Customer Reviews

Blue Light Rain

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This disk should appeal to deadheads and nondeadheads alike. It is somewhat of a super session. Members include Jimmy Herring (Aquarium Rescue Unit & The Allman Brothers Band) on guitar, Alphonso Johnson (Weather Report & Santana) bass guitar, Billy Cobham (Miles Davis & Mahavishnu Orchestra)drums, and T Lavitz (Dixie Dregs & Steve Morse Band) on keyboards. The idea was to have jazz fusion heroes to perform instrumental versions of Grateful Dead tunes. The result is highly effective. Though not a total deadhead I am a fan of some of their more progressive music (not the country/folk stuff). It is evident that this band is musically tighter and more technically proficient than the Grateful Dead ever could be. Jimmy Herring is an underrated guitarist. He makes an economical use of every note without being overblown. Herring also projects a sweet feeling to his playing at times. If you ever wondered what it would sound like if Duane Allman or Dickey Betts joined the Grateful Dead, it might sound like this. Billy Cobham is arguably the best jazz fusion drummer. His playing sounds sort of like a more controlled yet jazzy version of Keith Moon or Ginger Baker. Alphonso Johnson works well with Cobham. His popping bass gets your feet tapping. I wonder how long they had to rehearse before aquiring this sort of telepathy between each other. T. Lavitz is adventurous yet solid on keyboards. The best part of the disk might be the song selection. The disk includes many of my favorites like great versions of "Dark Star" and "Help On The Way/Slipknot/Franklin's Tower" and "Scarlet Begonias". The disk also contains a heated version of Cobham's "Red Baron" from his "Spectrum" album (one of the best early jazz fusion albums w/Tommy Bolin). The cover tunes provide a basic framework but serve as a springboard for jamming and progressive musical explorations. Occasional hints of reggae and funk are added to sections of some of the songs which make them more interesting. In summary fans of great musicianship, jazz fusion and/or deadheads will find this to be an essential purchase.

Not being a GD fan but rather a fusion fan and admirer of the members' respective bands and legendary status, I found this to be a very good CD that will expose GD fans to a much higher standard of musicianship. Anyone who does not acknowledge the GD's amazingly successful career and touring draw would be someone who cannot judge the facts. I do not want to be perceived as being disrespectful of the Greatful Dead, but this is music of another standard.

Having seen the new lineup: (Rod Morganstein (Dixie Dregs/Winger/Rudess-Morganstein Project) and Jeff Sipe aka Apartment Q258 (Aquarium Rescue Unit/Col. Bruce Hampton/Jonas Hellborg) as dueling drummers and replacing Billy Cobham who is regarded as being one of the top drummers of all time and on this release, Jimmy Herring (Aquarium Rescue Unit/Col. Bruce Hampton/Allman Bros), Alphonso Johnson (Weather Report/Widespread Panic/Bruce Hornsby, T. Lavitz (Dixie Dregs cofounder/Jefferson Starship, Nils Lofgren/Mothers Finest and here ya go GD trivialists: the almost GD keyboard player (2nd choice for the seat, they wanted vocals too and chose Vince Welnick (Tubes))in Chicago on 8/14/99, it is only getting better ! This band has become a very aggressive fusion powerhouse. I thought it a little out of place to see the GD "dazed dance" being done to this format, but I was impressed by the GD fans adaptability. I think im my case it is an advantage to not know the original tunes, but I also could understand that some GD fans might feel the memory being blaspheamed and might not understand the interpretations. My recommendations, like the Dead or not, is buy this CD with an open mind and give it a spin. If you like it, make sure to check out the member's respective bands... we're talking about some of the best musicans around and they each,(with the exception of Sipe and Herring, although easily within the same league) have a multi-decade track record of being involved with the evolution of progressive music. If you have the opportunity to talk with them as I have, they are nice guys to boot, lacking any trace of the ego-fest that others in this genre are known for !

Jazz is Dead asks the musical question - what if Jerry and Bob and Phil just shut up and just PLAYED?

The results are mixed. By focusing on the compositions, arrangements and improvisations, JID succeeds in tightening up the Deads trademark sloppy ensemble work. The limited time they've played together adds a freshness and energy lacking from the Deads last, oh let's see...., 25 years of performances.

Despite almost 35 years as a performing unit the GD remained a glorified garage band. A rehearsal tape from 1995 that captures Phil struggling to teach the band his composition Unbroken Chain underscores how little their experience helped them to understand the technical structure of music.

Jazz training forces a musician to embrace the technical complexities of music. A seasoned collection of jazz musicians like JID could learn a composition like Unbroken Chain in one sitting.

The GD's live performances of Unbroken Chain show a bored, jaded group going through the motions. JID performing the same composition sound fresh, tight and inspired.

On paper, JID sounds like the perfect setting to interpret the GD's music. It almost is. As pathetic as the GD's vocals can be, their tunes sound thin without them. Having the guitar play the melody's just doesn't have the range necessary to bring out much depth. The GD's lyrics gave each song a cinematic quality absent from JID. It's almost like we're hearing the studio master tracks waiting for the vocal overdubs.

Jimmy Herring is a fine guitarist and is able to solo through the tunes finding notes and phrases that were beyond anything Garcia ever attempted. What he can't match is the flowing, effortless quality JG had during his better moments. For all of his ability JH remains a craftsman. For all of his limitations, JG was an artist.

