''In a Perfect World'' is a 1994 studio album by

the Aquarium Rescue Unit Col. Bruce Hampton and the Aquarium Rescue Unit is a jazz fusion group founded by Col. Bruce Hampton. The band gained popularity in the Atlanta club scene in the early 1990s and went on to tour with the first H.O.R.D.E. Tour. During their format ...

. It was the band's first studio album, following two live releases, and their first record following the departure of former frontman

Bruce Hampton Bruce Hampton (born Gustav Valentine Berglund III; April 30, 1947 – May 1, 2017) was an American musician. He was a key figure in the Atlanta, Georgia music scene, mentoring numerous other musicians who became national stars. His own musical ...

Reception

In a review for

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

, JT Griffith wrote: "The album is packed with some great jams and beautiful sounds," but noted that although it "probably translated well live," "on record the band falls flat." John Swenson, editor of

The Rolling Stone Jazz & Blues Album Guide ''The Rolling Stone Album Guide'', previously known as ''The Rolling Stone Record Guide'', is a book that contains professional music reviews written and edited by staff members from ''Rolling Stone'' magazine. Its first edition was published in 1 ...

, awarded the album 4 stars, calling it "a burnished fusion effort featuring magnificent performances from Herring and Oteil Burbridge." Writer

Dean Budnick Dean Budnick is an American writer, filmmaker, college professor, podcast creator and radio host who focuses on music, film and popular culture. Budnick, who is editor-in-chief of Relix,"Editor's note" ''Relix'' October/November 2013 grew up in ...

commented: "The level of musicianship is quite high on this disc... Burbridge is... creative and compelling... Herring distinguishes himself on a number of tunes." No Treble's Ryan Madora praised Burbridge's playing on "The Garden," stating that he "exhibits impeccable technique," and "uses clever interval leaps and chords during the flute solo, only to give way to a fierce and acutely punctuated groove before returning to the original theme."

Track listing

# "Search Yourself" (Henson, Herring) – 5:58 # "Stand up People" (Ingram) – 4:58 # "How Tight's Yer Drawers" (Henson, Herring) – 3:50 # "The Garden" (Bubridge, Henson) – 5:04 # "Swallows" (Bubridge, Bubridge, Henson) – 5:12 # "Headstrong" (Henson, Herring) – 4:25 # "Plain or Peanut" (Burbridge) – 2:25 # "Highly Overrated" (Burbridge, Burbridge, Henson) – 4:33 # "Overload" (Burbridge, Henson) – 5:46 # "Satisfaction Guaranteed" (Baird) – 4:03 # "Turn It On" (Burbridge, Henson) – 4:34 # "Splash" (Burbridge) – 4:12

Personnel

Jeff Sipe Jeff Sipe (born January 31, 1959), also known as Apt. Q258, is an American drummer. He is a rock and jazz fusion drummer but is proficient in other styles. He is a founding member of Aquarium Rescue Unit with Bruce Hampton. He was a member of Le ...

/ Apt. Q258 – drums, percussion, "Harmonorbital", Kelnabor, Crontex, Strohgen *

Oteil Burbridge Oteil Burbridge is an American 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 resurgence of the Allman Brothers Band ...

– 5- and 6-string bass *

Kofi Burbridge Kofi Burbridge (September 22, 1961 – February 15, 2019) was an American keyboardist and flautist of the blues and blues rock group Tedeschi Trucks Band. Burbridge was a classically trained multi-instrumentalist who provided keyboards, organ, ...

– flute, keyboards, acoustic piano * Paul Henson – lead vocals *

Jimmy Herring Jimmy Herring (born January 22, 1962) is the lead guitarist for the band Widespread Panic. He is a founding member of Aquarium Rescue Unit and Jazz Is Dead and has played with The Allman Brothers Band, Project Z, Derek Trucks Band, Phil Lesh a ...

– guitar, guitar synthesizer * Count M'Butu – percussion * Beth Harris – backing vocals on "Overload" * Lincoln Metcalf – Chazoid

Notes

{{Authority control 1994 albums Aquarium Rescue Unit albums