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WILLIE OTERI a California born and raised musian
who at the start of his career played bass, flute and steel guitar while
performing with popular west coast rock, blues and fusion groups. Just when
his musical career seemed to be taking its final kick off towards fame the
illness and subsequent death of his first wife put a stop to his chances
where at one point his financial situation was so low that he had to give
up performing and did not even own an instrument for several years. In odd
times between carring for his wife and step son
Willie would take work as a roadie or session man working with artists like
Bob Seger, Neil Young, Doobie
Brothers, Chaka Khan and The Tubes This mostly roadie and some session work
kept Willie going and believing in a future in music and led to helping him
write the theme for the 80s TV show Fast Draw working with name producers
but fate won out leading toWillie having to put
music aside for nearly a decade.
After many years of not performing,
he borrowed a guitar from a neighbor while living with his present wife on
a sailboat near San Francisco and thanks to his wifes
support started practicing and writing until, in 1995, he could release his
first solo album “Willy’s Cry” for JSW; After a second release in 1998,
(both albums are currently out of print) and wanting to widen his approach
he moved to Austin Texas where he founded Jazz Gunn, (AKA MateMaToot) along with drummer Brannen
Temple (Sheena Easton, Kevin Paige, Robben Ford,
Eric Johnson), bassist Chris Maresh (Eric Johnson,
Abra Moore, Mitch Watkins), Mike Malone (Jimmy
Smith) on sax and Chris Tondre on second guitar.
In 1999 Jazz Gunn published “Concepts of Mate Ma Toot”.
With good
response for Jazz Gunn from critics and fans alike Willie wanted to go further
in this kind of experience, so he started looking for a top producer,
someone who had worked in both jazz and rock to provide a more progressive
and open approach than might be obtained from someone who only works in
jazz. In his research he met Ronan Chris Murphy, who had worked with King
Crimson and Chucho Valdes amongst others. In
2001, Willie met and recorded with Tony Levin and Pat Mastellotto,
the rhythm section of King Crimson, and their work was later overdubbed
with Mike Keneally (Frank Zappa) on keyboards and
Ephraim Owens on trumpet. Final mixing was complete in early 2002 and
“Spiral Out” was born and released September 2003 on the Japanese label
DIW.
Presently, Willie and his wife Sue
reside in Austin Texas with their hearts still in Padova,
Italy.
Recordings include:
"Spiral Out" 2003 with
Tony Levin, Pat Mastelotto, Mike Keneally, Ronan Chris Murphy and Ephraim Owens.
"Destroying Silence"
2006 with same lineup as above. Compilation album.
"Jazz Gunn" 2000 with Brannen Temple, Chris Maresh,
Ephraim Owens, Mike Malone, and Chris Tondre
"Violet Crown" 2001
"Perseverana"
1998
Willy's Cry.... 1995
and session work wth Schroeder,
Cookie Marenco, Bob Seger,
Violet Crown, Red Ragged Rose, Tony Levin, Mike Keneally
and more.
TV theme for "Fast Draw"
1983?
Willie has shared the
stage with TonyLevin, Pat Mastelotto,
Stu Hamm, Jerry Marotta, Markus Reuter, Jazz
Gunn, Tunji, Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, Karl
Denson, Roy Hargrove, Coil and T. Hayakawa and many moons ago with Chaka
Kahn, Doobie Brothers, Bob Seger,
Lacy J. Dalton, the Tubes and Neil Young. Willie has also co-hosted the " 14" "33 1/3", "45" and
45 B-Side (non stop improvistion
shows in Italy).
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Uno di soltanto
24 chitarristi nel mondo hanno assegnato il Jimi Hendrix la camicia di Placca Blu.
WILLIE OTERI è un chitarrista californiano; all’inizio della carriera suonava il basso e il flauto. Dopo i vent’anni, quando sembrava che la sua carriera musicale stesse
per decollare definitivamente
verso il successo, la
malattia e conseguente
morte della sua prima moglie hanno arrestato le sue possibilità: ha continuato
a lavorare come roadie e session man di artisti come Bob Seger, Neil Young, i Doobie Brothers, Chaka Khan e i
Passenger, ma non aveva le possibilità
economiche di registrare la propria musica.
Dopo
qualche anno si è fatto prestare una chitarra da un vicino di casa e,
grazie al sostegno della sua seconda moglie, ha iniziato ad esercitarsi
ed a comporre finché, nel 1995, non ha pubblicato il suo primo album
solista “Willy’s Cry” per la JSW. Dopo un secondo disco nel 1998,
“Perseveranja”, si è trasferito ad Austin, in Texas, dove ha fondato i
Jazz Gunn insieme a Brannen Temple alla batteria, Chris Maresh al basso
(che insieme componevano la sezione ritmica della band che accompagnava
Eric Johnson), Mike Malone al sassofono e Chris Tondre alla chitarra. Nel
1999 i Jazz Gunn hanno pubblicato “Concepts of Mate Ma Toot”.
Willie
Oteri desiderava proseguire in questo genere di esperienza, perciò ha
iniziato a cercare un produttore di alto livello. In questa ricerca ha
incontrato Ronan Chris Murphy, che tra gli altri aveva lavorato con i
King Crimson. Nel 2001, Willie ha incontrato ed ha avuto modo di
registrare con Tony Levin e Pat Mastellotto, la sezione ritmica dei King
Crimson, e sul loro lavoro sono poi state sovraincise le parti di
tastiera da Mike Keneally (Frank Zappa) e di tromba da Ephraim Owens.
Così è nato “Spiral Out”.
Attualmente, Willie e sua moglie Sue vivono a Padova, dove sta cercando dei gruppi o degli artisti da produrre. Sarà una delle figure centrali dell’esperimento musicale che
sarà tenuto il 31 Marzo al circolo “Banale” a Padova, nel quale lui e il suo amico
Chris Boulet saranno i “padroni di casa” di una jam session di 14 ore alla quale parteciperanno i più importanti musicisti jazz e blues italiani
ed alcune celebrità internazionali.
Copyright 2004-2005 OteriTunes and Marco Piva
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In addition let us add that Willie
is first and foremost a musician. He is not bound to any particular genre of
music, as no musician or artist should be. At his live shows you are most
likely so see a form of improvisation, perhaps building on themes and
perhaps not. Most likely there will be a lot of jazz and progressive
influence but also, blues, rock and whatever seems to be the vibe at the
moment. The idea is to be open-minded, as genres should be and perhaps buy
separating music into genres we are staring off in the wrong direction.
Jazz, by definition, gives itself to having the least limitations, or as least it should. To quote Willie; “I sometimes think
of myself as a jazz musician but at times also as a rock and blues
musician. Writers refer to me most often as a Jazz musician and wanting to
leave the limitations placed on some genres, that which we call Jazz
becomes a vehicle. As my friend and drummer Schroeder puts it, "Terms like that might be useful when you have to write reviews
or announcements, but I don´t remember a single REAL musical situation
where those stickers had a value of some sort "“As in all of life we sometimes find ourselves up
against a wall from those who want to close things off or keep them in a
small protected world. This may come from fear, ego or simply playing “the
game” to get gigs. Some of my favorite players and friends fall into this
for whatever reasons. No matter, as it all needs to open up to be creative
and progressive.” We all must use
the terms from time to time but let's not when we don't have to."
"One of interest was when a music writer in Japan after a performance there
called me a “hard rock” guitarist. When I questioned it a friend told me
that it must have been that I played a solid body guitar, stood up all
night and move around. Next time I will use a semi hollow body, sit on a
stool and see what comes of it." (Laughs)
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