Author Topic: New Jerry Garcia Band Live CD Release or Lesh is More (Read 386 times)

kmh364 · « **Reply #15 on:** October 29, 2004, 03:52:26 PM »

Got it today! Just got delivered at around 18:30hrs EST by ole' Brown, LOL!.

The sound is good, just not as good as the two prior (and earlier) live Jerry releases. In all fairness, the band is much bigger here and, therefore much harder to mix properly. This, like the other archive recordings, is a soundboard-sourced recording. Despite the THIRTEEN night run at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, I'm betting they never quite got the hall sound just right. The disc set has a disclaimer on it that states that the ...tapes from which this CD package orignated were created under far less than ideal, and in certain senses downright intimidating circumstances and that this music...hasn't sounded nearly this good since performed live. It appears they pulled the guitar out of the hat (excuse the pun) to bring these tapes to light: via ..courage, hard work and modern science!

Regardless, Halloween '87 saw two great shows (Matinee and Evening Shows) with both acoustic and electric sets! It was rare to get acoustic Dead, nevermind acoustic Jerry! If you dig Jerry, you'll dig this set!

I'll let you all know more as I digest this set further. I haven't even finished the Halloween shows and I still have three more discs of the Best of the Rest from the remaining twelve nights of the Broadway run!

BTW, the commerative Broadway run tee-shirt with the famous Jerry dressed as a magician and levitating his Alembic/Doug Irwin guitar (Rosebud or Tiger) out of the top hat (look ma, no hands! LOL!) pic is awesome and well worth the $15(?) bucks!

kmh364 · « **Reply #16 on:** October 30, 2004, 10:45:17 AM »

BTW: For anyone that cares, there is a write-up in the current issue of Rolling Stone about the life and times of Scottso (Scott Muni). It was mentioned on the radio (Q-104.3 FM in NYC) this week.

kmh364 · « **Reply #17 on:** October 31, 2004, 07:07:16 AM »

I do have to say, the more I listen to the Jerry on Broadway stuff, the more I like it. Having said that, you can definitely hear the degradation in Jerry's voice, especially compared to the '80 tour. If I recall correctly, this '87 run on Broadway couldn't have been too far away from Jerry's late-'80's diabetic coma and the subsequent long healing period (where he actually had to re-learn to play the guitar!). You can hear clearly hear the toll Jerry's abuse of his health had taken on his voice on this CD set.

I saw the Dead for the last time prior to last year's tour back in '89 or '90 (post-coma) and Jerry was in horrible shape! He never sounded worse and was never as obese as he was during that tour. It was downright embarassing to see him that way and it resulted in my never going to another Dead show for the rest of Jerry's life (unfortunately for me).

kmh364 · « **Reply #18 on:** November 02, 2004, 06:25:53 AM »

BTW, the companion set to Jerry on Broadway AKA The Best of the Rest is quite good as well. Actually, since all the performances on it were prior to the Halloween finale that is documented on the Jerry On Broadway set, Jerry is in better shape vocally on it. It's a shame that the featured show found Jerry in the worst shape vocally due to 12 straight days of two shows per day prior to the feature.

Oh well, it's still Jerry and it's still good. God rest his soul!

kmh364 · « **Reply #19 on:** November 04, 2004, 05:58:59 AM »

For you fans of Jerry's Old And In the Way and David Grisman bluegrass stuff, you'll love the Jerry on Broadway set. The acoustic stuff is some Jerry/Dead stuff with the majority being bluegass standards and features David Nelson (NRPS) on guitar, Sandy Rothman on mandolin/dobro, Kenny Kosek on fiddle, John Kahn on upright string bass, David Kemper on drums, and of course Jerry on guitar. The vocal harmonies are nice and the playing excellent.