Alembic Guitars Club
Connecting => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: studiorecluse on December 29, 2005, 04:37:22 PM
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Hi Folks.
This is a serious question, and I am not tweaking anyone, OK?
What is the deal with Jerry Garcia? I have heard his name a million times, but when I listen to the Dead I just don't get it. With guys like Larry Carton, Jan Akkerman, and Eric Johnson around, I have a pretty high threshold for a guitar hero... so I need a little guidance. You guys tell me the best examples of Jerry's playing- song and album, and I'll go listen.
I'm serious, here's your chance to win a convert.
Thanks and Happy New Year.
Cary
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Cary, I am with you too. I have even tried to convert myself. I figured that there is such a buzz about Garcia that there must be something to it. I have had a dead head friend give me his best shot, but no go. I even bought a couple of CD's and tried that. Nothing. Oh well, at least I tried. I respect anyone that likes it and understand what they feel, but I don't feel the same thing. It's not for everybody.
Michael
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Exactly! You either get it or you don't...nothing personal intended here.
It's just like the question about the how's/why's of Harley-Davidson:
If I had to explain, you wouldn't understand!
Cheers,
Kevin
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What's the deal with Yngwie?
I like the Harley analogy. An explanation or kick in the right direction aint gonna do it.
We don't all have to like the same guitarists, do we? Music is enough!
Cheers, too-
Rob
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True, but haven't there been artists whom you didn't get until someone pointed out what was going on or special? I have seen people not get Michael Hedges until I pointed out what he was doing, or played a video. Only then did these people see his brilliance and become fans.
This was an invitation to point out examples of Jerry at his finest.
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hard to point to one thing cary....
depends on your tastes... some love him- cough cough- same dont like him- but no one denies he was one talented muthaf****r
theres
rockin jerry
folk jerry
acid jerry
jazz jerry
reggae jerry
blues jerry
bluegrass jerry
dylan cover jerry
beatles cover jerry
stones cover jerry
who cover jerry
buddy holly cover jerry
creedance cover jerry
to name a few,,,
then theres
guitar jerry
banjo jerry
bass jerry
pedal steel jerry
maybe its just that he could play anything?and good
you can email me what you like- as i say to everyone- i can find at least 1 tune you will like....
:-)
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whats the first thing a deadhead says when he runs out of drugs?
this band sucks!
hahhahahahahaha
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I know what you mean, I listened to some Garcia/Dead, I thought for the very first time about 2 weeks ago. It didn't do a lot for me I must say, although I vaguely recognised some bits of it.
The thing is listening to some types of music for the first time way out of its hey day can be an unfair comparison because its out of the context of today's music and your ears are tuned differently.
I think that to get it you really have to listen to it alongside other stuff of the day to really check it's brilliance or otherwise.
I felt the same when I listened to Dark Side of the moon about 15 years ago. I didn't get the point and still don't, same with Zeppelin.
However I've seen live footage of Floyd and Zeppelin from that time and apart from the music I have to say their playing is worthy of their status. So I think not just listening to what they play on record but seeing or learning how they do what they do is part of the the real key to their brilliance, or otherwise.
Forgive me for saying this.... ;-) I really can't take Country Music...full stop.
However whenever I've been at an outdoor festival or seen country music players doing their stuff on tv etc I've been well impressed by their musicianship. Whilst I respect their abilities as musicians, I just can't take the music man......
Like some others have said, its good that we don't all like the same music but my point is, you don't have to like a particular genre of music to be able to see the brilliance of its musicians.
I do intend to listen to more Dead stuff when I meet someone who has more than 3 tracks and see for myself what the fuss is about.
Another thing about Gerry is that he is part of the Alembic story and hence... we have our beloved instruments :-)
Enjoy the day
Jazzyvee
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the main problem with the dead is that the studio was NOT their favorite place to record
so i would suggest going for live
here is some good stuff imho
garcia- reflections
grateful dead- american beauty-live without a net- first double live-in the dark-dozin at the knick
bill graham said it best
0n any given night- the grateful dead was the best r/r band in the world-
the live experience was their forte....
like jazzy - i dont get led zep either....
and lighting a doob before never hurt anyone-lol
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Let me preface this by saying I love Jerry & the Dead. That being said, in my humble opinion, you can listen to tons of Jerry/Dead & still not get it.
My point being simply: you had to be there & see 'em live. The older I get, the more I tend to feel this way about music in general.
Recordings are fine - sort of like a snapshot of a moment in time...but live music is what it's all about...for me anyway.
