Beloved bassist Oteil Burbridge (Dead & Company, Allman Brothers Band) has announced a new album, Lovely View of Heaven, honoring the legacy of Jerry Garcia and Robert Hunter. Along with the announcement, he shared “Stella Blue”, the first preview from the album, which is due out September 15th.
Featuring eight classic Garcia/Hunter ballads, some of which Burbridge sang with Dead & Company, plus a bonus track with Oteil’s brother, the late Kofi Burbridge, on flute, Lovely View of Heaven is a deeply personal project, despite being a covers album. In paying tribute to one of the Grateful Dead‘s legendary songwriting duos, Burbridge processes the grief of losing not only his brother, but his father and his mentor Col. Bruce Hampton with new arrangements that retain the emotional core of the original compositions.
“Looking back, I don’t feel like I was able to really process all the pain from these huge losses until I started working on these ballads,” Burbridge reflected. “All these arrangements were written through many tears. And all the vocal tracks were recorded that way as well. It is my sincere hope that this album will be a catalyst for listeners to process their pain as it was for me.”
Recorded in Iceland and produced by Alan Evans, the album features contributions from Jason Crosby (piano, organ, strings), Tom Guarna (guitar), Pete Lavezzoli (drums), Steve Kimock (guitar), John Kimock (drums), Adam Tenenbaum (guitar sounds), and Kofi Burbridge (flute). Burbridge urged listeners to approach the album with an open mind, warning that he took creative license while reworking these classic songs.
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“In a real sense it is Garcia, Hunter and Burbridge. I have rewritten a small amount of it. Or rather added to it. As you will hear,” he explained. “My hope is that it will not put off the listener but rather reveal another angle of perspective. You can still sing along but you may find the furniture moved around. It’s still your favorite chair but the rooms are redecorated. Be reassured though. All of my influences are pretty much the same as those of the guys in the Grateful Dead thanks to my Dad, Kofi, and Col. Bruce Hampton. I hope Deadheads will “trust me with their children” and those who are not Deadheads will embrace the open mindedness of the spirit of this music and give it a try.”
Listen to “Stella Blue”, the first single from Oteil Burbidge’s forthcoming album Lovely View of Heaven below or on your preferred streaming platform. Pre-save or pre-order the album here before it drops on September 15th, pre-order the limited-edition vinyl here, and scroll down to view the album tracklist.
Following the album’s release, Burbridge will hit the road with Oteil & Friends for a run with stops at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ (9/15); two nights at The Ardmore Music Hall in Ardmore, PA (9/20–21); The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY (9/23); The Caverns in Pelham, TN (9/29); and more. Click below for a full list of shows and head here to purchase tickets.
Oteil Burbridge – “Stella Blue” (Grateful Dead)
