Willie Oteri's Bio page

In our modern times it is becoming more and more difficult to find original music. I keep being told that so and so is producing something new but then I am often disappointed when I hear it. Much of the problem seems to be from schooling where musicians are taught to imitate. This is because they have a sound in their head that is from too much listening and not enough performing. The schools need to make money and please you so you end up with very little original ideas. They would go broke if they only worked with truly creative musicians. Having influences is one thing but copying is another. For me, I must improvise in a live situation and even though one can hear my influences I hope to at times produce only true creation, which may only be possible in a free and spontaneous environment. Critics of course will focus on the influences and not the creative bits and so will writers but this is what they do and for the rest of us I hope we seek out the creative parts. No two live shows are alike for for me or any group and I try to take this to a new level driving the musicians to areas they may have rarely if ever explored all the time using a man made instrument in an attempt to tell of heartfelt life experience and solicit moods much as one might with a voice. Psychedelic, jazz, free jazz, blues or rock heavy, whatever is needed at the time to get into your soul and your mind and tell you a story.

Willie Oteri - Brief Biography in Inglesi e Italiano by Marco Piva

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).

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.

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)