Three Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is the fourth album released by Béla Fleck and the Flecktones

Béla Fleck and the Flecktones

Béla Fleck and the Flecktones is a primarily instrumental group from the United States, that draws equally on bluegrass, fusion and jazz, sometimes dubbed "blu-bop". The band formed in 1988, initially to perform once on the PBS series Lonesome Pine Specials. The Flecktones have toured extensively...

, released in 1993. It is the band's only release as a trio, after the departure of Howard Levy

Howard Levy

Howard Levy is a Grammy Award–winning, American harmonicist, pianist, composer, and producer....

 but before the arrival of Jeff Coffin

Jeff Coffin

Jeff Coffin is an American jazz and alternative rock musician best known as the saxophonist for Dave Matthews Band and Béla Fleck and the Flecktones. In addition to the saxophone, he plays clarinet, flute and oboe.-Biography:...

.

Reception

In his Allmusic review, music critic Dan Cross wrote of the album "The Flecktones have stuck with the formula that made their previous records successful: complex, tight grooves wrapped in a very musical, user-friendly package. The Flecktones still suffer from the departure of keyboardist/chromatic harmonica player Howard Levy, who provided the band with needed additional musical colors and textures."

Track listing

1. "Vix 9" (Victor Wooten
   Victor Wooten
   Victor Lemonte Wooten is an American bass player, composer, author, and producer, and has been the recipient of five Grammy Awards....
   
   ) – 4:27
2. "At Last We Meet Again" (V. Wooten) – 5:34
3. "Spunky and Clorissa" (Béla Fleck
   Béla Fleck
   Béla Anton Leoš Fleck is an American banjo player. Widely acknowledged as one of the world's most innovative and technically proficient banjo players, he is best known for his work with the bands New Grass Revival and Béla Fleck and the Flecktones.-Early life and career details:Fleck was born in...
   
   ) – 4:30
4. "Bumbershoot" (Fleck) – 5:22
5. "Blues For Gordon" (Fleck) – 5:16
6. "Monkey See" (Fleck) – 3:16
7. "The Message" (music: Fleck, V. Wooten, Future Man
   Future Man
   Roy Wilfred Wooten , also known as "RoyEl", best known by his stage name Future Man , is an inventor, musician, and composer...
   
   ; lyrics: Joe Wooten) – 4:03
8. "Interlude (Return of the Ancient Ones)" (Future Man) – 2:06
9. "The Drift" (Fleck, V. Wooten, Future Man) – 3:30
10. "A Celtic Medley: Meridian/Traveling Light/Salamander's Reel" (Fleck) – 6:39
11. "Peace, Be Still" (V. Wooten) – 4:05
12. "The Longing" (Fleck) – 5:25
13. "For Now" (Fleck) – 2:40

Personnel

• Béla Fleck
  Béla Fleck
  Béla Anton Leoš Fleck is an American banjo player. Widely acknowledged as one of the world's most innovative and technically proficient banjo players, he is best known for his work with the bands New Grass Revival and Béla Fleck and the Flecktones.-Early life and career details:Fleck was born in...
  
   – Acoustic and electric banjo
  Banjo
  In the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
  
  s
• Future Man
  Future Man
  Roy Wilfred Wooten , also known as "RoyEl", best known by his stage name Future Man , is an inventor, musician, and composer...
  
   – Synthaxe Drumitar, percussion
• Victor Wooten
  Victor Wooten
  Victor Lemonte Wooten is an American bass player, composer, author, and producer, and has been the recipient of five Grammy Awards....
  
   – Bass guitar
  Bass guitar
  The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
  
  

Guest musicians

• Bruce Hornsby
  Bruce Hornsby
  Bruce Randall Hornsby is an American singer, pianist, accordion player, and songwriter. Known for the spontaneity and creativity of his live performances, Hornsby draws frequently from classical, jazz, bluegrass, folk, Motown, rock, blues, and jam band musical traditions with his songwriting and...
  
   – piano
  Piano
  The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
  
  
• Branford Marsalis
  Branford Marsalis
  Branford Marsalis is an American saxophonist, composer and bandleader. While primarily known for his work in jazz as the leader of the Branford Marsalis Quartet, he also performs frequently as a soloist with classical ensembles and has led the group Buckshot LeFonque.-Biography:Marsalis was born...
  
   – saxophone
  Saxophone
  The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
  
  
• Roderick Ward – saxophone
  Saxophone
  The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
  
  

Chart positions

Year	Chart	Position
1993	Billboard Top Contemporary Jazz Albums	7