Vida Blue strikes on a Latin pitch January 9, 2004 - New York Daily News By Isaac Guzman In Phish's 20-year career, about the closest the seminal jam band got to Latin music was sharing a bill with Carlos Santana on a few tours. So it's a bit of a surprise that the group's keyboardist, Page McConnell, has made Latin grooves an integral part of his first solo project, Vida Blue. The group, which plays tomorrow night at Roseland, features bassist Oteil Burbridge (Allman Brothers, Aquarium, Rescue Unit) and drummer Russell Batiste (the Funky Meters). But a chance meeting in Miami a few years ago united Vida Blue with DJ LeSpam and his quirky crew of Afro-Cuban and techno fusionists. Now the full band incorporates Latin beats, flutes, brass, turntables scratches and the funky New Orleans feel of the rhythm section. It's a cross-cultural exchange that McConnell never envisioned when he struck out on his own. "I was always interested in Latin music, but I never really studied it or focused on it," he says. "I just happened to meet these people in Miami. They add a lot of subtle things to the sound, especially the way the percussionists play. I pick up on what they're doing just by listening." For a guy who's a member of one of the world's most fanatically admired jam bands, McConnell seems oddly awed by the folks he's playing with. Although he's nominally the bandleader, his respect for the other musicians makes him sound more like a spectator. "Oteil, I think, is one of the best electric bass players in the world, and Russell's one of the greatest drummers," he says. "It's intimidating because the level that these guys can play at is just amazing. And to know the level of ability that these virtuosos can play at makes me wonder if I can keep up. But I feel like I'm picking it up quite well." As far as the group's name goes, the reference to the 1970s pitching phenom is more about its near poetry than any baseball fanaticism. But use of the Cy Young Award winner's moniker engendered direct contact between musician and fastballer. "Mostly, it's just a cool name, though I always liked his pitching and his finesse and the life he brought to the game," McConnell says. "We're in contact with him and we asked permission to use his name. But he has yet to see that band. So someday I hope that happens." Article Copyright © 2004 New York Daily News