along with reinvented, jazz-infused holiday classics from their GRAMMY-winning album by the same name. Performing this music together for the first time in over 15+ years, the band reunites for a uniquely unforgettable evening as founding members Fleck, Wooten, Wooten, & Levy take the stage alongside former Flecktones bandmate and saxophonist, Jeff Coffin, and Tuvan throat singing ensemble, Alash – all of whom appeared on the studio album.

Hitting #1 on the Top Contemporary Jazz chart and earning the 2009 Grammy for Best Pop Instrumental Album, Jingle All the Way is a playful and innovative take on often cliché holiday tunes – whether its "The Twelve Days of Christmas" performed in 12 different keys and 12 different time signatures over the course of the tune, or a medley of five Christmas tunes being played together, simultaneously. "Christmas music is inside everyone's DNA," says Fleck. "Jingle All the Way is an open doorway for listeners to understand the Flecktones' music."

About Béla Fleck

Just in case you aren't familiar with Béla Fleck, there are many who say he's the premiere banjo player in the world. Others claim that Fleck has virtually reinvented the image and the sound of the banjo through a remarkable performing and recording career that has taken him all over the musical map and on a range of solo projects and collaborations. If you are familiar with Fleck, you know that he just loves to play the banjo, and put it into unique settings.

A nineteen-time Grammy Award-winner, Fleck has the virtuosic, jazz-to-classical ingenuity of an iconic instrumentalist and composer with bluegrass roots. For over 30 years, he has led Béla Fleck and The Flecktones, the groundbreaking quartet. From writing three banjo concertos for full symphony orchestra to exploring the banjo's African roots with the award-winning 2009 documentary Throw Down Your Heart, many tout that Béla Fleck is the world's premier banjo player. As Jon Pareles wrote for The New York Times, "That's a lot of territory for five strings." His Grammy-winning project My Bluegrass Heart is named in honor of his friend, mentor, and hero Chick Corea (My Spanish Heart). Béla and Chick toured for many years as a duo and released three acclaimed albums, including their latest and final duo project, Remembrance (2024), which won the 2025 Grammy for Best Jazz Instrumental Album.

About Jeff Coffin

Jeff Coffin is a saxophonist and composer who has earned international acclaim for his work with Dave Matthews Band and Béla Fleck & the Flecktones, as well as his 23+ solo projects. Coffin's approach to the saxophone is marked by a fearless sense of exploration, fusing elements of jazz, funk, world music, and rock into a style that is uniquely his own. A 3x Grammy Award winner, Coffin has toured the world, captivating audiences with his powerful, emotive playing.

About Alash

Alash are masters of Tuvan throat singing (xöömei), a remarkable technique for singing multiple pitches at the same time. What distinguishes this group from earlier generations of Tuvan throat singers is the subtle infusion of modern influences into their traditional music. One can find complex harmonies, western instruments, and contemporary song forms in Alash's music, but its overall sound and spirit remain decidedly Tuvan. The Washington Post described their music as "utterly stunning," quipping that after the performance "audience members picked their jaws up off the floor."

VIP INFORMATION

One (1) Premium reserved ticket

Invitation to exclusive pre-show experience with Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, including

Access to the soundcheck performance

Q&A Session

Exclusive VIP merch gift

Commemorative VIP laminate

Merchandise shopping opportunity before doors open to the public

Priority entry into the venue

Limited availability

All VIP Merchandise will be shipped to purchasers AFTER THE SHOW PLAYS

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO! The Paramount Theater is pleased to bring diverse programming to the stage and screen. The Theater does not provide advisories about subject matter for events, as sensitivities vary. Not all events may appeal to, or be appropriate for, every person. Patrons are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the shows offered in order to make informed decisions prior to purchasing tickets.

In addition to show synopses, trailers, and reviews on our web events, other resources about content and age-appropriateness for specific films can be found on Common Sense Media, IMDb, and DoesTheDogDie.com as well as through general internet searches. For further questions, please contact the Box Office at 434.979.1333 or at boxoffice@theparamount.net, 10AM-2PM Monday-Friday + 1 hour before events.