DeaD WorlD rounDup

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p u b l i s h e d i n Ma r i n C o u n t y , C a l if o r n i a
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Dead World Roundup
By Gary Lambert
Garden and (for
the last time, as it’s
scheduled for demoIf there was one word that characterized the past year, that was it: Change,
lition) Philadelphia’s
for good or ill, was in the air everywhere;
Spectrum; a couple of gigs in New
Political change, societal change, culturJersey with old
al change — and, more ominously, global
friend Branford
climate change and cataclysmic economic change (the latter of which had a good
Marsalis providing
many folks worrying about spare change).
added inspiration;
an amazing night at
Change being the dominant constant in our
corner of the Universe for more than four
the L.A. Forum that
decades, we here in DeadWorld felt right at Curtain call: Mickey, Bill, Phil, Bob, Warren and Jeff, feelin’ the love
did considerable
from the audience at Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, CA,
damage to the nohome in the midst of the tumult.
5/10/09. Photo: ©Jay Blakesberg
tion that Southern
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The surviving members of the The band gave New York City a delec- Californians are too mellow – those folks
Grateful Dead and extended family were table taste of things to come with a breath- gave the New York and Philly crowds a run
an integral part of the process of effecting less jaunt through the Big Apple on March for their money in the energy and enthusichange, through their active role in the his- 30th, with an event called “Free The Dead!” asm department! The musical results were
toric campaign, election and inauguration (aka “The Taxi Tour”): three shows in dif- impressive, to say the least — the groupof Barack Obama as 44th President of the ferent Manhattan venues in one day, all mind was in full effect and The Zone open
United States. That activity in turn gave of them free of charge (with tickets given for business, with Warren and Jeff havimpetus to positive change on the musi- away online and through radio stations). ing no trouble at all jumping into the concal front, as Phil Lesh, Bob Weir, Bill It started out with an acoustic afternoon versation with the Core Four. In fact, Mr.
Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart (abetted show by Phil, Bob and Warren at the Angel Chimenti, who was a crucial participant
by Warren Haynes and Jeff Chimenti) Orensanz Center, a beautiful 19th Century in the nightly sonic safaris with Bill and
reconvened (as The Dead) to perform to- former synagogue-turned-arts-center on Mickey, was accorded a rare honor indeed —
gether for the first time in five years. In a the Lower East Side; then it was on to elec- induction, in a backstage ceremony in New
continuation of a sequence of events that tric full-band fun at the Gramercy Theater York, into the ranks of the Rhythm Devils
began with the “Dead Heads for Obama” (a cozy converted movie house); and final- (complete with presentation of horns, cape
benefit in San Francisco in February 2008, ly the venerable Roseland Ballroom near and pitchfork)!
the band played another fundraiser for the Times Square. It was a day those lucky
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Democratic candidate in October — the enough to attend won’t soon forget.
When the tour wrapped up at The
“Change Rocks” show (with the Allman
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Gorge in Quincy, WA on May 16th (with a
Brothers Band) in the battleground state The big tour (just one show at one marathon show also featuring the Allman
of Pennsylvania. Shortly thereafter came venue a day, thank you!) started for real on Brothers Band and the Doobie Brothers),
the hoped-for announcement that The April 12th in Greensboro, NC, made its way there was a mutual feeling, among band
Dead would do a full-on tour in the spring to many of the longtime Dead strongholds and audience alike, of a job well done and
of 2009.
in the Northeast, then hopped from the then some, and the members of The Dead
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Midwest to the Rockies to the West Coast, — save for a one-off show in July at the
Before the tour began, The Dead had ending up in Washington state in mid-May. Rothbury Festival in Michigan — returned
the singular honor of performing for the The net result: 22 dates in all, over 150 to their individual endeavors and collaboPresident, Mrs. Obama and supporters at different songs played, countless minds rations. What the future portends for The
the Mid-Atlantic States Ball, one of the blown. Among the high points were spec- Dead as a group is unknown, but this much
largest inaugural celebrations, on January tacular shows at some of the most revered can be said: for that fleeting precious pe20th, the day Mr. Obama took office.
GD venues, including Madison Square riod they spent together this year, they did
honor to a great legacy and, for all of us who
CHANGE
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were fortunate to share the experience, put
the “grateful” back in the equation in no
uncertain terms.
c
And speaking of those various individual endeavors…
Their usual spring tour activities supplanted by their leader’s otherwise-engaged status, RatDog more than made up for lost
time during the summer. The ’dog took
to the road just after the 4th of July (the
band’s first gigs since a sweet Caribbean
idyll in January at the Grand Lido resort
in Negril, Jamaica). Despite the layoff
there were few signs of road rust, as the
band hit the road full throttle. Tour highlights featured dates with such friends as
moe. and Jackie Greene sharing the bill,
and a performance (joined by special guest
Donna Jean Godchaux MacKay) at one
of the perennial favorites among summer
music events, the Gathering of the Vibes
in Bridgeport, CT. In the mix-and-match
jamming spirit of the event, Bobby put in a
little extra work of his own as a delightful
drop-in with the Levon Helm Band.
