Photo by Jessica Burbridge When Jaco Pastorius sat down at the piano and played all of the big band-voiced chords to “Liberty City,” at the end of his instructional video [Jaco Pastorius: Modern Electric Bass, DCI, 1985], it was a revelation. Almost 40 years later, another bass superhero has turned to the piano to craft a landmark record that he considers to be his finest to date. Oteil Burbridge’s Lovely View of Heaven is a profoundly imaginative take on eight Grateful Dead ballads, employing harmony, orchestration, and emotion to bathe Jerry Garcia and Robert Hunter’s music and lyrics in a whole new light. Think Herbie Hancock’s River: The Joni Letters [Verve, 2007]. The difference here from that Grammy-winning instrumental side is Oteil utilizes his vocals, passionately performing each song as if he were the main, pain-processing character in them. And while piano is key because that’s where Burbridge fashioned all of his innovative arrangements, his 6-string bass guitar is a worthy countervoice to his vocals, providing a warm, wide anchor, leading the spontaneous reharmonization charge, and soloing expressively on three tracks. Burbridge’s cast is equally adept, featuring the rhythm tandems of guitarist Tom Guarna and drummer Pete Lavezzoli or guitarist Steve Kimock and drummer Johnny Kimock, plus violinist and keyboardist Jason Crosby, guitar-triggered atmospherics by Adam Tenenbaum, guest guitarist Jaden Lehman, and a posthumous appearance by Oteil’s brother Kofi, on flute. They’re all an important part of the latest chapter in the Washington, D.C.-born-and-raised Burbridge’s long, strange trip as a bassist. It’s a journey that began with jazz intentions until Oteil’s breakout, early-’90s role in Col. Bruce Hampton’s mind-expanding Aquarium Rescue Unit. That set him on a path to jam band history, first as the longest-tenured bassist in the Allman Brothers, and then with stops at Tedeschi Trucks Band, Vida Blue, Frogwings, BK3, Les Brers, Herbie Hancock, Zac Brown Band, and his own Peacemakers, and Oteil & Friends. The latter is a thriving offshoot of Burbridge’s other mainstay gig, joining Dead & Company in 2015. It inspired his deep dive into the Dead’s music, with Oteil preaching the gospel of Gracia and company on and offstage, despite skepticism and snobbery from some. Now, with a record capturing what Oteil was hearing and feeling, everyone can see that the view is indeed lovely. https://open.spotify.com/album/5Q4LaFq0e1B6ZbdYl0fEe4?go=1&sp_cid=4036d5ad4d7cb5ceb642f3510bcd3830&utm_source=embed_player_p&utm_medium=desktop&nd=1 How did the idea for this record come about? The origin was my having the opportunity, thankfullly, to sing an increasing number of ballads in Dead & Company, for various reasons. Then during the pandemic I began learning more of them for some streaming concerts I did, where I sang and played piano. I