T Lavitz has impeccable credentials. The problem is he is expected to do too much. He is at least as good as any GD keyboard player, but can't contribute enough to fill the void left by removing the vocals, JG's leads, Bobbys rhythm guitar, and a second drummer. The GD never allowed their keyboard players to embark on long solos. They discovered early on that their compositions (and audience) simply didn't respond well. Ears trained to hear jazz subtleties find it relatively easy to listen to long keyboard solos, ears raised on rock and roll find it much harder. JID should follow the GB's example, add a more dynamic solo voice and allow T Lavitz to play more of a supporting role.

Billy Cobham and Tony Jackson are above reproach. One can only wonder what the GD would have sounded like with groove as tight as JIDs' to drive them. Still, as good as Cobham is, he only has four limbs and can't add the variety and depth a drummer and a world class percussionist provide. The listener is left with a choice between the GD's uneven inventiveness and JID's well oiled rhythm engine.

As was the case with the GB, I suspect JID's strength may lie in live performance. I wonder if they do a second set "space jam"? If so, it would tell us a great deal about their creative potential.

One thing is clear. For all their faults (perhaps because of their faults), the musical and cultural experiment called the GB will never be improved on or repeated.

As a closet Jazz guy and one time Deadhead I'd like to see them live, but it would be hard to imagine touring with them to see each of their east coast shows. Their music intrigues, but doesn't have the range to captivate the following their musical model enjoyed.

of a fusion group consisting of extremely talented individuals, who take songs of one of musics most beloved groups, The Grateful Dead, and create a new masterpiece. The Dead`s music was always launching points for incredible music journeys, especially live, and this band continues in that vein.

From the opening Crazy Fingers with it`s wonderful interplay, to the Blues for Allah medley, where the group shows their interpretation of one the Dead`s most complex pieces, to the centerpiece of this CD, the Dead`s own musical space vehicle Dark Star.

Featuring Jimmy Herring, a soon to be household name, on guitar, Alphonso Johnson, bass master extraordinaire, keyboardist T.Lavitz, and drum legend Billy Cobham, this CD makes you hope that they continue to mine the fertile songbboks of the Dead. This was the CD that had me at the record store once a week waiting for the follow up, Laughing Water.

This will please both Dead and jazz fans, and will convert new ones.

I first heard of Jazz Is Dead from my sister who saw a show of their's in Detroit when they were touring with Merl Saunders and the Rainforest Band. She was kind enough to get a tape of the show and I was blown away.

Now this all-star cast offers their instrumental treatment of classic Dead tunes from "Dark Star" to "Unbroken Chain" to a medley from the timeless album, "Blues for Allah."

Guitarist Jimmy Herring (of Aquarium Rescue Unit fame, among others) offers moving riffs that substitute for the vocal lines, while Mahivishnu Orchestra drummer-extraordinaire Billy Cobham and bassist Alphonso Johnson (toured with Santana) maintain a tight but jazzy rhythm section for T Lavitz' (Dixie Dregs co-founder, formerly of Widespread Panic) psychedelic keys add to the wonderous sound.

This album is not only testament to the incredible musical talent of this group, but also the fact that Grateful Dead wrote incredible songs. If you like the Dead or any of the aformentioned bands, you will definitely love this album!

This album is THAT good, no kidding. I could go throught it track by track, note by note, solo by solo, but I'll skip all that and get straight to the point. Blue Light Rain is one of the best albums you will ever own, I assure you. I mean Billy Cobham!! T. Lavitz!! Alfonso Johnson!! and the one and only Jimmy Herring!! That may not mean anything to you now, but wait until you hear this disk then you will definitley know what I mean. This is the kind of album that will stay with you for the rest of your life no matter how your musical preferences may change. I have played this album for people who hate Jazz and loath the Dead and they have LOVED it, it really is THAT good. So stop reading this now and add this to your shopping cart, you will never regret it.

You can't beat this CD! It is my favorite. I am a huge Deadhead and since the loss of Jerry, it is hard to get your fix.
If you like fusion mixed with Dead tunes, you will love this Blue Light Rain.
Billy Cobham is unbelievable. Jimmy Herring plays the hottest licks on Guitar. His work on this CD is what gave him the noteriety to be called up to the Phil and Friends. I actually enjoy Jimmy more in this band. Alfonso plays with abandon. This is probaly the best of T. Lavitz's work.
If you only get one Jazz is Dead CD or One CD all year, you would be missing out if you did not add Blue Light Rain to your collection!

Talking about the clasic bands of different kinds of music such as ,Grateful Dead,Allman Brothers Band,Santana,Dixie Dregs, and some others,Jazz is Dead virtually gathers the new things of this musical tendencies of contemporary Jazz Rock and Fusion.
In Blue light Rain, we find the agressive part of Jazz Rock and the complex part of fusion expressed with armony and melody played in a creative way by four great musicians known all over the world as J.Herring, A.Johnson,T.Lavitz,B.Cobhan which are considered outstanding showing their own style that makes them particular in the world of music nowdays.
My opinion is that all these stars I've mentioned so far are still present in the music we are listening to today.

Man, this album is nuts. I first heard and learned to solo the scales listening and playing along to this album. I've always hated the Greatful Dead and their untight, hippie, almost country music sound. None the less, they've got some great songs to cover when their are musicians playing it the most technically they can, sober, and with tight timing. All these guys are make the Dead songs sound so much better than they were. I really really hate hippies.

I picked up this CD After seeing Jazz is Dead live at 1st Ave in Minneapolis. You never really know what you're getting when one does this but in this case I was very satisified. This CD not only captured the talent of this band,(Cobham and Herring are unreal) but the energy that goes along with a live show. The songs are from the legendary Greatful Dead and take on a familiar theme. Being a Dead fan, it's done very well! This is a must CD for any jazz collection.