Photo by Jessica Burbridge

In a beautiful tribute to the musical legacy of Jerry Garcia and Robert Hunter, Oteil Burbridge, renowned bassist for Dead & Company and The Allman Brothers Band, has released his latest album, Lovely View of Heaven. The emotional and personal journey through the music of Garcia and Hunter is now available on all streaming platforms through Flóki Studios and is open for pre-order on limited edition vinyl.

To mark the album’s release, Burbridge is hitting the road with his all-star ensemble, Oteil & Friends, commencing today, Sept 15, with two performances in Asbury Park, N.J., at Sea Hear Now festival. The tour will flow along the East Coast, featuring a two-night engagement at the Ardmore Music Hall and a stop at the illustrious Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, N.Y.

Recorded at Flóki Studios in Haganesvik, Iceland, and produced by Alan Evans, the album boasts a stellar lineup of musicians, including Jason Crosby on piano, organ, and strings, Tom Guarna on guitar, Pete Lavezzoli on drums, Steve Kimock on guitar, John Kimock on drums, Adam Tenenbaum on guitar sounds and the late Kofi Burbridge on flute.

The LP serves as an intimate and personal voyage for Burbridge, who uses the songs of Garcia and Hunter as a means to navigate his own grief following the loss of his father, brother Kofi Burbridge, and mentor Col. Bruce Hampton.

Reflecting on this cathartic process, Oteil shares, “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. 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.”

Burbridge went on to explain, “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. 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 this music’s spirit and try it.”

Listen to Lovely View of Heaven below.

OTEIL & FRIENDS TOUR DATES 2023

9/15 – The Stone Pony – Asbury Park, NJ

9/16 – Sea Hear Now – Asbury Park, NJ

9/17 – Brown’s Island – Richmond, VA

9/19 – The Wilbur – Boston, MA

9/20 – The Ardmore Music Hall – Ardmore, PA

9/21 – The Ardmore Music Hall – Ardmore, PA

9/22 – The Strand – Providence, RI

9/23 – The Capitol Theatre – Port Chester, NY

9/24 – The Music Hall – Portsmouth, NH

9/27 – Neighborhood Theatre – Charlotte, NC

9/28 – Salvage Station – Asheville, NC

9/29 – The Caverns – Pelham, TN

9/30 – The Charleston Pour House – Charleston, SC