Vida Blue, featuring Page McConnell, bassist Oteil Burbridge (Allman Brothers Band), and drummer Russell Batiste (funky Meters) will release “The Illustrated Band” on Sanctuary Records on October 14.

The band’s second studio album, the release finds the trio backed by the Spam Allstars, a Latin Grammy-nominated Afro-Cuban sextet. The Illustrated Band represents a hybrid of sounds: a mix of Vida Blue’s multi-textured grooves, infused with progressive Latin styles and rhythms, courtesy of the Allstars’ eclectic instrumentation of turntables, sax, trombone, flute and percussion.

Page first hooked up with the Allstars while in Miami last March, sitting in with them during their weekly residency at a club in Little Havana. As some of you may recall, the Allstars’ leader DJ Le Spam joined Vida Blue onstage for some shows in Philly and Providence in early April. Soon thereafter, Page invited the Allstars to record with Vida Blue in Miami’s Middle Ear Studios, and the rest is history.

The album’s four tracks clock in at over 60 minutes of music:

VIDA BLUE
THE ILLUSTRATED BAND

1. The Illustrated Band
2. Charmpit
3. You Don’t Know
4. Little Miami (Reputation)

The Illustrated Band is now available for preorder from Phish Dry Goods:
http://drygoods.phish.com/Dept.aspx?cp=773_1429_8990