JIMMY HERRING BAND - Humble and self-effacing, without a trace of attitude or ego, Jimmy Herring's demeanor nearly belies his status as one of the most acclaimed guitarists of his generation. Plying his skills in contexts ranging from classically song-driven rock to technically demanding jazz fusion, Herrings playing combines a restless, jazz-inspired improvisational zeal with the immediacy and intensity of his rock'n'roll roots. His formidable chops, combined with his thoughtful and unassuming personality, have made him a much sought-after sideman since first joining Col. Bruce Hamptons Aquarium Rescue Unit in the late 1980s. As the current lead guitarist for Widespread Panic (a top 50 Concert Act), and a previous member of such beloved bands as the Dead, Phil Lesh and Friends, the Allman Brothers, the Other Ones, Jazz is Dead and Project Z, Jimmy
Herring is no stranger to life on the road. He's logged millions of miles and created millions of fans over the years...many of whom will want to hear the musical stew he and his new band are cooking.
"Herring's ability to confidently mix things up while playing with a refreshing honesty and lack of posturing throughout makes Lifeboat as rare a fusion record as he is a fusion guitarist." ~ All About Jazz
"Always gutsy, adventurous, and melodic...this under-recognized guitar hero just might have the power to make the F-, P-, and J-words (fusion, prog, and jam, as in "jam band") good words again." ~ Guitar Player Magazine
"One of the freshest new voices I've heard in many a year. He has successfully integrated his many fold influences while at the same time has found his own voice. No mean achievement!" ~ JOHN McLAUGHLIN guitar legend
VICTOR WOOTEN BAND - Victor Wooten is an innovator, composer, arranger, producer, vocalist, and multiinstrumentalist. He is a skilled naturalist and teacher, a published author, a magician, husband and father of four, and a five-time Grammy award winner. But
those gifts only begin to tell the tale of this Tennessee titan.
Victor, known for his solo recordings and tours, and as a member of the Grammy winning supergroup, Bla Fleck & The Flecktones, has won most every major award given to a bass guitarist. He was voted Bassist of the year by Bass Player Magazine three times and is the only person to have won the award more than once.
The youngest sibling of the five amazing Wooten brothers (Regi, Roy, Rudy and Joseph), Victor began playing music very early in life. Growing up in a military family in which his older brothers all played and sang, Victor began his musical journey under the tutelage of his oldest brother Regi. Realizing that the family band would be complete if they had a bass player, ten-year-old Regi began showing two-year-old Victor how to play. By the time he was 3, Victor was performing neighborhood concerts with his brothers in the front yard of their home in Hawaii. At age six, he was touring with his brothers as the opening band for soul legend Curtis Mayfield. After living in Sacramento, CA a few years, the family moved east where the Wooten Brothers continued to hone their skills playing countless clubs and concerts along the east coast.
Victor was influenced by bass mentors, Stanley Clarke, Larry Graham and Bootsy Collins, but sites his brothers and parents as his main influences. In music and in life, my parents and brothers were the foundation. They prepared me for life by giving and teaching me love and honesty. They also taught me to keep my mind open and learn to adapt to lifes ever-changing circumstances. Their guidance has helped me stay grounded today. By the early 80s, now living in Newport News, Virginia, the brothers became mainstays at Busch Gardens theme park in nearby Williamsburg.
print page
