FA#64- Oteil Burbridge

[Mr. Jiggy Fly]

[IMG] http://www.compactdixie.com/images/vrac/oteil_burbridge.jpg [/IMG]

The lights dim. The audience stirs as the hazy figure of a man aproaches the mic. In his hands is a beautiful Fodera, affectionately named "Luwanda". Suddenly, a flurry of notes jump from the man's hands. Funky grooves make booties move, and heart-felt solos are sung along by the man. This man is Oteil Burbridge, bassist for The Aquarium Rescue Unit, The Allman Brothers band, and his own band, Oteil and the Peacemakers. Blending jazz, world beats, and fusion with greasy funk, Oteil is able to play a swing ballad, then jump into a funky jam. He seems to have a style of his own, using his signature sing-along solos, 6-string chords, and sheer groovability ( ) to captivate the audience. Enjoy
Biography
Oteil Burbridge was born in Washington, DC on August 24, 1964. Being the son of two music-loving parents, he was indulged in music at a very young age. Starting off on trumpet, then moving through pianao, violin, and drums (which he is also exceptionally talented at), Burbridge discovered bass at age 14, using his brother's bass (a Hofner Beatle bass).

"I was originally a drummer, when i was like, 5 years old, and all my influences were drummers, particularly jazz cats like Elvin Jones, Buddy Rich, Max Roach, Roy Haynes, and Philly Jo Jones. When I picked up bass I was more into funk players, like Bootsy Collins, Verdine White, and-- without knowing who there were, Chuck Rainey, James Jamerson, and Anthony Jackson"

Oteil had a talent for bass. By age 18, he was gigging in the Virginia Beach area, playing jazz, funk, and fusion in local clubs. After becoming framiliar with both the bass and gigging, Burbridge moved to Atlanta. It was here that he met vocalist Col. Bruce Hampton, who was looking to put together a jam band that held no bars when it came to music. Soon after, the Aquarium Rescue Unit was formed. Along with guitarist Jimmy Herring, drummer Jeff Sip, keyboardist Harles Williams, Oteil Burbridge and the Aquarium Rescue Unit rose in fame in the underground Jam Band scene. After releasing two albums, Col. Bruce Hampton retired from Aquarium Rescue Unit. The vocals position was taken over by Paul Henson, who, although much different than Bruce Hampton, brought a great new voice to Aquarium Rescue Unit. While all this was happening, ARU caught the attention of The Allman Brothers Band. In 1997, Oteil joined the Allman Brothers to replace fallen bassist Berry Oakley. By joining ABB, Oteil showed how versatile he really is. While in ARU and another band, Frogwings, Oteil weilded a 6 string basses with precision, and used his fingers to produce his almost tuba-like tone. In ABB, Oteil switched to a 1971 Jazz bass, playing it with a pick> The music was also an large change. Switching from free-verse jazz-funk jams to southern rock takes practice, but Burbridge had no problem doing it. After touring with ABB for years, Oteil was featured on there album Hitting the High Note . During touring with ABB, everynight after the set, Oteil would play at local Jazz and Blues clubs with his own bands, the funky jam band Vida Blue (featuring Phish keyboardist Page McConnel and Meters drummer Russel Batiste) and Oteil and the Peacemakers. In 2003 Burbridge and the Peacemakers released their second album, The Family Secret , which also includes a very cool DVD with lessons and exclusive content.

GEAR
Basses
Model: Fodera Monarch 6
Primarily Used With: Oteil and The Peacemakers
Body: Walnut
Top: Sugar Leaf Maple
Neck: Maple
Fingerboard: Madagascar Kingwood
Pickups: Seymour Duncan Single Coil/ Humbucking JJ
Preamp: Fodera/ Pope
Extra Features/ Comments: Extended B Headstock, 35" Scale, Named "Luwanda"

Model: Modulus Quantum OB-1 Semi-Hollow
Primarily Used With: Aquarium Rescue Unit, Allman Brothers Band
Body: Mahogany
Top: Spruce
Neck: Carbon Fiber/ Graphite
Fingerboard: Composite
Pickups: Lane Poor Soapbars
Preamp: Bartolini 3 Band (?)
Extra Features/ Comments: Used to Record "The Family Secret".


