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Alembic Club » Miscellaneous » Archive: 2005 » Archive through October 17, 2005 » Archive - 2004 » Archive through November 12, 2004 » New Jerry Garcia Band Live CD Release or Lesh is More « Previous Next »

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kmh364
Senior Member
Username: kmh364

Post Number: 575
Registered: 9-2003
Posted on Saturday, October 09, 2004 - 7:20 am:   Edit Post

Sorry, but I couldn't resist the pun here. No, Lesh doesn't play on this one. Jerry went his own solo way away from the Dead in '80 and used the great John Kahn (RIP), his long-time colaborator, for bass duties. This tour featurea a stripped-down line-up: no additional guitars, no back-up singers, Just Jerry, John, Ozzie Ahlers (keys) and Johnny De Fonseca (drums)...with a cameo by R. Hunter on some of his tunes. Jerry didn't need a big production on this tour: he was in fine form (maybe the finest of his life) and he carried it off brilliantly. A must-have for Jerry fans as far as I'm concerned.

This new one (the second release from Jerry's Estate) is entitled "After Midnight". It chronicles early/late shows from Kean College in Union NJ early on in his 1980 JGB tour. Included as a bonus if you order from jerrygarcia.com is a "Way After Midnight" disc with additional live material from the same tour: this time, from Calderon Concert Hall in LI, NY, and The Capitol Theatre in Passiac, NJ (both now defunct) which occured just a few nights after the Kean shows.

I just had to have this collection as I was there at the Capitol Theatre show on that tour in '80 and was ecstatic to see it was captured on tape for all posterity. Jerry was particularly "on" during that tour and he had Robert Hunter as an opener. You can probably hear a screaming highed-up teenage version of your's truly during the Capitol Stuff. I'm hoping that they'll release that night in it's entirety as well.

Not only was the playing and song selection excellent on that tour, but the recordings documenting same were top-shelf. The HDCD mastering puts you right there amidships with the sound crew as if your were transported back in time to that show. This is the closest thing to a time machine I've found yet, LOL! Look Mom, I'm 24yrs. younger and have most of my hair again, LOL!

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
kmh364
Senior Member
Username: kmh364

Post Number: 604
Registered: 9-2003
Posted on Saturday, October 16, 2004 - 4:24 pm:   Edit Post

No takers? I was listening as I wrote. This collection is a masterpiece!

BTW, they just announced a new installment (#2) in the "PURE Jerry" series. This is from the infamous '87 dates with the JGB on Broadway at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. They have a demo video of Jerry opening the show in a dry ice fog to "Werewolves of BROADWAY" on his website. VERY cool. This should be another GREAT one. I pre-ordered it and I'lll have it by Halloween. I'll keep you posted. Keep your eyes tuned to this same Bat Channel!
zappahead
Member
Username: zappahead

Post Number: 99
Registered: 10-2002
Posted on Saturday, October 16, 2004 - 6:19 pm:   Edit Post

Im definetly going to be checking those out. Im a bigger fan of the JGB than I am the Dead and thats saying a lot. I still think its the best work he ever did. I think you saw more of what Jerry was all about at the JGB shows than anywhere else. Ive been busy, but Im going to be buying most likely all of those things and Im glad you mentioned them since I havent been keeping up with this stuff for a while.
kmh364
Senior Member
Username: kmh364

Post Number: 605
Registered: 9-2003
Posted on Sunday, October 17, 2004 - 5:43 am:   Edit Post

Russ:

You're welcome. Just go to Jerry's website and get on the mailing list. I'll send you the link via email (I hope you don't mind). You will get emails about all the new releases before they are available to the general public, they usually throw-in an otherwise unavailable "bonus" item, and they give you a (small) discount. Between them and the Dead, they've been suckering me out of my money at least once a month with their "pre-order" specials, LOL!. It's actually the same company (they're in VA like you) and the phone operators are all Dead Heads, LOL! Depending on the number you call, you'll hear either just Jerry or the Dead while you're on hold. The pre-order for the "Jerry On Broadway" collection is going on now. This one should be a REAL gem!

Seriously, the fidelity on the two latest (the first two, actually) releases is astonishing. I used to think I was hot sh*t when Scott Muni (God rest his soul) used to broadcast them live on WNEW-FM in NYC and I'd catch it on my "hi-fi" cassete deck. The latest one especially finds Jerry and Co. at their PEAK. What a GREAT tour that was, and one I'm proud to say I witnessed first hand!

Cheers,

Kevin
lbpesq
Member
Username: lbpesq

Post Number: 73
Registered: 7-2004
Posted on Sunday, October 17, 2004 - 12:37 pm:   Edit Post

Kevin:

Scott Muni! Boy, there's a blast from the past. I probably haven't heard his name mentioned in more than 30 years, (I moved from NY to CA in '73). From your comment I assume he is now in that big soundbooth in the sky. I wonder how many of the other NY area DJs I grew up with are still around. People like Cousin Brucie, Alison Steele, the night bird, HOA - Herb Oscar Anderson, Murray the K, etc.)

Oops, I guess I'm steering this thread a little off course. O.K., time to bring it back around. Let's have a beer!

