Oteil Burbridge

Oteil Burbridge (born August 24, 1964) is an American Grammy Award-winning multi-instrumentalist, specializing on the bass guitar, trained in playing jazz and classical music from an early age. He has achieved fame primarily on bass guitar during the current resurgence of the Allman Brothers Band from 1997 through 2014. He was also a founding member of the band the Aquarium Rescue Unit, and has worked with other musicians who include Bruce Hampton, Trey Anastasio, Page McConnell, Bill Kreutzmann and The Derek Trucks Band, with whom his brother Kofi Burbridge is the keyboardist and flautist.

Burbridge is most notably recognized for his ability to incorporate scat-singing into his improvised bass solos. His bass style is influenced by Jaco Pastorius, especially his use of bass chords which are used in his bass improvisation. Oteil endorses Fodera, Modulus, Sukop and Dunlop.

Musical career

Early endeavors

The Allman Brothers Band

The Allman Brothers Band was an American rock band formed in Jacksonville, Florida in 1969 by brothers Duane Allman (slide guitar and lead guitar) and Gregg Allman (vocals, keyboards, songwriting), as well as Dickey Betts (lead guitar, vocals, songwriting), Berry Oakley (bass guitar), Butch Trucks (drums), and Jai Johanny "Jaimoe" Johanson (drums). While the band has been called the principal architects of southern rock, they also incorporate elements of blues, jazz, and country music, and their live shows have jam band-style improvisation and instrumentals.

The group's first two studio releases stalled commercially, but their 1971 live release, At Fillmore East, represented an artistic and commercial breakthrough. The album features extended renderings of their songs "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed" and "Whipping Post", and is often considered among the best live albums ever made. Group leader Duane Allman was killed in a motorcycle accident later that year, and the band dedicated Eat a Peach (1972) in his memory, a dual studio/live album that cemented the band's popularity. Following the motorcycle death of bassist Berry Oakley later that year, the group recruited keyboardist Chuck Leavell and bassist Lamar Williams for 1973's Brothers and Sisters, which, combined with the hit single, "Ramblin' Man", placed the group at the forefront of 1970s rock music. Internal turmoil overtook the band soon after; the group dissolved in 1976, re-formed briefly at the end of the decade with additional personnel changes, and dissolved again in 1982.

Dead & Company

Dead & Company is a band consisting of former Grateful Dead members Bob Weir (guitar), Mickey Hart (drums), and Bill Kreutzmann (drums), along with John Mayer (guitar), Oteil Burbridge (bass), and Jeff Chimenti (keyboards).

History

Dead & Company was formed in 2015 following the hugely successful Fare Thee Well concerts performed by the surviving members of the Grateful Dead. They initially announced only one concert date on October 31, 2015 at Madison Square Garden in New York but announced a full tour shortly afterwards.

John Mayer expressed a particularly strong enthusiasm toward playing with the new band.Phil Lesh, the original bassist for the Grateful Dead, did not join.Mike Gordon of Phish briefly auditioned for the role but had to withdraw due to being too busy with other matters.

Following the band's final 2015 performance on December 31, 2015 John Mayer told fans that they could expect more Dead & Company concerts in 2016 and this was confirmed by Bob Weir when he was interviewed on Periscope. The band initially had one performance confirmed for 2016 at the Bonnaroo Music Festival but announced a full summer tour on February 8, 2016.