If there were ever any bounds to music, Col. Bruce Hampton and the Aquarium Rescue Unit would break them. While never commercially successful, the band – composed of Col. Bruce, Oteil Burbridge, Jimmy Herring, Jeff Sipe, Matt Mundy, and Count M’Butu – were known for their far-fetched approaches to entertainment, weaving bluegrass, rock, jazz, funk, Latin, and the impressive talents that would inspire each player to go off in their own successes (Allman Brothers Band, Widespread Panic, Dead & Company, among others).
Whether they were dropping bricks, jumping on tables, or straightening out their instrument’s pegs, the ARU always kept things interesting. While their approach to live music doesn’t quite translate to the present moment, we can certainly go back and appreciate their unique directions (or lack-thereof). Col. Bruce Hampton and the Aquarium Rescue Unit were all about “going for it” and having “no fear”, “no safety net”, and certainly no traditional practices. It was all about doing the opposite of what you think you should do.
Thanks to taper greens_n_beans, we can enter the zone with this recording, from 8/16/91, which includes “Yield Not”, “Compared To What”, “Fixin To Die” and “Love Light,” among many others. Enjoy!
For fans of Oteil Burbridge, you won’t want to miss him performing alongside members of The String Cheese Incident, The Disco Biscuits, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, Lettuce, Soulive, Medeski Martin & Wood, Snarky Puppy, Primus, RatDog, Dopapod, and so many more, at the second annual Brooklyn Comes Alive – in the heart of Williamsburg – with over 50 artists spanning three venues in just one day: October 22nd. [Get tickets here]