Happy New Year to one & all...
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Wow, I must REALLY be screwed-up: I love the Dead, Jerry, Zep, Yngwie, Michael Hedges, Akkerman, E. Johnson, Larry Carlton, et al!
Each has something to say via their respective instruments (several instruments, including vocals for Jerry in particular) that speak to me in some way or another...and to me, it's all good.
Cheers,
Kevin
Happy New Year!
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I've always liked a wide variety of music. I like many traditional types of music and some more avant garde types. I regularly listen to (and play along with) music that is not my favorite genre just to hear what and how they are playing. I believe there is a lot I can learn from all different kinds. If I had $1 (USD) for every time I heard What's that crap? I'd add a new Series II to my stable.
Rich
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Jazzyvee:
Try Live/Dead. Many Deadheads agree that this double album captured the live experience the best. As a bonus, it was recorded by none other than Ron W. hisself! As you listen, keep in mind that Jerry is improvising 98% of the time. (On later Dead this probably went down to about 85% of the time). One of the most fascinating aspects of the Dead and Jerry's music in general was their continual efforts to let it all hang out and play on the edge, so to speak. One could see the Dead do the same song 20 times (and I did, and then some) and each time will be different. I would also suggest listening to some of the work Jerry did with David Grisman. This really showcases his acoustic technique. The bottom line, at least for me, is that Jerry's playing & vocals touched my soul.
Jeff: Bass Jerry??!! And the Graham quote was They're not the best at what they do, they're the only ones who do what they do. It was painted on the side of Winterland after it closed and stood there as a testament for several years until the bastiches tore the old girl down. What a place, I melted into the floor there many times!
Bill, tgo
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Let's get back to the original challenge:
the best examples of Jerry's playing
- song and album
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As far as dvd's go, watch the first View from the Vault, the Pittsburg one with the Kentucky bonus footage. From about Let it Grow, the last song of the first set, through to the drum solo and you will get a pretty good idea of what Jerry can do. Phil is also smoking on this. After the drum solo, one of the drummers (Mickey Hart) gets on the Beam, which is an 8 foot long aluminum I-beam strung with 12 piano strings and sporting a giant humbucker. He plays it with piece of metal pipe and runs it through all kinds of delay effects. The bonus footage is choice, to, the jam coming ouy of He's Gone especially.
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Also, it is important to realize that a lot of what Jerry is playing doesn't even sound like guitar. He used to run through a midi pickup and would sound like trumpet, flute, or something entirely different, sometimes blending these with a regular guitar sound. This can be quite confusing when listening the first few times, especially if you're not expecting it. Watching will definitely help.
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The Pittsburgh show would be July 8, 1990; and since it's a commercial release it is no longer on the archive.
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Charles; I've been reading the reviews of the DVD; they're all over the place. What do you think; is this a recommended buy?
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This is an interesting topic. Cary's initial post is a little like saying I don't really get what the fuss is about BB King or I really don't get what the fuss is about John Coltrane. We're all looking for something in music that either moves us on an emotional level, or stops us with it's power, or makes us dance, or lets us escape from ordinary reality, or just something pleasant to mask the noise in our environment. It will be necessarily different for each one of us.
That said, Jerry had a very soulful voice, both instrumentally and vocally. He was also, as Bill pointed out, committed to improvisation. So context played a great role in his musical performances. I saw the Dead many times from the mid-seventies through the mid-nineties and some shows were lame, some were transcendent. The Dead was not unaware of this as Phil states ...Your (the fans) love, trust and patience made it possible for us to try again the next show when we couldn't get that magic carpet off the ground... The magic was very much a live performance phenomenon, as pointed out several times above, and recordings pale in comparison to seeing the Grateful Dead tear it up on stage.
Garcia was a great student of many kinds of music, including all kinds of folk music and from what I understand he played almost constantly. He improvised modally and used arpeggios to create harmonies that were both surprising and incredibly imaginative, and did most of it in real time on the fly with other musicians that were doing the same kind of thing.
Guitar Player magazine did a feature on Jerry in December ? here?s a link:
http://www.guitarplayer.com/story.asp?sectioncode=4&storycode=11720 (http://www.guitarplayer.com/story.asp?sectioncode=4&storycode=11720)
Near the bottom of the piece are a couple sections that might be of interest ? ?Garcia's Raddest Riff? and ?10 Radiant Garcia Moments? try to answer Cary?s question. Some of my personal favorites are ?My Funny Valentine? from ?Live at Keystone? with Merle Saunders. The work he did with Melvin Seals in The Jerry Garcia Band can also be amazing ? I love ?Don?t Let Go? from ?Jerry Garcia Band,? 1991. I have live recordings of the Grateful Dead, too numerous to mention, that have absolutely amazing passages. Also, Jerry?s acoustic work with ?Old and In the Way? and with David Grisman and his band are great. He also played on Ornette Coleman?s ?Virgin Beauty,? with interesting results.