c
One of the most gratifying elements
of experiencing RatDog on tour in 2009
was the chance to observe the continued
good health and creative revitalization of
Mark Karan, whose recovery from cancer and return to peak musical form — assisted immeasurably, he says, by all the
love and good wishes sent his way by family, friends and fans — is as moving and inspiring as it gets. Mark took advantage of
some of his RatDog downtime to complete
his long-awaited solo album Walk Through
The Fire, about which you’ll find more on
page 5. And for all the latest info on Mark:
markkaran.com
c
Also on the RatDog extracurricular front: Jay Lane’s hip-hop/funk outfit
Band of Brotherz issued its first album,
Deadbeatz, Vol. 1. It’s a startlingly fresh
project that incorporates samples of classic Grateful Dead songs, transforming
them into entirely new compositions. The
Brotherz came to the East Coast while The
Dead were on tour and played a series of
continues on page 2
Friends of the devil: Jeff gets his horns, cape and
pitchfork from Mickey and Bill (with Mike Gordon
hovering), Madison Square Garden, NYC,
4/25/09 Photo: ©Jay Blakesberg
How does the song go?: The Dead running some tunes with
Branford Marsalis in the rehearsal room at Izod Center in East
Rutherford, NJ, 4/29/09 Photo: © Jay Blakesberg
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Home field advantage: Playing one for the locals, at Shoreline
Amphitheatre, Mountain View, CA, 5/10/09 Photo: ©Robert Minkin
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Dead World Roundup
continued from page 1
late-night gigs after the Dead shows, making lots of new fans along the way. You can
join the ranks of those fans by visiting
bandofbrotherz.org
c
Congratulations are due Mickey
Hart, whose Global Drum Project (with
Zakir Hussain, Sikiru Adepoju and
Giovanni Hidalgo) took the Grammy
Like fine wine… Bob Weir joins Taj Mahal at a
Award in the “Best Contemporary World Rex Foundation benefit, 6/11/09 at Silver Oaks
Music” album category. Mickey, Zakir, Cellar, Oakville, CA. More on Rex below in the
Sikiru and Giovanni were previously part- Community Corner. Photo: © Robert Minkin
nered on the groundbreaking 1991 release guitarist Michael Hinton. For more inPlanet Drum, which won the very first formation and to purchase the CD, visit
Grammy ever awarded in that category.
jimmcpherson.net
Mickey, Zakir and Sikiru were part
And for all the latest from Mickey’s
of a celebration of a more somber kind on world: mickeyhart.net
September 9th, when they joined saxoc
phonist Paul Winter for a beautiful per- Bill Kreutzmann’s latest musical adformance at a memorial event in tribute venture, the BK3, begun last year in partto the great broadcast journalist Walter nership with guitarist Scott Murawski
Cronkite, who died on July 17th at the and bassist Oteil Burbridge, continued
age of 92. Mickey, who enjoyed a long to evolve and, yes, change. Oteil, one of the
friendship with the legendary CBS News busiest, most in-demand players anywhere,
anchorman, was one of several speakers had to bow out of the project due to a few
(including President Obama) who eulogized too many musical and personal obligations
Mr. Cronkite, offering affectionate remem- — hey, a guy has to go home sometime! But
brances of their times together (which in- ready to jump in was another terrific bass
cluded several Grateful Dead shows. That’s player: James “Hutch” Hutchinson,
right: Walter Cronkite was One Of Us!).
probably best known for his long (and still
Mickey also had a major hand in one ongoing) tenure in the band of Bonnie
of the most poignant music releases of Raitt. Hutch has a well-deserved reputa2009: A Promise Kept, a posthumous tes- tion as a great “in-the-pocket” blues/R&B/
tament by talented Bay Area singer-song- rock ‘n’ roll player, but he’s also got deep
writer Jim McPherson, who passed away roots in the Bay Area improv-rock scene,
in 1985 at the far-too-young age of 40. The and only too happy to bust out of that pocket
promise referred to in the title was a si- every now and again and stretch out. The
lent pledge to McPherson from his wife BK3 provides a perfect opportunity to do
Evy, to see the album to completion and so, and Hutch rose to the task with ease. The
release. 24 years later, that promise has 3 became a 4 on its successful late-spring
indeed been kept, and the music world is tour, when the multi-talented singer/songricher for it. The album was recorded at writer/guitarist/fiddler/etc Tara Nevins,
Hart’s barn at his former home in Novato, from the wonderful roots-rock band Donna
CA, and featured a stellar cast of Northern The Buffalo joined the party.
California talent, including, in addition to
Bill’s also found time to get in
Mickey on drums, the late Merl Saunders some enjoyable and productive time with
on keyboards, Bobby Vega on bass, sing- the Mississippi-born, Louisiana-raised,
er/multi-instrumentalist Vicki Randle, Texas-based guitarist/singer/songwriter
harmonica ace Norton Buffalo and Papa Mali ( papamali.com)
Community Corner
Saint Misbehavin’: The Wavy Gravy Movie is
a hugely entertaining, moving and inspiring new documentary by
filmmaker Michelle Esrick:
a labor of love ten years
in the making, tracing
the amazing journey of
Wavy Gravy — the man,
the clown, the ice cream
flavor — from his days in
the 1950s/early 60s as a
poet/standup comic (then
known as Hugh Romney)
in Greenwich Village,
opening shows for jazz
icons including Thelonious Monk and John
Coltrane and hanging out with such pals as
Bob Dylan and Lenny Bruce; to his lifelong
commitment to political and social activism;
his role as patriarch of the rolling communal family known as the Hog Farm, which
attained international renown for providing
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free food, freak-out counseling, peacekeeping and other assistance to the stranded
and hungry hordes at the Woodstock
festival 40 years ago this past summer; and
perhaps most remarkably of all, his tireless
work as co-founder/fundraiser/goodwill
ambassador of the Seva Foundation, an
organization dedicated for more than three
decades to a philosophy
of “compassion in action,”
serving people around the
world who are struggling
for health, cultural survival
and sustainable communities. The film features rare
archival footage of Wavy
from all phases of his life,
as well as recently filmed
sequences of the man at
work and play, plus firsthand testimony and music
from such friends, colleagues and admirers
as Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne, Ramblin’
Jack Elliot, Buffy Sainte-Marie and the band
with whom Wavy was most closely associated over the years, the Grateful Dead.