Bill, the guitar (and formerly NY) one.
kmh364
Senior Member
Username: kmh364

Post Number: 609
Registered: 9-2003
Posted on Sunday, October 17, 2004 - 4:58 pm:   Edit Post

The Professor, Scott Muni (Scottso) died just two weeks ago. The outpouring of sympathy from both the public and musical celebrities was amazing. I guess you'd have to have been in a coma in the NYC Metro area to not have been touched by Scott over the past four decades.

Alison Steele aka the Night Bird I haven't heard of in a long time, but she used to be one of my favorites...who on radio had a sexier voice than her?

All the surviving DJ's from the now-defunct WNEW-FM (102.7MHz) are now on Q-104.3 (Mhz). I've been listening to Jim Kerr since the 70's and he's the Morning DJ on my commute into work in the AM.
kmh364
Senior Member
Username: kmh364

Post Number: 614
Registered: 9-2003
Posted on Friday, October 22, 2004 - 5:10 am:   Edit Post

Sorry, another duplicate post.

(Message edited by kmh364 on October 22, 2004)
kmh364
Senior Member
Username: kmh364

Post Number: 615
Registered: 9-2003
Posted on Friday, October 22, 2004 - 5:17 am:   Edit Post

My "Jerry On Broadway" set is on it's way, or so sayeth the auto-email from the GD Store (or is that the JG Store? Oh Well, no matter)! I should have it next week sometime (by the 27th, methinks) I'll keep the faithful (or those that care) posted. This one should be AWESOME!

Come to think of it, I'm a pretty good salesman...with all the money I've spent, plus the stuff I've probably sold, Jerry's estate should be sending me a commission check...should I hold my breathe? LOL!
zappahead
Intermediate Member
Username: zappahead

Post Number: 101
Registered: 10-2002
Posted on Friday, October 22, 2004 - 6:11 am:   Edit Post

Im gonna order that set as well. It really looks solid. Its also a good deal too. Lot of CDs for the price. I missed those shows and had always wondered about them. Thanks for the heads up.
kmh364
Senior Member
Username: kmh364

Post Number: 616
Registered: 9-2003
Posted on Friday, October 22, 2004 - 7:58 am:   Edit Post

Cool, Good on ya! I'm psyched...I know that Broadway run was record-making in more ways than one. I was very disappointed back in the day that I was not able to get tix for that show run, but they were very expensive and sold-out immediately, to my recollection.

BTW, I asked about the teaser video on the web site (i.e., "Werewolves"), specifically whether there was more where that came from. I was told (unofficially) that if they actually had real video of the Broadway gigs, they would have released it at this time as well. Well, only time will tell if this is the truth...let's hope it isn't.
kmh364
Senior Member
Username: kmh364

Post Number: 630
Registered: 9-2003
Posted on Thursday, October 28, 2004 - 2:28 pm:   Edit Post

A new "Jerry On Broadway" video teaser has appeared on the JG site...the always awesome The Beatles's (John Lennon's) "Dear Prudence".

I ck'ed my UPS tracking number and the b*stards are making me wait one more day, LOL!. By tomorrow I'll have my review posted, so stay tuned all you JerryHeads.
flaxattack
Intermediate Member
Username: flaxattack

Post Number: 195
Registered: 4-2004
Posted on Friday, October 29, 2004 - 10:39 am:   Edit Post

kevin
cant find the video link in the jerry site
where is it
i was at the halloween show
flaxattack
Intermediate Member
Username: flaxattack

Post Number: 196
Registered: 4-2004
Posted on Friday, October 29, 2004 - 10:43 am:   Edit Post

btw- did you ever get me email about jammin sometime?
kmh364
Senior Member
Username: kmh364

Post Number: 631
Registered: 9-2003
Posted on Friday, October 29, 2004 - 10:55 am:   Edit Post

Jeff: I sent you and Russ (zappahead) the link to the video's.

Yes, I got your message and I thought I replied. I wouldn't mind...I'm supposed to do likewise with bkbass who I work with (same agency. different facility)..as soon as his SII Alembic is completed anyway (see "Barry's Dark Custom" in the FTC thread).
flaxattack
Intermediate Member
Username: flaxattack

Post Number: 197
Registered: 4-2004
Posted on Friday, October 29, 2004 - 11:24 am:   Edit Post

no never got email back
thanks just go the videos...
was that me jumpin during direwolves of broadway?
lol?
kmh364
Senior Member
Username: kmh364

Post Number: 636
Registered: 9-2003
Posted on Friday, October 29, 2004 - 3:52 pm:   Edit Post

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
Senior Member
Username: kmh364

Post Number: 641
Registered: 9-2003
Posted on Saturday, October 30, 2004 - 10:45 am:   Edit Post

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
Senior Member
Username: kmh364

Post Number: 643
Registered: 9-2003
Posted on Sunday, October 31, 2004 - 7:07 am:   Edit Post

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
Senior Member
Username: kmh364

Post Number: 650
Registered: 9-2003
Posted on Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 6:25 am:   Edit Post

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
Senior Member
Username: kmh364

Post Number: 657
Registered: 9-2003
Posted on Thursday, November 04, 2004 - 5:58 am:   Edit Post

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.

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