I guess Jerry?s music ?does it? for you or not, just like any other music. Have fun listening to all of the suggestions everyone is making.
Tom =)
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Dave, get it. It's awesome. The thing I have heard the most complaints about is the psychadelic effects in the second set. The source for this show is the video feed for the big screens they had at the outdoor shows that tour, so the effects are there, like them or not. They don't take away from the music, and aren't really disconcerting like the effects in So Far, or whatever the name of the video they released in the 80's was. Phil is a monster on this one. It's my favorite Dead video, hands down.
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Charles; ok, I've ordered it!!
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Lemme know what you think!
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>>>>>What is the deal with Jerry Garcia? I have heard his name a million times, but when I listen to the Dead I just don't get it. With guys like Larry Carton, Jan Akkerman, and Eric Johnson around
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I know you were just kidding; but just to be technically correct, Coltrane kicked his habit fairly early in his career, around 1957. While all of his work can probably be said to be great, it can be argued that his best and most important work was done after that time.
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Well, after reading all of the above comments about Jerry and the Dead, I'm afraid I'll still have to cast my vote in the What is the deal with Jerry column. Once, I even told Susan that I hated the Dead and she was still nice enough to sell me a bass! ( at a decent price, I might add!) LOL!!
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Well, I never 'got it', either.
I have a great appreciation of what the Dead championed as technical innovators for us gearheads. They spent FORTUNES on traveling PAs and stages that they certainly didn't have to. And I truly admire any band that mostly stayed together that long, and heroically supported their MANY employees and families, again when they didn't have to.
I would agree that no one else did what they did, their particular bag. It just never grabbed me.
J o e y
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J o e y - Ah!! Right indeed. I never got the dead, but THE GEAR!!!! It's all about the gear. I have to admit going on the web just to look at old pic of that band just to admire the equipment on stage and the instruments that started it all for us being here. I get that!
I like the comparison between the Dead and a Harley rider. That's funny! A friend of mine was making fun of a Harley rider today. He was saying that it seems that folks who ride Harleys just do it to wear the costume. I hadn't noticed that before. I hope I don't offend any bikers here. I just think that my friend's observation was funny.
Michael
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I've managed to find some video clips of some of theDead concerts overnight and have just watched one called, A touch of grey, which is a video/partly in which the band members are replaced at times with skeleton puppets of themselves.
Like the song its nice and catchy.
Looks like he is playing a tribute shaped guitar but the pickups don't look like alembics.
The search continues :-)
Jazzyvee
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AAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGHHH!
Not the Is Jerry's guitar an Alembic or is it a Doug Irwin debate starting AGAIN!!!!! LOL! J/K, LOL!
I believe that Touch Of Grey was the Dead's only Bilboard Top 100 single, even though I understand that virtually all of their studio albums went platinum. The Dead was never a pop band that appealed to the masses, but had/have masses of followers all over the world (especially in the Woild Of New Joisey, LOL).
Getting back to thread: It's all about personal taste...some, like the Dead are an acquired one. Even Mica, who'd been dragged to Dead shows all over the planet as an infant by her parents took a couple of decades to get what the Dead are all about and to appreciate their music. I've personally been hooked since age 13, and the Dead inspired me to start learning to play the guitar at age 14.
I also personally appreciate anyone who's proficient on their respective instrument(s), regardless of whether I like their style/genre/idiom, etc.
The moral: listen to as much Dead as you can, especially live, and make-up your own mind. It may take considerable time...their many styles are not pop music although they do have some catchy melodies.
Personally, the new release of the Terrapin Station LP in '77 got me to listen, and the Europe '72, Live Dead and Skull F**k (Skull And Roses) LP's hooked me. Live Dead shows cemented the deal! I haven't recovered since, LOL!
Cheers,
Kevin
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BTW: The Harley uniform is a subject of humor even among the Harley faithful...the ole' real biker's versus the RUBbie/YUPpie/AMEX bikers thing.
It's been said that there are two types of people in this world: Those that own a Harley, and those who want one, LOL!
In my mind, it's simpler and more specific. There are two types of Harley guys: those who own 'em and those who ride 'em, LOL!