Saint Misbehavin’ has enjoyed successful
theatrical engagements in New York and
For more on the BK3 (or 4) and other
Kreutzmann news, check out Bill’s spiffy
brand-new website: billkreutzmann.com
c
Need we tell you what was happening in the world of Donna Jean Godchaux
MacKay? You got it — change! After a couple
of happy years with Donna Jean and the
Tricksters, Donna went back to basics
with a smaller, leaner, funkier band, now
called simply the Donna Jean Godchaux
Band. Staying on from the DJ/Tricksters
period is the great guitarist/singer Jeff
Mattson, joined by one of Jeff’s old pals
from the Zen Tricksters, drummer Joe
Chirco, plus Donna’s husband David
MacKay on bass and Mark Adler on keyboards. The resulting sound is a bit closer
to the Southern Soul feel that Donna grew
to love as a child in the fabled music community of Muscle Shoals, Alabama, but still
leaves lots of room for the jamming that her
Dead Head fans crave. Learn more at: donnajeangodchauxband.com
c
Appropriately, just as we were beginning this new print edition of the Almanac,
change manifested itself yet again, with the
announcement that Phil Lesh & Bob Weir
were making plans for a new musical ven-
ture called FURTHUR, a melding of new
and old friends featuring guitarist John
Kadlecik (of the Dark Star Orchestra)
and drummer Joe Russo (BeneventoRusso Duo), joining the familiar faces of
RatDog’s Jay Lane and Jeff Chimenti. The
combination of players deeply rooted in
the traditions of Grateful Dead music and
others relatively new to the scene offered
the potential for some very intriguing creative chemistry indeed. Exciting previews
of coming attractions turned up in the form
of online videos from the group’s rehearsals, and the high expectations were fully
satisfied as the new combo made its debut
with three wildly successful performances
in September at Oakland’s beautifully restored Fox Theatre.
Summing up the shows, our correspondent Blair Jackson wrote (in detailed reviews you can read in full at dead.
net): “Whew. This band is for real. Keep an
open mind. And don’t miss ’em if they come
to your town!”
And will they be coming to your
town? Well, just as we were going to press,
a batch of new dates were announced for
December in the Northeast. You can get detailed info about these, and any fast-breaking news of more to come, at furthur.net
Further adventures: (Above) The
new group (L-R: Chimenti, Lesh,
Russo, Lane, Weir, Kadlecik) onstage during the triumphant debut
weekend at the Oakland Fox;
(Right) Feelin’ some
love of their own.
Photos: © Jay Blakesberg
Los Angeles, and is available for showings
at colleges and film festivals. To learn more
about the film and future opportunities to
see this indispensable cultural document,
visit rippleeffectfilms.com
Wavy’s own home in cyberspace:
wavygravy.net
And to learn how you can help the Seva
Foundation continue its ongoing tradition
of compassion in action: seva.org
arts, provide social and economic justice,
preserve indigenous cultures, build strong
communities and educate children and
adults everywhere.
Since the Grateful Dead ended its
touring life in 1995, Rex has relied on the
generosity and activism of you, the members of the Dead Head community and
others who have joined the cause as the
Foundation has broadened its focus and
its outreach over the years.
To continue your support of Rex, visit
rexfoundation.org
In Memoriam:
The Rex Foundation was on the road
again this past summer, making friends on
the festival circuit, raising consciousness
and needed funds for a variety of good
causes.
Since the Grateful Dead's first Rex
Benefit in the spring of 1984, fans have
made it possible for the Rex Foundation to
grant $8.4 million to over 1,000 programs
across the United States and internationally. The Rex Foundation grants support
grassroots programs working in bold,
innovative ways to secure a healthy environment, promote individuality in the
Ustad Ali Akbar Khan
(1922-2009)
Master musician and educator; founder of the
Ali Akbar College of Music in San Rafael, CA
(recipient of the Rex Foundation’s 2008 Ralph J.
Gleason Award).
John “Marmaduke” Dawson
(1945-2009)
Singer/songwriter/guitarist; Co-founder of
New Riders of the Purple Sage; co-writer (with
Jerry Garcia and Robert Hunter) of “Friend of
the Devil”
“May the four winds blow you safely
home…”
G
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COMIX
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!
Autumn is here, and in the Grateful Dead world, that has traditionally meant a
slew of new releases aimed at helping y’all get through the cold winter months
ahead. This year is no different; in fact you’re gonna be bowled over by the amazing
offerings we’ve got this season. And this is on top of all the great stuff we’ve already
released earlier in the year. More on that in moment, but let’s get right to the new stuff!
Winterland Ju ne 1977:
The Complete Recordings
Box set? Yeah, we got your box set right
here, buddy! We’ve gotten such an overwhelmingly favorable reaction to our box
sets covering entire show runs—including Fillmore West 1969 and Winterland
1973—that we’re gonna make a habit of
this! Which brings us to our latest release:
the nine-CD set Winterland June 1977:
The Complete Recordings. “Did you say
’77?!” you sputter with a combination of
amazement and sheer joy. “Best year ever?”
Well, that’s a matter of opinion, of course,
but yes, ’77 it is, and not any ol’ ’77, but the
spring of ’77—specifically June 7-9—the
end of a tour that is justifiably one of the
most famous and revered in the band’s
history. Fresh off recording their Terrapin
Station album and completing the Grateful
Dead Movie, the Dead were in great form all
spring as they hit the road to hone some of
their new material, including “Terrapin,”
“Estimated Prophet,” “Passenger” and
“Fire on the Mountain” (which wouldn’t be
recorded until the following year). It was a
year filled with superb versions of all those
tunes, as well epic readings of everything
FRONT SIDE
from “Help
on the Way” > “Slipknot!” >
“Franklin’s Tower” to “St. Stephen” and
“Not Fade Away.” All of those tunes, and
so much more are available on this truly
spectacular box. Why, the “Help-SlipFrank” alone covers more than 31 min-
FRONT SIDE
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
1. SAMSON AND
DELILAH
2. TERRAPIN STATIO
N>
3. MORNING DEW>
4. AROUND AND
AROUND
5. UNCLE JOHN’S
BAND
6. U.S. BLUES
All selections are previously
unreleased.
dead.net
2 & 4 2009 Grateful
Dead Productions, Inc.
on behalf of Grateful
All Rights Reserved.
Dead Productions, P.O.
Manufactured and distributed
HDCD® and High
Box 150300, San Rafael,
Definition Compatible
CA 94915. Printed in
Digital® are registered
trademarks of Microsoft
Photo: BRUCE POLONSKY
U.S.A.
Corporation,
Patent No. 5,479,168.
· 28-page booklet with essay by
David Fricke
· Exclusive bonus disc for early
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
BERTHA>
GOOD LOVIN’
RAMBLE ON ROSE
ESTIMATED PROPHET>
EYES OF THE WORLD>
DRUMS
CD SIX
1. THE OTHER ONE>
2. WHARF RAT>
3. NOT FADE AWAY>
4. GOIN’ DOWN THE ROAD
FEELING BAD>
5. JOHNNY B. GOODE
6. BROKEDOWN PALACE
All selections are previously unreleased.
