The aquarium rescue unit was a jazz fusion band led by Col. Bruce Hampton and featuring a constantly changing lineup. Originating out of a weekly jam session in Atlanta, the group toured extensively around their native Southeast with a roster that included future Blueground Undergrass member Jeff Mosier and keyboardist Charles Williams before finding its final form as a touring and recording group consisting of Hampton, Oteil Burbridge, Jimmy Herring, Matt Mundy, Jeff Sipe, Count M’Butu, and Paul Henson. Although the band was never commercially successful, its combination of bluegrass, rock, Latin, and jazz along with impeccable chops served as a template for subsequent bands.
The original line-up recorded two albums on Capricorn Records: Col. Bruce Hampton and the Aquarium Rescue Unit in 1992, and Mirrors of Embarrassment in 1993.