H*ll, you got guys that have the whole Harley uniform, including stickers on their truck and H-D underwear, but that don't even have a bike! LOL!
Now git on your Harley, crank-up the Dead tunes, and hit the road!
Cheers,
Kevin
We now return control of your regularly scheduled program, er, um, thread...Outer Limits out! LOL!
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Bill, I thought that was a very good description!
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Bill - you may still be feeling the effects of last night but I completely recognize your description.
Glad you like the site. I forgot to mention that the song titles on Deadstein link to lyrics and chords. I can't vouch for the transcriptions but songs I've looked at seem pretty accurate.
I'd like to wish everyone here a Happy Healthy and Musical New Year!!
Cheers,
Tom =)
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One more point I just thought of that is illustrative of Jerry's uniqueness. Unlike 99% of lead guitarists, (including most that I've played with), Jerry actually LISTENED to the other members of the band, even the bass player!!! LOL Truthfully, it is telling that in every interview I've read, Jerry always dismisses the guitar hero mantle and consistently speaks of his enjoying being a backing musician. As you listen to more and more of his work with the Dead and others, you hear Jerrry pick up on bandmates' ideas as much as blazing the trail himself. He was the consummate team player in a field where most in his position are always auditioning for the highlight film.
Bill, tgo
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Cary:
Ok, you got a good head start, now get to it, chop chop, LOL! If those tunes don't whet your apetite for more, Jerry and the Dead just aren't for you. Good hunting and listening...we may convert you just yet!
KW Pete:
I went to the Capitol Theatre gig on the same Winter '80 tour leg as the Kean show...I think it was within a few days of that show. It was a great tour!
Cheers,
Kevin
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Kevin,
I remember the lovely Capitol Theater in picturesque Passaic NJ. Spent many great nights in that old movie theatre. I remember seeing Weir there and many, many other bands. I really liked that old place!
Pete
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Thanks everybody, I'll get to it.
Funny thing, flaxattack mentions the concert at Harpur College in 1970. I LIVED in Binghamton in 1970, had I been a convert I would have gone to that show. Ain't life a hoot.
Peace,
Cary
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My brother was a student at Harpur 67-71. He, his first wife (then girlfriend), and a couple of other friends of his that I knew were all at the Harpur show. (Later, after it was all over, they wound up in a local coffee shop eating donuts with Jerry and the boys at some ungodly hour). It was hearing them all raving about this show that helped push me in the Dead direction. I heard for years about the INCREDIBLE Cozmic Charlie. I used to have a poor quality vinyl record bootleg of the show called Cowboy Dead, but I never really appreciated this show until the Dick's Picks came out. It is a great Cozmic Charlie, and lot's of other stuff too!
By the way Cary, did you ever have the french toast at the Roscoe Diner?
Bill, tgo
(Message edited by lbpesq on January 01, 2006)
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My folks bought our house in Rye Brook, New York (once part of Portchester) in 1972. The previous owners were quite close with Jerry and the boys. They would stay at the house when in the area, including their shows at Portchester's Capitol Theater in February 1971. They bunked in the room above the garage, which would come to be mine. When we first moved in, the walls and parts of the ceiling, which followed the roof angle, were covered with quotes, song lyrics and drawings...many of which I assume were done by members of the band. Countless nights, I fell asleep staring at the wealth of 60's counter-culture scribbled on the drywall above me, without the slightest clue what I was looking at. Had I known who they were, at the time, I'd never have let my folks repaint.
Oh well...live and learn.
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Jonathan:
Great story. I fondly remember the Capitol in Portchester. So your parents painted over the Dead's lyrics? They tend to do that kind of stuff. My mom threw out my baseball cards, including a Mickey Mantle, along with my collection of Beatle 45s with covers! This is all old stuff, he wouldn't want it anymore! Yeah, right!
Bill, tgo
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i still mourn my trains bill,.,,,
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The whole...I was in labor with you for over twenty hours excuse can only be used to justify so many mistakes!
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Bill,
I sent you an e-mail to the wgpanzer@earthlink.net (mailto:wgpanzer@earthlink.net) address. Is that still valid?
Jonathan
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Jonathan:
Yes, it's still a good address. You've got mail.
Bill, tgo
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0 to 70+ in less than 4 days! With a name like What's the deal with Jerry? I think we all could have guessed that this thread would get a lot of action.
