Customer Reviews

Don't Let Go

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Somebody once wrote that there is a crazy kind of comfort found in the Grateful Dead. This disk proves that the statement rolls over into just about anything that Jerry Garcia put his mind to. This first archival release of seventies JGB is a fantastic collection of tasty groves and heartfelt melodies. As with most nights, Garcia starts out almost rudimentary in his approach, finds his groove and then showers the audience with endless musical paragraphs quoting everyone from Charlie Parker to Buddy Holly. Disk one starts out with solid but unremarkable performances of Sugaree and They Love Each Other and eventually turns retrospective with the most pious version of Knockin' on Heaven's Door ever recorded. Keeping the mood close in hand JGB strolls through an equally earnest Sitting in Limbo and Mission In the Rain before finally ramping up with an exceedingly laid back Don't Let Go.

The beauty of the Jerry Garcia Band in 1976 is that they are so fundamentally different from the Dead. While the Dead roar out of the gate and surround you with their incredibly strong personalities, JGB seems happier to settle back and let the music speak for itself. The pace is steadier with Ron Tutt and John Kahn sticking happily to the inescapable pulse on tunes like That's What Love Will Make You Do. This pulse gives Garcia and Keith Godchaux room to stretch out and test their chops in a manner closer to a modern Jazz band than rock and roll. The second disk takes off with fantastic takes on Clapton's version of After Midnight as well as Lonesome And A Long Way From Home. Of particular note on disk two is Donna Jean Godchaux's stunning gospel reading of Strange Man. This is undoubtedly her finest recorded performance and begs the question why the Dead didn't let her bring some of this repertoire to their own shows.

This is a fantastic and welcome addition to the fast growing Garcia / Dead library. Send it to your family, friends and political enemies.

Once again we are fortunate to have wonderful music by Jerry to listen too and enjoy. This set has Jerry backed by different musicians than on his last live CD, and you can feel the sense of joy and excitement of something familiar, yet new. With Dead bandmates Keith and Donna Gochaux providing wonderful keyboards and vocals, Jerry sounds at the top of his form on these selections. While I think at times Donna`s vocal prowess was a little grating, here she is wonderful and complimentary, even doing a great lead herself on Strange Man. While a few of these songs were on JGB`s last live CD the versions here are definetly feeling the energy of this new band. To me the main thing here is, of course, Jerry`s singing and his guitar playing. While well known and loved by Deadheads, his playing never was appreciated much it seems outside the circle of fans. But while he is never "flashy", he always had beautiful tone, and his ability to flow seamlessly from acompianiment to soulful leads is what makes him such an incredible artist.

Even his wonderful take on Knockin`on Heaven`s Door which embodies everything you either loved or hated by him and/or the Dead, he once again demonsrates the ability to take a song and make it his. This CD only whet`s the appetite for his next release, a collection of live cuts covering his solo career. This is another keeper.

The more I listen to the Dead, the more I notice when Donna's not there _ roughly before 1972 and after 1978. Yes, she screeches, yes, she's not Bonnie Raitt, as she demonstrates on her Raitt-like solo on this one. But somehow, she provides a subcontext that's missing in some of the Dead's other work. (Not counting the Pigpen era _ that's a whole other story.)

That's why I like this CD. Jerry is Jerry. Those of us who like him will buy almost anything that's released (more than 30 CDs of some kind since he died 5 1-2 years ago). This is good Garcia, good song selection and some great stuff _ I happen to like his version of "After Midnight'' better than Clapton's because it's more spontaneous. (By the way, Clapton didn't write it, J.J. Cale did). He was at his best from 74-78 and I'd like to hear more of the JGB from that period.

Still, for whatever it's worth, Donna makes this different.

If you are a big fan of JGB, this disc will not disappoint you. There are a few discs that have been released over the past few years, which capture the ever-changing nature of Jerry's bands, but this is the only one featuring Keith on the piano. It is a bit of a departure from the organ-themed shows with Melvin Seals or Merle at the helm, but it is fantastic nonetheless. It is also the first disc to be released as a full show, which is interesting because you can really hear the show develop from beginning to end. The teeth of this show is the second set which contains some wonderfully long and tight signature Jerry jams and the sound is great. The first disc has it's moments as well, but I found myself really drawn to the second disc. The only downside is that Donna has a microphone in front of her for the whole show, so that screaming and yelling in the background isn't your wife or girlfriend losing it in the kitchen-it's Donna. In any case, it's well worth it to have any Jerry Band show released, as they always showcase his unique brand of playing and his one-of-a-kind voice. You don't have to be a Deadhead to like this disc-you just have to like music.

