OSEE ANDERSON

                         

OSee Anderson, a Chicago native, is a multi-talented figure on the international music scene. As second guitarist for the Lonnie Brooks Blues Band OSee has toured the U.S., Canada and Europe impressing audiences and critics with his scorching, innovative musical contributions to any group.

OSee's 1986 - 1989 three year stint with Lonnie Brooks produced aggressive contributions as lead and rhythm guitarist on two of Brook's Alligator Record albums: "Wound Up Tight" and "Bayou Lightning Strikes" . OSee left Brooks shortly after opening for Robert Cray, which prompted BLUES NEWS' Mike Hogan to write :

"By The end of the set, OSee Anderson was picking so fast he could thread a running sewing machine. It's not very often the leader of a band will allow a musician who plays the same instrument, the opportunity to upstage him. Lonnie gave OSee the chance and did he ever pounce on it, the band kicked butt and took no prisoners. For me ...the headliner was on first." (BLUES NEWS Volume 4, Number 12.)

Once on his own, OSee formed OSee Anderson and The Hit Squad the weekend before his first gig at THE MOTOR CITY BLUES FESTIVAL [Detroit,Mi.] in August of 1989. OSee and his Hit Squad performed between blues greats KOKO TAYLOR and LONNIE MACK.

In September of 1989 OSee moved to California and formed the first Californian Hit Squad. They played all over Southern California; including backing OTIS RUSH at the 1990 Long Beach Blues Fest. While in California, OSee taught at "G.I.T." Guitar Institute of Technology in Hollywood. And Willie Dixon sat OSee down and taught him the business of music he'd experienced over the years.

OSee appeared at the BENSON and HEDGES GUITAR WORKSHOP at Musicians Institute with Bernie Pearl hosting. Other musicians appearing were Guitar Shorty, Joe Louis Walker, Tony Matthews, Lowell Fulston, Phil Upchurch, Terry DeRonen. The focus of this workshop was to feature the styles of different guitar players.

In March of 1991 OSee headed into the studio to record "Old School, Nu School" which was released in Febuary of 1992. OSee and the Hit Squad then embarked on an extensive tour from San Diego to Vancouver Island, Winnipeg to Las Vegas.

Good as he is live, OSee's eclectic talents are even better displayed on his self produced debut CD "Old School, Nu School" on Intrigity records.

Composed mostly of his own compositions and dedicated to his main mentor Willie Dixon, Anderson displays his mastery of uptempo Chicago blues, smooth R&B instrumentals and back porch country blues. He even throws in an old New Orleans swing number, "Rampart Street Strut" to bring things to a close.

OSee who began his professional career at age thirteen, has performed with R&B vocalist RUBY ANDREWS, also THE STAPLE SINGERS, ANN PEEBLES, THE EMOTIONS, JERRY BUTLER, AL GREEN, BILLY PAUL, THE CHI-LITIES, SCREAMIN' JAY HAWKINS, MILLIE JACKSON, JAMES COTTON, BIG JAY McNEELY, BIG TIME SARAH, BILLY BRANCH, SANDRA HALL, RAFUL NEAL and family, ALBERT COLLINS, PHIL GUY, PINETOP PERKINS, LEFTY DIZZ, LONNIE BROOKS, JOHN MAYALL, the Father of Rock & Roll JOHNNIE JOHNSON, BUDDY GUY AND JUNIOR WELLS .

Producing music provides another arena for OSee to exercise his talents. He served as STAFF PRODUCER and ARRANGER for GERIM RECORDS located at 2120 South Michigan Ave., Chicago (former home of Chess Records). OSee was responsible for the guitar performance on the soundtrack of "Chicago Story" produced for NBC television.

Songwriting with songs recorded by James Cotton, Lonnie Brooks and Raful Neal is another priority of OSee's activities. His extensive BUG MUSIC catalogue covers a wide range of styles including Jazz, R&B, Pop, Reggae, Funk, Country, New Age and Blues.In the music , where change and innovations are "constants," OSee Anderson, never complacent, moves with skill and confidence, writing, re-arranging and always adding to his repertoire and knowledge.

OSee played first soprano bugle for three years in the 'D.C.I. World champ' CAVALIERS DRUM and BUGLE CORP. Self taught with a formal music degree from Grambling State University ; he played viola with four local Louisiana symphonies. OSee formed a funk band ( Uncle Remus) in Baton Rouge where he be-friended a freshman from Southern University named Brantford Marsalis; briefly recruiting Marsalis into the funk band where they traded licks.

OSee recorded his second self produced CD "Smokin' NOT! Jokin' LIVE" over three nights at the Black Pearl Club, Park City, Utah in March of 1994 with the studio cuts done in Orange CO., California during April and May 1995.

OSee's third CD, "Catching The Sunset," was released in 2002.

Osee Anderson has performed with The Chicago R&B Kings (formally Big Twist & The Mellow Fellows) & Martial Artist & Actor Steven Seagal. Also voted One of Chicago's Greatest Guitarist by the Illinois Entertainers Sweet Home Columnist Beverly Zeldin (Palmer, April 2008 issue Il Entertainer Pg 27).

Osee Anderson was inducted into The Fraternal Order of Celestial Musicians at the 6th Annual Black American Music Awards. The honor & Title "Real Blues & Jazz Man." Sponsored by: The Black American Blues Historical Society of Canada. Held in Calgary Alberta Canada, on Feb 28th, 2009.

Osee performed 3 tunes playing Bass Guitar, with the Classic R&B vocal group The Manhattans on their last CD produced by legendary Producer Leo Graham, 1987.

Osee was on WGN TV Channel 9 during the summer of 2010 with The Black Ensemble Theater (Nuthing But The Blues). A play bout Theresa's Lounge back in t