Rich
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Shortly after Jerry passed away, Bob Dylan said of him (paraphrasing here): There are a lot of spaces between the Carter Family, Buddy Holly and say, Ornette Coleman, a lot of universes - but he filled them all...
Trying to pin him in one song (especially if it's a Dead song, and moreso if it's a studio take) is tough to do. Listening to the Dead, you sort of get all of his styles at the same time, which might be a bit much for some who've never listened to him/them before.
Personally I think you'll get a clearer sense of his influences and styles if you listen to his work outside of the Dead - JGB and Legion of Mary stuff was much more rootsy (and you'll hear him covering the rythm ground that Weir takes care of in the Dead - not to be overlooked since Weir is a very distinctive rythm player), acoustic bluegrass and folk work with guys like David Grisman, even jazz when Jerry and Grisman did that album with a couple of covers of Miles Davis late in Jerry's career.
Happy hunting...!
Justin
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You are gonna run into a problem by trying to find a single song where Jerry was brilliant. Jerry was what he was and personally I think recognizing how great he was goes beyond taste in music.
Jerry was very different from the names I saw in the initial post. If you are looking for a guitar god or someone who tore frets up with blistering speed and precision, he really isnt gonna be your guy.
Jerry had an inate ability to strike a cord and connect to people through his music. His guitar playing (for a lot of us) was a huge part of the mix, but Im not sure you can disconnect him from his songs which are not just simply vehicles for him to solo off of.
He did do a lot of things you dont see everyday. How many of the other so called guitar gods routinely played as the centerpiece of a band performing improvised music night in and night out? Jerry might not have been able to do some of the things others can do from a sheer technical standpoint, but the guy also did things that some of the most widely proclaimed guitar players could never do and wouldnt even attempt to do.
On his best night he was the best I have seen, thats personal taste, but I think his place in the scheme of things is more than secure even if you dont like his music. His body of work speaks for itself.
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Zappahead,
Thanks for the thoughts. I don't know where the idea that I was looking for a guitar god or someone who tore frets up with blistering speed and precision came from, if that is your view of Carlton and Akkerman then you have missed the best they have to offer.
A guitar hero to me must posses sufficient skill to relay what is in the heart, but skill as it's own reward is a shallow art. Since this started I have listened to more Dead than probably ever before combinded, and I see some of what you are saying about the improve. But doing something different isn't always enough- Ian Anderson from Jethro Tull used to play concerts standing on one foot. That didn't make him a good flautist, although he was/is.
If what is special about Jerry is that he had the yarbles to play off the top of his head night after night, OK, then my question is answered. I think really what I am hearing is that the beauty of Jerry is the way he played as part of a bigger thing. That thing included the music, the band, and the audience. It is remarkable how well the Dead followed each other musically. That is a gift and a fine one at that.
So maybe that's the answer. Maybe the deal with Jerry is the way he became part of a bigger thing, greater than the sum of the parts.
Cary
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Nice analysis Cary!
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I think much of Jerry?s guitar work on the live recording ?Grateful Dead? (1971) (unofficially dubbed ?Skull and Roses? or ?Skullf***? (Phil?s nickname) ) is brilliant or at least borderline brilliant. I?d especially recommend their covers of ?Mama Tried? and ?me and my uncle.?
For that matter, the whole band SMOKES on that recording; it's my personal all-time favorite live Dead recording. And, lest I forget, for any who may not know, the recording was done by none other than Alembic!
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Ahhhh! Now you're on to something! You've gotten a good start now...keep on with your journey and see where it leads! Something about the Golden Road To Unlimited Devotion...?!?!?! LOL! J/K.
More food for thought:
Remember what I said about the Harley analogy?
For me, It's about how it makes you feel. Virtually all bikes, like virtually all music, are cool in their own way and are fun...but, to me, the way a Harley makes me feel when riding it is like the way Jerry and the Dead make me feel when I experience their music: unlike most of the others, IT JUST FEELS RIGHT!!!!!
That's as close as I can come to quantifying and qualifying the whole thing in words.
Cheers,
Kevin
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Cary:
You're getting it.
Bill, tgo
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Well, when I started this thread I knew that I was opening a can of worms, but this has definitely played out differently than I had expected. I think that what I am reading here is that (contrary to the above mentioned Akkerman, Carlton and Johnson... and Coltrane for that matter) nobody can name a song where Jerry is brilliant. You like them because you like them. Period.
I am reminded of a story of the emperor?s new clothes... (ROFL)
Thanks for the ride.
Cary
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I have to say I never got the Dead either however I had friends in high school that were fanatics.