2 & 4 2009 Grateful Dead Productions, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Manufactured and distributed
on behalf of Grateful Dead Productions, P.O. Box 150300, San Rafael, CA 94915. Printed in U.S.A.
HDCD® and High Definition Compatible Digital® are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation, Patent No. 5,479,168.
WINTERLAND, JUNE 9, 1977
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
1. MISSISSIPPI HALF-STEP
UPTOWN TOODELOO
2. JACK STRAW
3. THEY LOVE EACH OTHER
4. CASSIDY
5. SUNRISE
6. DEAL
7. LOOKS LIKE RAIN
8. LOSER
9. THE MUSIC NEVER
STOPPED
SAMSON AND DELILAH
FUNICULI FUNICULA
HELP ON THE WAY>
SLIPKNOT!>
FRANKLIN’S TOWER
CD NINE
1. ESTIMATED PROPHET>
2. SAINT STEPHEN>
3. NOT FADE AWAY>
4. DRUMS>
5. SAINT STEPHEN>
6. TERRAPIN STATION>
7. SUGAR MAGNOLIA
8. U.S. BLUES
9. ONE MORE SATURDAY NIGHT
All selections are previously unreleased.
dead.net
1977 • DISCS 7–9
GRATEFUL DEAD • WINTERLAND JUNE
1977 • DISCS 7–9
GRATEFUL DEAD • WINTERLAND JUNE
CD EIGHT
CD SEVEN
All Rights Reserved. Manufactured and distributed
2 & 4 2009 Grateful Dead Productions, Inc.
U.S.A.
Box 150300, San Rafael, CA 94915. Printed in
on behalf of Grateful Dead Productions, P.O.registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation, Patent No. 5,479,168.
HDCD® and High Definition Compatible Digital®
are
6
All songs © Ice Nine Publishing
Co. Inc. (ASCAP) except
where noted.
All selections are previously
unreleased.
2 & 4 2009 Grateful Dead
Productions, Inc. All Rights
Reserved. Manufactured and
on behalf of Grateful Dead
distributed
Productions,
P.O. Box 150300, San Rafael,
HDCD® and High Definition
CA 94915. Printed in U.S.A.
Compatible Digital® are registered
trademarks of Microsoft Corporation,
Patent No. 5,479,168.
dead.net
GRA2-6011B
Winterland June 1977: The Complete Recordings
9-CD set available for order now!
For more info, track listings
and ordering info, go to:
www.dead.net/almanac
!
The latest installment in our popular
ways potent pair of “Alabama Getaway” >
Road Trips series, now entering its third
“Greatest Story Ever Told,” turns deep and
big year (and ninth release overall) is
introspective with “Playing in the Band”
bound to become a favorite. Road Trips
and “Terrapin,” and then later turns into a
Vol. 3, No. 1 is the complete show from
non-stop party with “Uncle John’s Band,”
December 28, 1979, part of the sparkling
“I Need A Miracle,” “Bertha” and “Good
run that has already given us the excelLovin’.” If you’re not wiped out after that,
lent Dick’s Picks: Vol. 5 (from 12/26/79).
the double-encore will waste you—“Casey
You’ll recall that these year-end concerts,
Jones” and “Saturday Night”! The limited
held at the Oakland Auditorium because Winterland had closed down
for good the previous New Year’s
Eve, were the first holiday shows
featuring new keyboardist Brent
Mydland, who joined the band in
April 1979. The new lineup had
been gaining momentum with each
passing tour since that spring, and
by December was truly hitting its
stride. It helped, too, that the band
was in the midst of recording their
Go to Heaven album, so they were
really playing together a lot during
Road Trips Vol. 3, No. 1, available for order now!
this period. This 12/28/79 concert
edition Bonus Disc we’re sending out with
is a blast: a super high-energy rock and roll
this one (if you order promptly) is a winshow that also has its share of spacey jams
ner from beginning to end, too. It includes
and exploratory passages. The first set inthe heart of the second set from 12/30/79,
cludes fine versions of “Sugaree,” “High
including a fantastic “Scarlet Begonias” >
Time” (rare enough that it always felt like
“Fire on the Mountain,” which then goes
a treat!) and “The Music Never Stopped,”
into a surprise “Let It Grow.”
while the second set opens with the al-
orders
GRA2-6011
GRA2-6011
take, fate and faith—faith in our footsteps. We weren’t following anything but our
own footsteps. We learned to trust ourselves and each other. I learned that both
from the LSD and from the experience of leaving home and jumping into that
huge scene. It all amounted to an ability to think on our feet.”
I asked Weir if he believed if that all could have happened in
the beginning, on stage, without the anything-goes gasoline of
acid. He smiled. “I have no doubt we would have developed that
stuff anyway,” Weir replied. “I don’t know if we’d have gotten so
POLONSKY
Photo: BRUCEas
thick and fast into completely crazy improvisation
we did without the use of LSD.” But, he quickly added, even when the newborn Dead played at communal-trip events like the 1965–66 Acid
Tests, “we weren’t a concert band. We were a dance band.
“Our job,” Weir said proudly, “was to find the beat and get
people dancing.”
******
That is what happens, again and again, in this box of paradise and circus. This
was not quite the Dead that Weir described in 2007. McKernan died in 1973 from
hard living and a worn-out liver at the age of 27. Keith and Donna Godchaux—
husband and wife, on keyboards and vocals—were in their fifth year with the band
and had triggered subtle lasting changes in the music through Keith’s jazzy inflec-
acclaimed artist Emek
CD FIVE
NEW MINGLEWOOD BLUES
SUGAREE
MEXICALI BLUES
ROW JIMMY
PASSENGER
SUNRISE
BROWN-EYED WOMEN
IT’S ALL OVER NOW
JACK-A-ROE
LAZY LIGHTNING>
SUPPLICATION
dead.net
nc.
ox 150300, San Rafael, CA 94915.
