StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: The return of the original Flecktones

Today, let's take a look at some recent videos featuring Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, who will be back in St. Louis next week to perform Thursday, March 29 at the Sheldon Concert Hall.

Although they've played in St. Louis numerous times in the past, this is the first appearance here for the Flecktones since their original lineup reconvened in 2009 with keyboard and harmonica player Howard Levy back in the fold. (Saxophonist Jeff Coffin, who had replaced Levy back in 1997, remains busy with the Dave Matthews Band and his own projects.)

The reunited Flecktones - Fleck, Levy, bassist Victor Wooten and percussionist Roy "Futureman" Wooten recorded a new album, Rocket Science, that was released last spring, and have been doing live dates ever since. Today's collection of clips features the reunited lineup in a series of performances from the past year.

Up above, you can see them playing the song "Prickly Pear," which was first recorded for Rocket Science, at the 2011 Bonnaroo festival in Tennessee.

Down below is a short promotional video for Rocket Science that includes some musical excerpts and brief interviews with the band members about their reunion. Below that are two more clips of live performances of songs from the album, "Sweet Pomegranates" and "Life In Eleven."

We close out with two clips that show the current Flecktones reaching into their back catalog for older material, with a version of "Sinister Minister" recorded last June at the Mountain Jam festival, and a rendition of "Big Country," also from Bonnaroo 2011.