Keith
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Ok Cary, I'll throw out one.
the best examples of Jerry's playing
- song and album
Unbroken Chain from Mars Hotel
It's not the best example, but it's one of my favorite tunes and since the only other suggestion so far, Let It Grow from View From The Vault I, is hard to come by, I'm offering this one as a starting point. (I'm quite surprised that of all the Garcia fans on this board, Charles was the only one to take you up on your challenge.) So give Unbroken Chain a try. When you get to the instrumental part, listen not only to what Jerry is playing but the setting as well; the chord changes, the time signatures, the mood of the piece. Notice his use of synchopation and phrasing. He's not trying to blow anyone away, he's responding to and complimenting what the other instruments are playing. In my view, Jerry's not about showing off and saying see what I can do on the guitar; Jerry plays from the heart. His playing is a conversation with the band and with the audience. Yes he's noodling; but in Unbroken Chain he's improvising over some complex chord changes and time signatures, and crafting a nice pleasing statement that fits the mood of the piece, and making it all sound quite natural and easy. It's not the best example of his work, but it's a good example of what he's doing. And it's one of my favorite tunes! It's also a good showcase of Phil Lesh's playing and that of Keith Godchaux.
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Cary:
Jerry was brilliant on ALL of them, even when he was wasn't! You want a specific song that shows off technique? Try Crazy Fingers or Sage & Sirit on Blues for Allah A specific song(s) that epitomizes playing from the soul? Try Saint Stephen > The Eleven off of Live/Dead. Songs that show off Jerry's broad range and versatility? Try CSN's Teach Your Children! Yup, that's Jerry on pedal steel! Or how about the original Old & In The Way album - Jerry on Banjo! Or the Grisman recordings - Jerry on acoustic. Jerry as songwriter? Listen to Ripple on American Beauty. All of the material people have named above are illustrative of Jerry's brilliance. Spend some time listening to them. Maybe you'll get it, maybe you won't. Meanwhile I'll listen to the river sing sweet songs to rock my soul.
Bill, tgo
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Bill's right; it's all so good, it's hard to pick one out. But here are a couple more for you to consider.
the best examples of Jerry's playing
- song and album
Help On The Way/Slipknot from Blues For Allah
King Solomon's Marbles from Blues For Allah
I love Help On The Way/Slipknot; and I would like to see it make our setlist. My guitar player and I worked on it once; it's quite complex.
I wouldn't have thought of King Solomon's Marbles, but I just listened to it closely and it's very complex. Jerry's doing some very neat stuff here, as is the whole band.
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Hah! Funny, Dave! I've also been working on Help on the way/Slipknot with my band. Complex, indeed; also a brilliant show of Jerry's playing. There's a lot more going on there than first meets the ear, as usual. Although, I also have to agree that it's hard to pick just one, I'll second your vote.
I also have to repeat that hearing Jerry, or anyone from the Dead for that matter, play on a recording is more than slightly lacking from the experience that went along with their playing. There's a reason so many people followed them around the country to see them play, rather than just sit at home and listen to an album. I second the Video/Movie necessity as well. It's at least a step in the right direction... as close as you can get now.
Also, try sitting down and jamming along with a song or two. As much as I liked the dead before, I don't think my true admiration for Jerry's playing was there before I sat down and started trying to play what he was playing.
Cheers!
Rob
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Inclusive of all that was mentioned above, don't forget those 32nd (64th?) notes from the Terrapin Station Suite, or how about the sublime envelope filter stuff from the same album's Estimated Prophet or Go To Heaven's Althea? I could go on forever, ad nauseum.
The point is, unlike Yngwie,Carlton, Akkerman, Eric Johnson, etc., Jerry was not a GUITAR God, has never been billed as such, and never wanted to be such. He was a gifted musician that knew how to soulfully communicate through many instruments.
I can tell you exactly where to go (in a song or two) for all of the other players mentioned here in order to showcase their guitar chops, but not for Jerry. Jerry was a lot of different things to a lot of different people...remember what I said about if I had to explain? LOL!
Cheers and enjoy the music!
I know I will,
Kevin
P.S., too bad SF is so far away, or I'd be spending New Year's Eve with Phil Lesh and Friends groovin' to old Dead ditties (et al) instead of Southside Johnny and the Asbury Dukes...he's a lot closer (i.e., Count Basie Theatre, Red Bank, NJ), LOL!
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as much as I dig the Dead..I was always more of a JGB fan.
check it..
Jerry Garcia Band
After Midnight
Eleanor Rigby
After Midnight (Reprise)
from Kean College, 2/28/80
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THANK YOU.