· Mind-bending artwork from
WINTERLAND, JUNE 8, 1977
CD FOUR
CD THREE
consecutive Winterland shows
(over 9 hours of music)
GRATEFUL DEAD • WINTERLAND JUNE 1977 • DISCS 4–6
1. SCARLET BEGON
IAS>
2. FIRE ON THE
MOUNTAIN>
3. GOOD LOVIN’
4. CANDYMAN
5. ESTIMATED
PROPHET>
6. HE’S GONE>
7. DRUMS
· 9-CD set featuring three
GRA2-6011
NEVER
CD TWO
GRATEFUL DEAD
• WINTERLAND JUNE
1977 • DISCS 1–3
GRATEFUL DEAD • WINTERLAND JUNE 1977 • DISCS 4–6
STOPPED
GRA2-6011
GRATEFUL DEAD
• WINTERLAND JUNE
1977 • DISCS 1–3
Photo: BRUCE POLONSKY
1. BERTHA
2. JACK STRAW
3. TENNESSEE
JED
4. LOOKS LIKE
RAIN
5. PEGGY-O
6. FUNICULI FUNICU
LA
7. EL PASO
8. FRIEND OF
THE DEVIL
9. THE MUSIC
GRA2-6011
GRA2-6011
FRONT SIDEWINTERLAND, JUNE 7,
1977
CD ONE
utes! Add to that a great “Scarlet > Fire,”
“Good Lovin’,” “Morning Dew,” “The Other
One”—you name it, it’s probably here, and
played magnificently. And if it ain’t here,
maybe it’s on the special Bonus Disc you
will receive if you order the box soon: In
this case it’s been culled from a show that’s
not even in general circulation among traders, the 5/12/77 concert from the magical
Auditorium Theater in Chicago, including “Dancing in the Street,” “Terrapin,”
“Playing in the Band,” “Comes A Time,”
and more.
As was the case with our previous
Complete Recordings boxes, Winterland
’77 comes in a trippy, beautifully designed
package that includes a fat booklet containing vintage photos from the ol’ arena,
a wonderful essay by Rolling Stone senior
writer David Fricke, plus a couple of mementos you’re sure to enjoy. For the full
song lists and more, go to dead.net, of
course!
Road Tri ps
Vol . 3, No. 1
Jerry Garcia Band
Let it Roc k
Meanwhile on the suddenly busy Jerry
ceptional instrumental track “Edward.”
Garcia front, we’re happy to announce
The sound on these discs is impeccable:
a third 2009 release: Let It Rock: Jerry
They were mixed from 16-track master
Garcia Band 1975 is 2-CD set recorded
tapes by Jeffrey Norman, who has mixed
November 17 and 18, 1975 at the Keystone
and mastered countless Dead-related
Berkeley, featuring the very first version
projects through the years. The clarity of
of the Jerry Garcia Band,
with the magnificent British
pianist Nicky Hopkins,
drummer Ron Tutt and ol’
reliable—bassist John Kahn.
This marks the first-ever
full release of material from
the brief but fruitful GarciaHopkins union (August
through December ’75), and
it shows the group at its best,
rolling though a broad range
of styles, from the churning
opener, “Let It Rock,” to Dead
favorites like “Sugaree,” “They
Jerry Garcia, Let It Rock, 2-CD set available for order now!
Love Each Other” and a lively
“Friend of the Devil,” to boppin’ R&B—
the vocals and instruments is absolutely
“Tore Up Over You,” “Roadrunner”—a
stunning; it’s a must for Jerry freaks (and
doesn’t that include all of us?)!
19-minute workout on the Stones’ “Let’s
Spend the Night Together,” and Nicky’s ex-
There were many other cool releases in 2009 that you may
or may not be familiar with, so let us take a moment to either
educate you or remind you!
There were three other Road Trips releases in ’09, each as different from each
other as “Dark Star” is from “Mama
Tried.” In the winter, Road Trips Vol. 2,
No. 2 presented the full February 14, 1968
Valentine’s Day show from the Carousel
Ballroom in San Francisco, mixed down
from the original 8-track tapes (or, in
some cases, pulled from the best available 2-track sources). This legendary show,
which no less an authority than Phil Lesh
once proclaimed his favorite show, captures the Dead as they were flowering into
true psychedelic beasts—Mickey had been
in the band nearly half a year at this point,
and a combination of relentless rehearsal
and a new dedication to original songwriting was taking the music in fascinating and bizarre new directions. This show
contains early versions of such then-unrecorded gems as “Dark Star,” “China Cat
Sunflower,” “The Eleven,” and “Lovelight,”
as well as fiery takes on all the songs that
would appear on Anthem of the Sun in a few
months—indeed, bits from the this show
even turn up in the live-studio mashup
that album became, and the second set/
disc here features the entire album played
in order! Talk about a smoking crater… this
is the primal ooze at its core!
0P1
For Road Trips Vol. 2, No. 3, we jump
forward six years to the summer of ’74
lease have long been esteemed by serious collectors—6/16/74 from the State
Fairgrounds in Des Moines, Iowa, of all
places; and 6/18/74 from Freedom Hall
in Louisville, Kentucky. (Just goes to
show you the magic has always revealed
itself “in the strangest of places…”) The
Des Moines selections include one of
those great, loping ’74 versions of “China
Cat” > “I Know You Rider” and a 29-minute “Playing in the Band” that takes you
flyin’ and tumblin’ every which way;
and the Kentucky disc contains “Eyes
of the World” into “China Doll,” plus a
mind-blowing sequence coming out of
“Weather Report Suite” that touches
down at “The Other One,” “It’s a Sin” and
“Stella Blue,” with many indescribable
vista points along the way.
0P1
Fast forward another 19 years for our summer Road Trips excursion, Vol. 2, No. 4,
featuring the best from May 26-27, 1993
at Cal Expo Amphitheatre in Sacramento,
one of the cooler venues frequented by the
band. This is considered one of the best
of the band’s latter-day runs, and it’s easy
to see why: The “Playing in the Band” on
Disc One is surely one of the best post-’70s
versions, a twisting, constantly mutating
jamming journey; it is satisfyingly “finished” (reprised) on Disc Two. There’s an
emotional “Box of Rain,” a gnarly “Victim
or the Crime,” a lilting “Crazy Fingers,” a
funkified “Shakedown”… all sorts of neat
stuff that will surprise those Heads who
might be casually dismissive of ’90s Dead,
and delight those who have fond memories
of some of the excellent shows that were
played in that era.