Other Key Basses
1964 Fender Jazz (Used with Allman Brothers Band, played with a Steve Clayton .80 Pick)

Kydd Electric Upright (Used on the track "My Dog Sassy" from The Family Secret)

Custom Billy Gallant J-Style 5 String

All of his basses are strung with D'Addario XL170 (.32- .130)

Amplification (Live)
2 Ampeg SVT-4PRO Heads
2 Ampeg SVT-410HLF Cabs
2 Ampeg SVTPR-15H Cabs

Amplification (Recording)
Miked Vintage Ampeg B-15

Recommended Listening
With Aquarium Rescue Unit
How Tight Your Drawers
Garden
Swallows
Headstrong
Plain or Peanut

With Oteil and The Peacemakers
Full Circle
My Dog Sassy
Thank You
Check Yourself
Hard to Find

With Allman Brothers Band
Woman Across the River

With Frogwings
Hurdy Gurdy Fandango

With Vida Blue
Most Events Aren't Planned
Where's Popeye's
Fresh Tube

Discography
With The Peacemakers
The Family Secret
Love of a Lifetime
With The Allman Brothers Band
Hittin' the High Note
Peakin' at the Beacon
With Aquarium Rescue Unit
In A Perfect World
Mirrors of Embarassment
Col. Bruce Hampton and The Aquarium Rescue Unit
With Strangers Hand
Strangers Hand
With Frogwings
Croakin' At Toads
With Vida Blue
Vida Blue
Burbridge has appeared on many other albums, including Victor Wooten and the Bass Extremes CD.

Pics
[img] http://www.compactdixie.com/images/vrac/oteil_burbridge.jpg [/img]
[img] http://www.jambands.com/july00/features/perfs-17.jpg [/img]
[img] http://www.fodera.com/artists/oteil/P0007958_sml.jpg [/img]
[img] http://www.hittinthenote.com/images/issue42/oteil1.jpg [/img]
[img] http://bama.ua.edu/~twolfe/images/tw4x.jpg [/img]
[img] http://www.citybeat.com/2003-04-30/soundadvice-1.jpg [/img]
[img] http://www.henrybutler.com/oteil3.jpg [/img]

Videos
http://www.aquariumrescueunit.com/index.php?module=My_eGallery&do=showpic&pid=100&orderby=dateD

http://www.aquariumrescueunit.com/index.php?module=My_eGallery&do=showpic&pid=99&orderby=dateD

http://www.aquariumrescueunit.com/index.php?module=My_eGallery&do=showpic&pid=98&orderby=dateD

Thanks Quatre for helping me get pics and vids

[Tizzle]

I'm cool, I was the first to reply


Edit: Ok now that I read it, that was pretty good. Nice job and imaginary rep points for taking the time to do that.

[The JoZ]

Nice FA.

If no one else has called 65, I want to do it.

My bassist said he'd finally be able to write me back by Friday or so, after months of waiting

[Mr. Jiggy Fly]

Originally Posted by The JoZ

Nice FA.

If no one else has called 65, I want to do it.

My bassist said he'd finally be able to write me back by Friday or so, after months of waiting

Very cool man. You got #65. Thanks

[e p]

Oteil is great.

Very nice work

His stuff with ARU and Vida Blue is great.

[Mr. Jiggy Fly]

Originally Posted by e p

Oteil is great.

Very nice work

His stuff with ARU and Vida Blue is great.

Vida Blue is especially funky, but for me ARU is his best band.

[e p]

Originally Posted by Mr. Jiggy Fly

Vida Blue is especially funky, but for me ARU is his best band.

Definately.

Nice find, too. I thought he might have doen before; I was actually going to do him sooner or later.

[cliffburtonrules]

Honestly, I don't know how you guys can keep track of who's been done.

I didn't even know there were this many famuos bassists before MX.

[The JoZ]

There was a list of FA's a while back...

I'm sure it's still around, but I don't know where it's been moved to...

[Az_Holl]

^^^^^^^
its in resources i think

[Omega Red]

bien

[mister_tee]

Long overdue! Great job

[The Forgotten Bassist]

First time I've heard of him, pretty cool

[Riouken]

Nice FA

I seen thsi guy on Victor Wooten -Bass Day 08.

[edgebass5]

Great FA Mr. Jiggy Fly, definitely good stuff.

One of the users over at Talkbass (can't remember who) apparently knows Oteil pretty well. Apparently Oteil at one point gave him a quick lesson on rhythm by thumping away with his thumb on a paper towel dispenser in the men's bathroom of a club where he was playing a jazz gig. Just thought it was a pretty neat little story to add to this thing.

[MiniBassist]

Good FA . About time someone did oteil.



Mini

[Esp Griffyn]

Nice. All I have heard by him was his performance on the Bass Day 98 dvd with Wooten, and I have to say that I hated that performance, his tone was awful (fomr his modulous) and I didnt like the way he sang along with everything he played.

Id like to hear some of his other stuff, but those video links wouldnt play for me. then I could make a real judgment, based on more evidence.

[eguitaranlead]

wow that guy is awsome.

[Left Shoe]

that was great, i never really bothered to check out oteil before but now i think i need to spend more time checking him out

[alembic_bassman]

You only listed two references with ABB in the discography, but I am sure he played with them throughout their career as a band.