This is what I wanted- I will indeed check out these recordings. It took a little ribbing, but now I have what I was after.
Have a wonderful New Years, the lot of you.
Cary
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Cary
I think you answered your own question by saying you just don't get it! I too don't get it and I am not trying to. You could lock me in a room to listen to whatever piece by Garcia or the Dead and the only thing I would want to do is escape. That being said you are dealing with a musical icon and there will be no solid explanation as to why that is, it just is! The great thing about life and music is there are so many choices to enjoy. I am sure all these suggestions that were made to you are fine examples of Jerry Garcia and if you want to listen and learn then you will have to open your mind to that expierence. If you are like me you will just go listen to something that you enjoy.
Rory
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Chew on this for a while:
Without Jerry, there's probably no Alembic!
Happy New Year everyone. We're off to Cirque Du Soleil.
Bill, tgo
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Spose,
I was at that Kean College show back in 1980. Now I feel old!
I also think, as many of you have stated, you either like the Dead, or you don,t. I personally went to see them well over 150 times. When they were on, they could be amazing. When they weren't, it could be somewhat grating.
One of my favorite live tunes is China Cat/I Know You Rider. The band could really get rolling in the middle part between the two songs.
I hope everyone has a safe and happy new year!!
Pete
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(Sorry if this seems a bit anachronistic; I started it about 6 hours ago, got distracted, and came back to find it sitting here unposted.)
The problem, studiorecluse, lies not in naming a song where Jerry is brilliant, it lies in naming A song where Jerry is brilliant. There are literally thousands of shows available, and hunderds of examples of some of these songs. I could say listen to The Other One, but which version? In a way, because of the nature of the band, you have to have some experience with the music to fully appreciate what it is they are doing. As an analogy, in the context of conversation, if someone makes a relevant quote and you are unfamiliar with what's being quoted, it loses some of it's significance. Also, the music, and this song in particular, evolved heavily over the course of 30 years. Listen to a bunch of examples of The Other One, and you'd have a much better idea. The easiest way to do that would be to go to www.archive.org (http://www.archive.org) , go to the Grateful Dead section, and start reading show reviews to find people's favorites. Maybe some others will offer suggestions as well? I will start you off with two, 4.5.91 (streamable only) and 4.2.90 (available for download).
Charles
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Cary - perhaps my post was a bit too lengthy and you didn't get to the section where I attempted to answer your question - so here it is again:
Guitar Player magazine did a feature on Jerry in December ? here?s a link:
http://www.guitarplayer.com/story.asp?sectioncode=4&storycode=11720 (http://www.guitarplayer.com/story.asp?sectioncode=4&storycode=11720)
Near the bottom of the piece are a couple sections that might be of interest ? ?Garcia's Raddest Riff? and ?10 Radiant Garcia Moments? try to answer Cary?s question. Some of my personal favorites are ?My Funny Valentine? from ?Live at Keystone? with Merle Saunders. The work he did with Melvin Seals in The Jerry Garcia Band can also be amazing ? I love ?Don?t Let Go? from ?Jerry Garcia Band,? 1991 ... He also played on Ornette Coleman?s ?Virgin Beauty,? with interesting results.
I will also reiterate Charles' excellent suggestion just above. Stream some of the Soundboard recordings from the late 70s (in my estimation this is an underrated period for Jerry and the whole band) when the band is very often tight, focused and firing on all cylinders.
(Message edited by tom_z on December 31, 2005)
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Tom; my apologies! When I said above that Charles was the only one to take Cary up on his challenge I was wrong!
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Eyes of the World does it for me. I'm not exactly a fan of the laid-back genres that the GD would fall into, but there is a minimalist beauty to Jerry's approach to music that, to me at least, is largely unrivaled in modern music. It's not formula, and it's not breaking some hitherto unbroken musical ground. It's simply fresh, honest and clean. Throw Phil's crafty bass into the mix and it's like listening to a bunch of friends who know each other really really well make music. For years I thought they totally sucked. I've mellowed since then, and really enjoy Jerry's playing.
John
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I just read Garcia's Raddest Riff, cited above by Tom. It seems that the Guitar Player staff votes for Help on the Way/Slipknot too!!
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I like Eyes a lot too! It's on our set list and we've played it out a few times now, including last night; though we've yet to play it well.