0P1
and the Wall of Sound! Just as ’77 has
its fierce partisans, so does 1974, with
its huge spacey jams and wild, free playing, made all the more special by the
fact that it was being pumped through
the most magnificent sound system the
world had ever seen—stacks of hundreds
of speakers, piled high behind the band,
emitting the cleanest and clearest sound
imaginable to legions of Dead Heads
coast to coast (and even in Europe). It
was a bitch to haul around, but don’t tell
that to the fans, who dug it to the max.
Sound system aside, ’74 is famous for its
varied and adventurous shows, and the
two represented on this Road Trips re-
Another major Grateful Dead release in
2009 was To Terrapin: Hartford ’77, a
beautifully packaged 3-CD set encompassing every note played by the band at the
Hartford Civic Center on May 28, 1977…
yep, another jewel from the spring of ’77!
This one kicks off in style with “Bertha”
> “Good Lovin’” and then really gets into
Or you can call this handy phone
number and speak to a live human
being: 1-800-CAL-DEAD (800-225-3323)
!
the groove with the 19-minute “Sugaree”
that follows—“Shake it!” There are plenty
of ’70s faves in the first set (“Jack Straw,”
“Passenger,” “Candyman”) and then
the second set ranges from “Samson” to
“Estimated” to “Playing in the Band” to
“Terrapin,” and, on the back end, “Wharf
Rat,” a killer “Not Fade Away” and more.
Can you own too much ’77? Absolutely not;
this is yet another indispensible winner!
0P1
Dipping back to the Garcia side of the tracks,
there were two other disparate releases earlier this year. The eighth installment in the
ever-popular Pure Jerry series marked the
first release of acoustic music from Jerry
and John Kahn, a complete show from
the intimate Marin Veteran’s Memorial
Auditorium, February 28, 1986. This is
the duo up close and personal—it practically sounds like you’re onstage with them!
The song selection and performances are
both outstanding—it includes such tunes as
“Little Sadie,” “Friend of the Devil,” “When I
Paint My Masterpiece,” “Run for the Roses”
and, probably the highlight of the whole disc,
a high-flying “Bird Song.” Definitely a feelgood disc.
0P1
And this past summer the Pure Jerry
series took a trip in Mr. Peabody’s WayBack machine for Bay Area 1978, a dynamite two-disc set drawn from four
Northern California shows, featuring the
band with Jerry, John, Keith and Donna,
drummer Buzz Buchanan and occasional
guest Maria Muldaur. This set shows the
group at its jammiest on way extended
versions of “Lonesome and a Long Way
From Home” and “Don’t Let Go,” but also
the beautiful power of the Jerry-DonnaMaria vocal trio on numbers like “The Way
You Do the Things You Do,” “I’ll Be With
Thee,” and what nearly everyone agrees is
the best version of Paul McCartney’s “Let
Me Roll It” the group ever played. Toss in
standouts such as “Mission in the Rain”
and “Mystery Train,” among others, and
you’ve got a set with tons of vitality and
variety. This one is a great companion to
the Pure Jerry Warner Theatre March 18,
1978 release from a few years ago.
0P1
You can learn more about every project on
these pages simply by going to dead.net.
And—surprise, surprise—once there, you’ll
also to be able to use your handy mouse to
click through and buy any (or all!) that
strike you. There’s lots of good listenin’
on these pages… and also a promise of lots
more to come!
But wait, it’s not just archival music
that’s been coming out this year and
flying off the warehouse shelves.
There are also a few releases of new
music you should know about by Dead
Family members:
This past summer, Grateful Dead
compadres New Riders of the Purple
Sage put out their first album of new
material in 20 years, Where I Come
From. Led by original guitarist David
Nelson, the current Riders group also
includes pedal steel player Buddy
Cage (from their classic early ’70s
lineup), longtime Hot Tuna rhythm
guitarist Michael Falzarano, bassist
Ronnie Penque and drummer Johnny
Markowski. The album features seven
fine new tunes co-written by Nelson
and Grateful Dead lyricist Robert
Hunter, as well as strong contributions from the others. This version of
the Riders is maybe a bit more rockin’
and jammy than the original band, but
you’ll find that their new music fits
nicely with the group’s long, distinguished tradition. A really solid effort.
RatDog lead guitarist Mark Karan
had been striving to cut a solo album
for many years, but it was a serious
bout of cancer a couple of years ago,
followed by his miraculous recovery,
that finally pushed him to complete
this dream project, titled Walk Through
the Fire. The album collects a number
of excellent original tunes Mark has
written through the years, along with
an eclectic selection of covers, including Randy Newman’s “Think It’s Gonna
Rain,” Joe Jackson’s “Fools In Love,” the
Robert Johnson blues “Love in Vain,”
the Dead’s “Easy Wind,” and a song
you might not know but should definitely hear: Susan Sheller’s “Memphis
Radio.” Mark sings and plays all manner
of acoustic and electric axes on the disc,
and he’s helped out by an illustrious
bunch of very musical friends, including
Bonnie Raitt bassist Hutch Hutchinson,
keyboardists such as Mike Finnigan and
Little Feat’s Bill Payne, and first-rate vocalists like Chris and Lorin Rowan, The
Persuasions, Jackie and Gloria from the
JGB and Delaney Bramlett. Mark definitely shows musical sides of himself
you probably didn’t know he had.
Last, but certainly not least, is the latest project from former Grateful Dead
electronics/MIDI/programming guru
Bob Bralove called Ultraviolet Licorice.
