One of the greatest on the bass visits the ‘Burgh

To some, Victor Wooten is a guest to their favorite musical acts, but to even more, he is… To some, Victor Wooten is a guest to their favorite musical acts, but to even more, he is known simply as one of the best bassists in the world.

While he has appeared with plenty of fan favorites during his career — Bruce Hornsby, Dave Matthews, Prince and Government Mule, to name a few — Wooten is no stranger to showcasing his superb skills on an individual stage, something he will do at Mr. Small’s Funhouse tonight.

Tonight’s concert is a CD release party for his newest solo album, Soul Circus, a 16-track release that will end a six-year hiatus since his last solo release, the Grammy-nominated Yin-Yang in 1999.

The 38-year-old Wooten has spent the time in between playing and touring with Grammy-winning band Bela Fleck and The Flecktones, the group with which he has garnered much of his recognition.

With the recognition comes individual praise for the bass prodigy, who began playing bass at the tender age of 3. By age 5, he was performing with the Wooten Brothers Band, a group that played numerous small clubs across the country.

Since those early days, when his older brother Regi was teaching him how to play, Wooten has skyrocketed. He has two Nashville Music Awards for Bassist of the Year to his credit, in addition to being the sole three-time winner of “Bass Player Magazine’s Bass Player of the Year.”

Soul Circus will be Wooten’s first album for Vanguard records and features more guest musicians than songs. Making appearances will be various members of the Flecktones along with several distinguished bassists, including Will Lee, Christian McBride, T.M. Stevens and Gary Grainger.

Victor Wooten will have his talents on display tonight at Mr. Small’s Funhouse in Millvale. Tickets are $17 in advance or $20 at the door. The show is for all ages, and the doors for the 8 p.m. show open at 7 p.m. For more information, go to www.mrsmalls.com.