Vida Blue (band)

Vida Blue
Genres Jazz, Funk, Electronica
Years active 2001-2004
Labels Elektra Records
Sanctuary Records
Associated acts Phish, Oteil and the Peacemakers, Aquarium Rescue Unit, The Meters
Past members Page McConnell
Oteil Burbridge
Russell Batiste, Jr.

Vida Blue was an electronic trio featuring Page McConnell (Phish), with Oteil Burbridge (The Allman Brothers Band, Aquarium Rescue Unit), and Russell Batiste (The Meters).

Name

Vida Blue got its name from the 1970s Major League Baseball pitcher Vida Blue. Blue himself joined the band on stage in 2004 at The Fillmore in San Francisco.[1]

A screamo band from Iowa City, Iowa had been using the same name through part of 2001.[2] The band subsequently changed their name to "Ten Grand,"[3] reportedly because they were paid $10,000.00 to relinquish rights to the name to McConnell.[4][5]

History

The band originated in 2001 when McConnell attended shows by both the The Allman Brothers Band and The Meters, and approached both Burbridge and Batiste about the Vida Blue project, which they were interested in. McConnell then booked time to record in New Orleans's Piety Street Recording Studio, later adding instrumental overdubs in Vermont.[6] The resulting self-titled album, Vida Blue, was released in the summer of 2002 on Elektra Records.[7]

Their second album, The Illustrated Band, released in 2003 on Sanctuary Records, is backed by the Spam Allstars, a Latin Grammy-nominated, Afro-Cuban sextet.[8]

The group actively toured in April 2002, July 2002, April 2003, January 2004, and June 2004, with their last announced appearance being at the 2004 Bonnaroo Music Festival.[9]

A DVD: Vida Blue and the Spam Allstars - Live at the Fillmore was released on November 30, 2004.[10]

Albums

  1. Vida Blue (June 25, 2002, Elektra)
  2. The Illustrated Band (October 14, 2003, Sanctuary)

DVDs

References

  1. ↑ "Vida Blue". SETLIST 6/5/04 SAN FRANCISCO, CA. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
  2. ↑ "Discogs". The Vida Blue. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
  3. ↑ "Southern Records - Store". Retrieved 23 July 2011.
  4. ↑ "I Could Die Tomorrow". The Vidablue/Ten Grand - The Comprehensive List of Everyone Who Has Ever Done Anything Wrong to Us. Retrieved 23 July 2011. |first1= missing |last1= in Authors list (help)
  5. ↑ "Drowned In Sound". Ten Grand. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
  6. ↑ "Vida Blue". Band Members. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
  7. ↑ "All Music Guide". Vida Blue - Vida Blue. Rovi. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
  8. ↑ "All Music Guide". Vida Blue - The Illustrated Band. Rovi. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
  9. ↑ "Vida Blue". Tour Dates (Archive). Retrieved 23 July 2011.
  10. ↑ "Vida Blue". New Vida Blue DVD 'Live At The Fillmore'. Retrieved 23 July 2011.