Bob was an important and influential
member of the Dead’s crew beginning
in the late ’80s. It was Bralove who put
together the trippy GD Drums-andSpace live album Infrared Roses. Since
his days with the Dead, he’s shown
himself to be a very imaginative and
creative musician, working both with
others (such as his duo with ex-GD keyboardist Tom Constanten, known as
Dose Hermanos) and alone (as shown
on his 2007 project Stories in Black and
White). The keyboardist’s new CD is a
collaboration with avant-guitarist Henry
Kaiser, and as you might expect from
two master free-form improvisers, the
tunes on this CD are all over the map
stylistically, ranging from abstract expressions to lovely melodic musings,
using both electric and acoustic instruments. Definitely music for the mind
and soul.
!
DEAD THINGs for Deadheads
The thermal family Can Winter really be
New T-shirts!
that far off? You’ll never know it, however, because you
and your whole family will be warmly ensconced in
one of our toasty (and tasty!) new Thermal Shirts.
Nothing says holiday
season like brand spanking
new clothes, and dead.net
has got your gift-giving
and party togs needs
under complete control.
Whether it’s the latest tees
or a more robust hoodie,
you’ll find it all at
dead.net/almanac.
Union Jack SYF Thermal Shirt
M, L, XL, XXL $35.00
Garcia Thermal Shirt M, L, XL, XXL $35.00
Curvaceously flattering
form-fit, V-neck and silky
smooth 100% cotton knit
make this a pleasurably
wearable Bear.
Women’s Bear Tee s, M, L, XL $22.00
SYF
embroidered kids’
Thermal Shirt
Youth Small,
Youth Medium,
Youth Large
$24.00
SYF Galaxy Tee
M, L, XL $22.00
XXL $24.00
Garcia Thermal
Cuff detail
Get Toasty
It’s all about the layers, Padawan. A Garcia
Thermal Tee under a Garcia Full Zip Hoodie? Snow’s frigid fury?
Ha! Bring it on.
Garcia Full Zip
Hoodie features
a beautifully
detailed
embroidered
version of Jerry’s
iconic guitar.
Shoulder patch from
GD ’65 Hoodie shows
exquisite appliqué
detailing.
Garcia Guitar Hoodie
M, L, XL, XXL $50.00
Skull & Roses
“Batik” Tee
M, L, XL $22.00
XXL $24.00
GD 65
Garcia Tee
M, L, XL $22.00
XXL $24.00
Bolt Knit Cap
$18.00
Toasty, Part 2
Pullover Hoodie
M, L, XL, XXL $50.00
SYF Knit Cap
$18.00
You’re all wrapped up in your Thermal Tee and your Hoodie,
but heat’s escaping from your head? Put a lid on it, man!
Toasty, Part 3 New Dead Kids
100% cotton Onesies keep the babeh friends
comfy-warm all year long.
Garcia Made
Baseball Cap $18.00
Peace Onesie
6-12 mo, 12-18 mo, 18-24 mo $20.00
Bolt Onesie 6-12 mo, 12-18 mo, 18-24 mo $20.00
Winterland
Bear Tee
M, L, XL $22.00
XXL $24.00
Terrapin
Onesie 6-12 mo, 12-18 mo,
18-24 mo $20.00
order all th ese item s and many more
w w w.dead . net/a lmanac
shop the complete collection of all things dead
www.dead.net/almanac
Just maybe the most
amazing book ever
Extraterrestrial bliss
Float into space with our exclusive, limited
production, 100% wool, Space Your
Face Blanket. Created by our friends at
Pendleton — America’s premier name in
woolens — this highest quality keepsake will
be treasured on beds, couches or even walls
for generations. We’ve ordered only 250 of
these super-luxurious heirlooms to offer
this holiday season. Please order yours soon.
This book experience is
like a Dead show: layered,
whimsical, profound, and
ultimately deeply, deeply
satisfying.
Space Your Face Pendleton
Blanket 64" x 80" $250.00
GD Scrapbook
Deluxe Edition $75.00
This astonishing 64-page creation defies the notion of a “book.” It’s constructed
like a mystery house, with hidden passages and chambers everywhere, wherein
every manner of treasure is hidden for the reader’s discovery and delight. The
rarities contained within are too numerous to list in their entirety, but here are
a just few:
• Never-before-published photos
• Removable reproductions of posters, flyers, and other ephemera
• The full program from the Dead’s unprecedented Egyptian concerts
• CD with never-before-heard interviews
This special package—the numbered slipcase, vintage concert ticket, and
unreleased DVD of rare live performances and videos— is exclusive to
Dead.net, so the only place to get the full package is right here.
Dancing
Skeletons
ornaments
Set of 3 $28.00
Yes, now you can own
Shakedown Street
1 / 12 / 52 / 365
Everything you might expect when the Dead
meet the Game-Who-Must-Not-Be Named. With familiar faces and
places, and Tim Truman’s artwork presiding. An outstanding way
to pass a long winter’s night or two. Dead-Opoly $35.00
Yep, we checked. They’re all
still there. Nothing’s changed.
Take it one day at a time
with this groovy 2010 wall
calendar.
®
Sk
ull
‘ n’
Ro
se
sN
2010 GD Calendar
$13.00
e
on
Cl
oc
kb
ol d
ly
t el
li n g
tim e
b y d ay …
And nothing works up a powerful
thirst like a cutthroat game of
Dead-Opoly. Stay hydrated and in
the game with our new aluminum
and BPA-free water bottle.
© Bill Smythe
20 oz. Space Your Face
Water Bottle $20.00
© Susana Millman
AUGUST
© Bruce Polonsky
© Susana Millman
…a
january
nd
gl
s
ow
in g
Time is all relative, especially when you’re lost in
deep thought in your man- or woman-cave. Let this
glowing beacon of time’s pestering relentlessness
gently shock you back to the quotidian. Battery
operated clock and AC neon bulb.
s of tly at ni g ht
Upgrading the rumpus room
M
DECEMBER
S M T W T
S
3
S M T W T
W
T
FEBRUARY
F
1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10 11 12
13 14 15 16 17 18 19
20 21 22 23 24 25 26
27 28 29 30 31
F
S
1 2 3 4 5 6
7 8 9 10 11 12 13
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27
28
F
T
1
Grateful Dead record
their first album for
Warner Bros., 1967
Portland, OR Acid Test
January 1966
"Skeletons from the Closet" released, 1974.
