Victor Wooten Music Lesson

I've just finished the book, and in would recommend it to any musician, with a few observations. Firstly, you've got to realise that VW appears to be seeking to redress some missing elements in music teaching. This mainly appears to be around the reason why we play, and seeing music as living and relational, rather than a science or competitive sport (I assume this is something many of his bass playing followers get wrong in his eyes, thinking chops is all). Secondly, he is writing about life and music from his own worldview, which appears to be informed by Buddhist ideas. At times he does seem to be making points that are more about the bigger picture of life, rather than music. I'm sure this is intentional, which is fine, but some might find it a bit 'out there'. However, speaking for myself, the book certainly has made me think about my bass playing differently. I'm sure Victor has spent plenty of time in the 'woodshed' and burning scale patterns in his fingerboard, but in The Music Lesson he reminds us that a killer run might not communicate anything if it doesn't come from a place of meaning. It's what every mature player knows; three notes can blow fifteen notes out of the water if done well. In this regard, his chapters on groove and space are fantastic. It's not a book to be considered as Scripture I guess, but it might just add the element of meaning to our other books on scales, modes, and the gymnastics.