Vida Blue
Vida Rochelle Blue Jr. (born July 28, 1949) is a former American professional baseball player. He was a left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball between and , most notably as an integral member of the Oakland Athletics dynasty that won thr ...
Page McConnell
Page Samuel McConnell (born May 17, 1963 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American multi-instrumentalist most noted for his work as the keyboardist and a songwriter for the band Phish.
In addition to having been a member of Phish since 1985, ...
along with bassist
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 Ban ...
and drummer
Russell Batiste
David Russell Batiste Jr. (born December 12, 1965 ) is an American drummer based in .
The album features four long tracks performed alongside The
Spam Allstars
Spam Allstars are a United States nine-piece Hip hop, Latin, funk, and electronica band from Miami, Florida. The band has been described as "road warriors" because of their busy touring schedule. The band has performed at many music festivals i ...
Afro-Cuban
Afro-Cubans or Black Cubans are Cubans of West African ancestry. The term ''Afro-Cuban'' can also refer to historical or cultural elements in Cuba thought to emanate from this community and the combining of native African and other cultural el ...
group that also toured as a part of the Vida Blue band in the summer of 2003 and the early winter of 2004. Shortly after the tour,
Page McConnell
Page Samuel McConnell (born May 17, 1963 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American multi-instrumentalist most noted for his work as the keyboardist and a songwriter for the band Phish.
In addition to having been a member of Phish since 1985, ...
briefly retired from the music business following the breakup of Phish, therefore ending all Vida Blue related activities indefinitely.
The album title is a reference to
Ray Bradbury
Ray Douglas Bradbury (; August 22, 1920June 5, 2012) was an American author and screenwriter. One of the most celebrated 20th-century American writers, he worked in a variety of modes, including fantasy, science fiction, horror, mystery fictio ...
's science fiction book ''
The Illustrated Man
''The Illustrated Man'' is a 1951 collection of 18 science fiction short stories by American writer Ray Bradbury. A recurring theme throughout the stories is the conflict of the cold mechanics of technology and the psychology of people. It was ...
''.
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 databa ...
, David Jeffries wrote that the album "makes for a funky good-time listen" but cautioned that "it's not the big payoff one would have hoped." However, he noted: "With so much funk, Latin jazz, and scratching being executed so well and with plenty of heart, it's hard not to like the album."
Writing for ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'', Greg Heller called the album a "surprisingly satisfying and super-charged chunk of mo' ritmo funk," and described the four tracks as "a living breathing fusion of astral jazz and Latin beats, none remotely bound to structure." He concluded: "There is plenty here on offer for purist and jam-fiend alike."
John Anderson of the Miami New Times described the album as "The Spam Allstars jam
ing
Ing, ING or ing may refer to:
Art and media
* '' ...ing'', a 2003 Korean film
* i.n.g, a Taiwanese girl group
* The Ing, a race of dark creatures in the 2004 video game '' Metroid Prime 2: Echoes''
* "Ing", the first song on The Roches' 1992 ...
with an amazing rhythm section behind them... it's a lot of fun and a natural collaboration."
In an article for Jambands.com, Benjy Eisen called ''The Illustrated Band'' "an entertaining album," and remarked: "it is radically different from anything McConnell, Burbridge, or Batiste have ever released in their respective careers. And it's pretty darn cool for that accomplishment alone."
Page McConnell
Page Samuel McConnell (born May 17, 1963 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American multi-instrumentalist most noted for his work as the keyboardist and a songwriter for the band Phish.
In addition to having been a member of Phish since 1985, ...
– vocals, keyboards
*
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 Ban ...
– bass, vocals
*
Russell Batiste
David Russell Batiste Jr. (born December 12, 1965 ) is an American drummer based in – drums
with
Spam Allstars
Spam Allstars are a United States nine-piece Hip hop, Latin, funk, and electronica band from Miami, Florida. The band has been described as "road warriors" because of their busy touring schedule. The band has performed at many music festivals i ...
:
* Mercedes Abal – flute, vocals
* AJ Hill – saxophone
* John Speck – trombone
* Lazaro Alfonso – percussion, vocals
* Tomas Diaz – percussion, vocals
* DJ Le Spam – turntables, sampler