I put in this review, because after browsing around the Garcia selections I was very surprised that this album is not one of the top selling live albums and is not reviewed as highy as it deserves. I've had it since it was originally released and keep going back to it in spite of aquiring a number of discs from the Pure Jerry series.
If you enjoy listening to Garcia play guitar, this album is an excellent selection. Live at Keystone Vol's 1 and 2 are my alltime favorites for listening to soulful, emotional guitar. But if you need an alternative, this album is the best of the Garcia choices. Jerry is at the top of his form both vocally and on the guitar. The band is very tight (for a Garcia band) and in good form. Yes, a few of the tracks are played at a very slow pace, but this adds to the laid back feel that Garcia fans have come to enjoy.

Like great poetry, the real purpose of music is to lift up the human soul. It usually fails as attested to by the mountains of used cd's at your local music store and the unplayed junk in your own home. As a confirmed Deadhead of 35 years, I bought "Don't Let Go" with trepidation. Old tapes released by the "estate" of the deceased artist are usually poor and designed only to enrich the "estate" which is why artists such as Marley, Hendrix, Morrison, and Van Gough are the richest guys in the cemetary. Man, was I wrong here. God, as we know, rarely speaks. Elijah heard it in a "still, small voice". To Moses, it was relayed via a "burning bush". Deadheads have always known that with Jerry Garcia, God spoke through a Stratocaster. Ten minutes into this two-cd collection and you cannot distinguish whether you are listening to the Dead or an incarnation of Garcia's band. The reason why, of course, is that Garcia WAS the Dead and the Dead, in essence, was Garcia which is why the Band died with him. This stuff is pure gold and priceless. Regardless of your mood, state-of-mind, etc., it is audio prozac which was, afterall, why the Dead had millions of fans all over the world. What Garcia always did, and does here oh so well, is take you to heaven with music. If someone was ready to jump off the 30th floor of a building, I wouldn't talk him or her down, I'd simply play this album. The person would not only live, but become a Deadhead. If money is tight and your choice is between food and this album, but the album. You can eat next week.

After reading the reviews here regarding the presence of Donna Godchaux in this version of the JGB, I confess to having serious apprehension as I put disc 1 into my player for the first time. If you are like me and dread hearing Donna's off-key wails, you can rest easy that she doesn't make this CD unlistenable. On disc 1, her singing is limited to background and accompaniment and is not bad. Her voice is more prominent on disc 2 where she sings solo on "Strange Man" and nearly ruins "I'll Take a Melody" and "Lonesome and a Long Way From Home". But that's enough about Donna. I will definitely give a lot of play time to the first disc, and probably not so much to disc 2. Jerry's guitar work throughout the CDs amply demonstrates his genius and his voice is in good form. "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" is incredible, as well as many other songs. It goes without saying that this is a "must have" for any fan of Jerry Garcia and I recommend this release (and the higher-energy Jerry Garcia Band Live release of 1991) to anyone interested in this band or great music.

OH! this is so very tastey. I've got it playing in the background, first listen. There was a difference between the Jerry band and the Dead that went beyind the music. It was the feel. A Dead show was a big party, Jerry Band was a few good friends hanging out, sharing something special. This cd just gives that warm fuzzy feel one might have felt at the Warfield or any Jerry show anywhere. God I miss Jerry. If you like the Dead but you've never heard the Jerry Band live before, buy this cd. If you know the Jerry Band, even more reason to buy it. The jams are great (no songs under 6 minutes). Jerry is on, Keith is on, it's got Elvis's drummer and Donna even sings in key. :-)

Living in Frisco in the 60's and 70's I got to know the Dead's music well. I followed the Dead on and off for about 20 years and later the Jerry Garcia Band. I stuck with the music through thick and thin, and in the process gained a pretty critical ear. With that in mind, I have to say these Discs are phenominal. The recordings are popular among traders, but it is now great to have them available on CD's and in such high-quality. These discs provide an accesable entry into the world of Jerry that I'd suggest to new fans as well as veteran dead-heads.

If you're not a Garcia fan this disc won't make you one. On the other hand, if you've been a follower this is a great addition. You get to hear Donna Jean at her best. You also here some great arrangements. A must for the fan...

In the words of Jerry Garcia, its like licorice. "Not a whole lot of people like licorice, but those that do really love licorice"