4
5
6
11
12
13
Epiphany
7
18
Janis Joplin 1943-1970
Grateful Dead appear on
"Playboy After Dark."
Owsley spikes the coffee urn,
1969
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
24
Warren Zevon 1947-2003
Aaron Neville 1941
Joan Baez 1941
Dave Matthews 1967
Bill Graham 1931-1991
Elvis Presley 1935-1977
25
31
Fillmore Acid Test, 1966
New Moon
Annular Solor Eclipse
19
Owsley Stanley
1935
Grateful Dead inducted
into the Rock and Roll Hall
of Fame. Unable to attend,
Garcia is represented by a
cardboard cut-out of himself,
1994
26
20 ♒ 21
AQUARIUS
Begins
27
7
10
New Moon
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
David Crosby 1941
22
♍ 23
Virgo begins
19
20
21
Count Basie 1904-1984
23
24
Full Moon
25
26
27
28
Donna Godchaux 1947
John Lee Hooker 1917-2001
29
Keith Moon 1947-1978
29
30
30
John Cipollina 1943-1989
31
Grateful Dead play five songs on the
world’s first TV broadcast with an
FM simulcast, 1970.
Full Moon
Branford Marsalis 1960
Mother Teresa 1910-1997
Charlie Parker 1920-1955
JULY
S
M T W T F
SEPTEMBER
S
1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 1O 11 12
13 14 15 16 17 18 19
2O 21 22 23 24 25 26
27 28 29 3O 31
S
M T W T
F
S
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8
1O 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 2O 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 3O
Van Morrison 1945
Sandy Rothman 1946
Help fill their dreams with light
Send the little ones off to the sweetest
of dreams when you light the way
with this warm and comforting
Terrapin Night Light.
4 Watt bulb included.
Relax with our longburning mango-scented
candle in decorative tin.
Terrapin Nite
Light $26.00
Skull ‘n’ Roses
candle $10.00
v
se
of k e y c h a in
h
Ob
er
e
www.jostens.com/gratefuldead
The intricate detailing
of the SYF Class Ring
is evident in this wellworn and much-beloved
example. Ring comes
with custom engraving
on the inside band.
av
This stunning Grateful Dead Tour
Alumni Ring can be ordered in an
almost infinitely customizable variety
of metals, engravings, and details. For
all ordering information, please visit
via the interwebs:
Cal Expo Ticket Magnets $18.00
age e ngr
Be true to your school
and magnetically assisted for heavy-duty
refrigerator deployment.
im
Bolt Earrings $25.00
Got tix? Set of 3 encased in lucite
as
No lazy lightning here!
Capture the spirit of
bohemian chic and the
energy of the Dead with
these vibrant bolt earrings
made from the natural and
pure element Niobium.
d
Dangly Bolts
SYF Wooden Box $30.00
6
Marty Balin 1942
Australia Day
Skull ‘n’ Roses Neon Clock $35.00
It’s not a box of rain,
but the perfect place
to store all your most
precious keepsakes.
5
Airto Moreira 1941
"Dead Set" released, 1981
22
Jim Herring 1962
28
4
Grateful Dead play Woodstock
in the midst of much electronic turmoil, 1969.
Trips Festival,
Longshoreman's Hall,
San Francisco, 1966
The Great Northwest
Quick and the Dead Tour, 1968
3
Ramadan begins
16
Great Human Be-In,
Polo Field,
Golden Gate Park, 1967
Clarence Clemmons 1942
17
15
2
Chet Helms 1942 - 2005
9
Grateful Dead’s first show at
Madison Square Garden,
1979
14
1
Jerry Garcia 1942-1995
Ramblin’ Jack Elliott 1931
8
8
Stephen Stills 1945
10
S
2
New Year’s Day
Tired from the night before, the boys
are rousted from bed by Digger Emmett
Grogan and play at the Hell’s Angels ’
"New Year’s Day Wail" in the Panhandle,
Golden Gate Park, 1967.
Magic SYF Talisman
Well known to the ancients, this pewter
classic Stealie keychain has the power to
keep your keys close at hand and provide
Ninja services, should they be required.
SYF Pewter Keychain $10.00
P.O. Box 150300 San Rafael, CA 94915 PRESRT STD
US Postage
PAID
Random Lake, WI
PERMIT NO. 251
For the latest news and updates, sign up for a Dead.net account at
www.dead.net/register
NEW East Coast Shows Announced
The Grateful Dead Almanac
is published as the spirit moves
us. Letters to the Editors,
artwork, suggestions, etc., can
be directed to this address:
[email protected]
Tell us what you’d like to see
in the Almanac. Discussions
welcomed at:
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If you would prefer to be removed from our mailing list,
it will break our hearts, but
please contact:
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Finally, the legalese:
The Grateful Dead Almanac
is published by:
Grateful Dead Productions
P.O. Box 150300 San Rafael, CA 94915 All contents ©2009 Grateful Dead
Productions.
All rights reserved. Unauthorized copying prohibited.
Furthur
PHIL LESH
* BOB WEIR
Jeff Chimenti * John Kadlecik * Jay Lane * Joe Russo
HOW TO CONTACT US:
Even though the Almanac has returned, and is
being delivered via your friendly mail carrier, all
of our business is now web-based. So, here are
some handy ways to contact us:
Grateful Dead info: www.dead.net
ORDERING: www.dead.net/almanac or call
1-800-CAL-DEAD (800-225-3323)
Customer service: www.dead.net/almanac
December 8 & 9
Hammerstein Ballroom
New York City, NY
Doors: 6:30 / Showtime: 8:00 PM
December 11
Chevrolet Theater @ Oakdale
Wallingford, CT
Doors: 6:30 / Showtime: 8:00 PM
December 12 & 13
Asbury Park Convention Hall
Asbury Park, NJ
Doors: 6:30 / Showtime: 8:00 PM
Please note all onsale, doors,
showtimes subject to change!
www.furthur.net
In this issue
Dead World Roundup you can clip out
and send to your nephew!
Music Notes you can fold up and fly!
Comix you can start a fire with!
Fun Stuff for body, mind and soul!