jazzbo Posted May 6, 2004 Report Share Posted May 6, 2004 I haven't fully digested this set yet, but I'm really enjoying this six cd box set from Rhino of his five solo cds, with a lot of extra tracks on each cd, and including a sixth cd of extras. There is actually a lot of variety in his recordings, and the playing is excellent throughout, and this box set is well remastered with a nice booklet. For fans of the very musically well-heeled Mr. Garcia this is well worth exploring. I got mine at a great price from cduniverse.com as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzbo Posted May 6, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 6, 2004 Well, I disagree of course. (I LIKE Keith and Donna Godchaux. . . any one have a copy of THEIR lp?) I have learned to LIKE these covers by Garcia over time. . . I find his fusion of influences to be an interesting thing and I listen past the production problems (which really aren't as bad as so many other lps of the time). And truth be told, I was never quite mainstream enough to be a hippy. . . I was just an alienated wierdo from my happy African experience being slamdunked into a rural Ohio late adolescence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockefeller center Posted May 6, 2004 Report Share Posted May 6, 2004 I was just an alienated wierdo from my happy African experience being slamdunked into a rural Ohio late adolescence. Ah, that explains your love for Tanita Tikaram. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzbo Posted May 6, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 6, 2004 (edited) Yes. Though "love" is strong. I love Monk, Ellington, Mingus and a few others. I really enjoy Tanita's work some of the time. Edited May 6, 2004 by jazzbo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzbo Posted May 6, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 6, 2004 I just have one of the Garcia and Grisman discs, one of the last officially released one, that stuff in general is not really my cup of tea. I'm no Kingfish and Purple Riders fan by any means. I like Weir. . . with the Dead (Ace is great, it's a Dead album really). . . I like Weir a LOT with the Dead, little outside the Dead. My African experience was principally Eastern and Southern, and Western Africa is a puzzle to me. . . . Probably good food, but I don't think I'll be in your neck of the woods any time soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzbo Posted May 6, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 6, 2004 I've never heard the Godchaux lp and never even knew it existed until the box set mentioned it. . . . I just like the gospel element that they and Jerry shared on these solo sessions, it was a joyous musical meeting, and I like their contributions to "Wake of the Flood" and beyond. . . . My Grateful Dead collection desire generally stops with "Terrapin Station" though studio lp wise. . . I'll grab some live stuff after that, but that was where I took a turn away from the Dead and other rock and deeeeply irretrievably into acoustic jazz for a looooong time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Pusey Posted May 6, 2004 Report Share Posted May 6, 2004 Ummm, where to start? I loved the Dead,bought their first album in 67 and saw them several times in England during the famed 72 tour and they were magnificent! In my opinion however, that was the begining of the end and the decline took a loooong time. I saw them later at the Ally Pally and they were merely a shadow of what they had once been... But I still buy all the Dicks picks up till 73/74 and even today played Aoxomoxoa . I hated Donnas voice and believe me you do not want to go near their album on Round it is dreadfull. (Do however do what ever you can to pick up the Diga Rhythm Band) Yeah, Bob Wiers Ace is an O.K. record, but for me the best of the offshoots has to be Harts Rolling Thunder. Now ,back on topic, I am really curious about this box set, The first Garcia solo was great and intriguing, the second,frankly, awful, the third, pretty and by the time Cats came out I had shaken my head and walked away...But what about the unreleased stuff? Do I need this box or do I wait till Rhino puts them out as individual releases? I think this is my dilemma of the year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzbo Posted May 6, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 6, 2004 (edited) If you were shaking your head. . . well I wouldn't bother; the extra stuff pretty much is in line with the released stuff, so you'd be doing some real head-shaking. Me. . . I'm not a Mickey Hart fan. I'm much more a Bill Kreutzman fan. Edited May 6, 2004 by jazzbo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenny weir Posted May 7, 2004 Report Share Posted May 7, 2004 Speaking of which ... On my lunch break perambulations today I saw and snagged the 4cd final Winterland show set 2ndhand. For $20! It sounds great! I don't have any of the dick's picks, and other live stuff I'd heard was from the interent. This stuff's on a whole 'nuther level, sound-wise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Pusey Posted May 7, 2004 Report Share Posted May 7, 2004 Well Jazzbo, I have just returned from Helsingborg where I picked up the latest Blue Notes, and I could not let the Garcia box stay in the shop! Deal. I guess theres a whole lotta head shakin gonna go on tonight, but for old times sake...And, yes Bill the drummer is great too, but together with Hart, phew... Alligator! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzbo Posted May 7, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2004 See, that's just it: I honestly have never felt other than the sum is less than the two separately. Ron Tutt on the solo sides. . . is a stiffer more structured drummer, and I enjoy his work as well. I can do without Hart. . . . Just a personal thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmirBagachelles Posted May 7, 2004 Report Share Posted May 7, 2004 clem is pretty right on, even giving most of these LPs a free pass using strange-meat hippie taste metrics, the overall effect is not stellar, just OK. There are some really good songs though, and I think Reflections is a mellow masterpiece, among the best Dead studio output with Mars Hotel and Workingman's (my choices). Reflections, as I recall, took the edge off like nothing else, it was always first up in the tape deck for the long overnight rides between shows/cities. The Warner Bros. record is fine by me too, as is most of Compliments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chalupa Posted May 7, 2004 Report Share Posted May 7, 2004 FYI... I just got an email w/ an annoucemnet for this upcoming release http://jerrygarcia.com/purejerry.html Looks pretty good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Pusey Posted May 8, 2004 Report Share Posted May 8, 2004 I take your point Jazzbo. I recentlly played the ladies and gentlemen-the Grateful Dead live at theFillmore East 1971 set released on Arista shortly after Hart left the band and Billy is magnificent. I do not like planet drum et al but do hold in enormous regard the`Rolling Thunder album, possibly because so many of my other faves of the time were on it, Melton, Cippolina and so on. And I guess Hart was such an integral part of Anthem , Aoxomoxoa and Live Dead, to this day my favourite Dead period. Anyway alone together they participated in some pretty amazing music! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmirBagachelles Posted May 8, 2004 Report Share Posted May 8, 2004 I too just went back to that April '71 4 disc set, I listened to it most all last weekend. It is incredible live music. I was not listening closely to the drums, more to Jerry's voice, the harmonizing and the tight changes (I guess that's the whole rhythm section too...). Oh that Morning Dew! There is another whole show from Germany '72 on the way from Arista I believe, it's on the Dead site. "Ladies and Gentlemen..." if you don't have it or you don't know the Dead, it is not only where to start, it may be the apex of released material. I give it four hits, way way up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chalupa Posted May 8, 2004 Report Share Posted May 8, 2004 (edited) IMHO, the best of the live releases from the the Dead is the "Steppin' Out with the Grateful Dead" that was released a few years ago. The Dark Star>Sugar Mag is out of this world. Hard to find for some strange reason. 1971 is my least favorite year for the Dead, prior to their retirement. The band took awhile to get use to not having two drummers and Pigpen's health decline took its toll. Even when healthy he was no match as a keyboardist for the rest of the band. Things picked up in the Fall when Keith joined(my faveorite keyboardist of theirs). Here was someone that could challenge Jerry for control of the jams and keep up with him every step of the way. 1972, 1973, & 1974 are the golden years for me. I love the 1968-70 years for their primal energy but they matured into one of the finest exploratory music ensembles in Rock when Keith joined up. Edited May 9, 2004 by Chalupa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Pusey Posted May 9, 2004 Report Share Posted May 9, 2004 Chalupa, I was there for that Dark Star It was the best Dark Star I ever saw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chalupa Posted May 10, 2004 Report Share Posted May 10, 2004 You lucky dog! I saw the Dead around 50 times - never got a Dark Star. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Pusey Posted May 10, 2004 Report Share Posted May 10, 2004 WOOF! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Pusey Posted May 11, 2004 Report Share Posted May 11, 2004 And now I see that there is a special limited edition version of the box with an extra Cd. Don´t you just hate it when they do that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzbo Posted June 1, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2004 Man, I just went to jerrygarcia.com and saw that! ARGH! I DO hate that when they do that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmirBagachelles Posted June 1, 2004 Report Share Posted June 1, 2004 mmmm 4/24/72 out on CD in terrific sound. Big show, tremendous Dark Star. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave James Posted June 1, 2004 Report Share Posted June 1, 2004 I know the Dead was loaded most of the time, but they must've gotten into some serious Owsley blue when they decided to roll out the welcome mat for Donna Jean. In a band that's distinguished itself over the years by a fair amount of mediocre vocal work, she takes the cake. Just plain awful. Speaking of Dark Star does anyone else have the CD called Greyfolded? It's a full disc of various and sundry live versions of the tune spliced together so it goes on and on and on. Interesting if not essential. Up over and out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzbo Posted June 1, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2004 Donna Jean has her moments both ways if you ask me. Yes, Greyfolded, really an amazing collage! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.:.impossible Posted June 1, 2004 Report Share Posted June 1, 2004 I don't know what's going on out there right now, but people seem to be talking alot about the Dead lately. Lots of conflicting opinion here and there as well. I love the band with Pigpen. They were so raw and wild. I also love the band post-Pigpen when Mickey Hart left and they really mellowed out in Europe. I don't love Donna, but she was part of the deal I guess. I'm back and forth about the drumming. I liked the band with two drummers, but it is a real treat to hear Billy doing it on his own. He is rooted in American traps drumming, where Mickey knew all along he was more interested in the old rhythms of the world. And he came back with some great stuff! Workingman's Dead is the masterpiece studio recording by a country mile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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