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Ah yes, Eyes of the World - one of my all time favorites. Perhaps the biggest case I ever did - front page for 7 weeks - my client (who was acquitted) told me afterwards that he knew he had the right lawyer after I met with him at his house, picked up a guitar that was lying around, and played Eyes. His words were: Wow!, my lawyer can play Eyes of the World! LOL
... you are the song that the morning sings...
Bill, tgo
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Bill, tgo, that's pretty cool. I bet he nearly dropped his teeth when he heard Eyes. Maybe if your firm advertises you could buy the right to some Dead tunes.
Rich
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What album is Eyes Over The World on. Is that the GD or the JGB?
I've never been a huge Dead fan. In fact, I just bought my first two albums over the summer - Dead Set and Live at the Filmore East 1971. I enjoy some of their less mellow stuff like Bertha, Passenger, St. Stephen, I Know You Rider, Franklin's Tower. Any suggestions for some other slightly up-beat tunes?
Jonathan
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my band plays eyes from the 72 - 74 era with the big end jam...then we go into Shakedown..the two tunes run over 40 mins.
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Eyes Of The World is from Wake Of The Flood.
I'm not sure what you would call mellow or up-beat, but just guessing, I can suggest, just to name a few:
Estimated Prophet
Help On The Way/Slipknot
Sugar Magnolia
Truckin'
Jack Straw
China Cat Sunflower
Brown-Eyed Woman
U.S. Blues
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Oh, no problem whatsoever, Dave - I just remembered that GP had recently published the Jerry feature and it stated - If you?re new to Garcia?s playing, these songs will reveal his distinctive touch and tones. - and I thought that if Cary was sincerely interested this might be a helpful article that I didn't want him to miss. Plus my first post didn't really get to the point until near the end.
Jonathan - as far as up-tempo Dead tunes go, I would add to Dave's list the following:
Alabama Getaway
Around and Around
Greatest Story Ever Told
Golden Road
Cumberland Blues
Mexicali Blues
One More Saturday Night
Playin' In The Band
All Along the Watchtower
Not all Grateful Dead originals, I realize, but they do some amazing covers - Dylan, Beatles, The Who, Chuck Berry, Howlin' Wolf, etc. Here is a partial list of songs they have performed.
http://www.deadstein.com/music/index.htm (http://www.deadstein.com/music/index.htm)
Tom
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Thanks guys. Happy New Year!
Regards,
Jonathan
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There are alot of things theat Jerry was brilliant on....One album that always seems to convert the unbeleivers I have met in the past is Europe 72. There are songs on there that are not only the best and most beautifully written examples of the hunter/garcia collaborations, but it showcases some great guitar work by Jerry...
Alot of guitar players that are considered brilliant' (scofield, carlton, etc) I can only listen to for short periods of time. ALot of it is just to jazzzed out for me.
Studiorecluse, I will be happy to turn you onto some dead that you would like, if interetsed drop me an email at glocke12@comcast.net (mailto:glocke12@comcast.net).
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Also, although I am a BIG dead and Jerry fan, including the JGB and other side projects, Ill be the first to admit that it is an acquired taste. At times there is what may seem to be directionless jamming/noodling during or between songs, but I like that stuff. To me it is a basket of creativity where everyone is throwing ideas into a hat and than trying to see what they can pull out of it...
As to the other guitar players that studiorecluse mentioned, they are all great players, but I can only listen to stuff like that(and alot of jazz in general) for short periods of time. It is just to in the box and formula driven for me.
That being said, I have played jazz in the past (I am probably an intermediate or slightly above intermediate player) and will continue to do so just to keep my chops and ears up, but there is other stuff that to me is much more fun and rewarding to play.
Bottome line I think, diiferent strokes for different folks...
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no one mentioned positively 4th st from the live at the keystone jerry and merl cd.
so i will
and one of my favs
the other one from harpur college 1970 a dicks picks cd and widely thought of as one of the best dead shows EVER
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Tom:
Fantastic site! I'll definitely be visiting it again (& again!).
An important part of the Dead thing for me has always been how they would deconstruct a song to the point were it was an unrecognizable cauldron of sonic parts swirling around, sometimes linking up, sometimes completely discordant. Then you could hear them as, one or two at a time, they would catch a wave as it travelled across the stage. Sometimes the wave would hold together for a moment, and then disintegrate. Sometimes the wave would build, others hopping on, slowly becoming more and more coherent until a new fully formed song emerges from the maelstrom. It that too spacey a decription, or am I just still feeling the effects of last night? It's 2006! Enjoy!
Bill, tgo
(Message edited by lbpesq on January 01, 2006)
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I'm still loaded from last night!......