It’s always a joy to shine a spotlight on exceptional recordings from the Garcia Family Vaults, but especially sweet when we can share a previously uncirculated recording thought to be lost to time. On June 10th, Round Records will release GarciaLive Volume 18: November 2nd, 1974 Keystone Berkeley which presents the complete, two-set Jerry Garcia & Merl Saunders performance originally recorded to 1/4" analog reels by Betty Cantor Jackson.
Is there a more iconic venue for Garcia/Saunders than the Keystone Berkeley? The Bay Area haunt was the setting for the performances contained on the legendary Live at the Keystone releases and yielded at least a half-dozen other celebrated official live releases. Be it the quaint, unassuming setting or the proximity to home, magic never seemed to be in short supply — and this evening in November was no different. In addition to the ever-present John Kahn on bass, the rhythm section this evening was bolstered by one of the most in demand session drummers of his day, the great Paul Humphrey whose credits range from Marvin Gaye and Joe Cocker to the Lawrence Welk Show. Future Legion of Mary bandmate Martin Fierro rounds out the ensemble. The performance itself is nothing short of exceptional, particularly the monstrous first set combination of “Valdez in the Country,” The Harder They Come” and “You Can Leave Your Hat On” which destroy any notion of genre as Garcia, Saunders & co somehow fuse seemingly disparate originals by Donny Hathaway, Jimmy Cliff and Randy Newman into a sound all their own. After a brief set-break, the group returns for a super-charged second set highlighted by extended versions of “Freedom Jazz Dance” and Merl’s own “Wondering Why” before closing the evening with a fiery “Mystery Train.” Always ones to stretch the bounds, you get the sense they would’ve gone all night if not for the venue’s pesky 2am curfew.
GarciaLive Volume 18: November 2nd, 1974 Keystone Berkeley is now available for pre-order at Garcia Family Provisions in advance of its June 10th release. The 2-CD set or digital download can be pre-ordered on its own or bundled with a sustainably made t-shirt and/or a limited edition 18″ x 24″ screen-print designed, signed & numbered by artist TW Rushing. www.garciafamilyprovisions.com/dept/garcialive-vol…
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"David Crosby came up with the seminal lick... and then he left. We were out at Mickey Hart's barn. So Mickey said, 'Make a song out of that'. Next day, I had it". - Bob Weir on the origins of the Grateful Dead's “Playing In The Band” during a Wolf Bros livestream on February 12th, 2021. Thanks to Jay Blakesberg for recently unearthing this killer Elizabeth Sunflower image of Croz playing in the band at the Fillmore West on 8/19/70!
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Looking back on Jerry’s debut solo album, GARCIA, released 50 years ago today. “I’m doing it to be completely self-indulgent musically. I’m just going on a trip. I have curiosity to see what I can do, and I’ve a desire to get into sixteen track and go on trips that are too weird for me to want to put anybody else I know through. And also I want to pay for this house.” – Jerry Garcia
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Christmas time's a comin' and I know I'm going home
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“Having Justin Kreutzmann as our resident filmmaker is proving to be better than having a doctor in the family.” - Sunshine Kesey. Learn more at deadline.com/2021/12/jerry-garcia-documentary-prod…
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“I’m living in yesterday’s tomorrow..” With those words from the late great Allen Toussaint, we’re thrilled to share a beautiful JGB version of Toussaint’s “I’ll Take A Melody” from GarciaLive Vol. 17. Play it loud, share with a couple trusted friends, stay tuned for the full NorCal ‘76 release this Friday! watch video on watch page
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“...I was immediately transported back in time to November 7, 12, and 13 of 1976; the shows that we did at Keystone Berkeley, Davis, and Arcata, California. At this time the band consisted of Jerry, John Kahn on bass, Keith Godchaux on keyboard, Donna Godchaux on vocals, and Ron Tutt on drums. Here was one of the spectacular combinations of several JGB lineups. During this time period, the band was strong, innovative, and approaching musical perfection at its peak. Each day we laughed and worked our way through a land of magical entertainment and spiritually uplifting music. The essence of the Garcia Band came from Jerry’s desire to play every single day.” - Steve Parish, long-time GD roadie and JGB manager, within the liner notes of GarciaLive Vol. 17 NorCal ‘76 smarturl.it/NorCal76
Photo: Ed Perlstein
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Official YouTube page of the Jerry Garcia Family
Live at The Warfield, featuring JGB’s Feb 28–Mar 2, 1991 shows is out now! ✨ www.garciafamilyprovisions.com/dept/warfield-91
www.jerrygarcia.com
www.facebook.com/jerrygarciaofficial
Jerry Garcia (1942-1995) created an unparalleled legacy across the American landscape, most notably in his role as a founding member, singer, songwriter and lead guitarist of the Grateful Dead. Garcia's unmistakable guitar tone enchanted multitudes of "Deadheads" throughout the band's 30-year career and beyond. His work with the Jerry Garcia Band, Old and in the Way, Legion of Mary, Garcia/Grisman, and projects with Merl Saunders, only scratch at the surface of his musical influences, as he set out to master the Great American Songbook. Unequivocally devoted to the craft of music, Garcia continues to inspire future generations through the body of work he has left behind and his creative spirit.