It’s probably fair to say that the immensely positive response to Detroit tenor saxophonist Dave McMurray’s 2021 Grateful Deadication was as unexpected as the project itself. Yet McMurray has seized on that opportunity to again thrill fans in that magical spot where Deadheads, jam band fanatics, and inquisitive jazz fans can meet with his sequel, Grateful Deadication 2. McMurray once again worked with fellow Detroit-based musicians on these next nine tracks, culled from various Grateful Dead periods, with a heavy emphasis on tunes written by Jerry Garcia and Robert Hunter.
Accompanying the saxophonist was guitarist Wayne Gerard, keyboardist Maurice O’Neal, pianist Luis Resto, bassist Ibrahim Jones, drummer Jeff Canady and percussionist Larry Fratangelo. Just like he did the first time out (why mess with success?) McMurray invited esteemed guests to the party. Bassist Oteil Burbridge is featured on lead vocals on the first single, a cover of “Scarlet Begonias” while country singer Jamey Johnson plies the grief of “To Lay Me Down’ along with guests Larry Campbell and Greg Leiz. Jazz keyboardist guests on two tracks and Blue Note President and bassist Don Was plays on “Bird Song.” Both Leisz and Was perform with, co-founding Grateful Dead guitarist Bob Weir, as part of Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros.
The album begins with one of three non-Garcia/Hunter tunes, Weir’s “Playing in the Band,” as drummer Canady and percussionist Fratangelo does an admirable job of producing the kind of percussion that came from the Dead’s twin drummers. McMurray rides atop, stating the lyrics and the tune’s indelible chorus through his tenor. To their credit, and this holds true throughout, they keep the integrity of the song without trying to mimic specific solos. Here the multiple keyboards of O’Neal and Resto replace the twin guitar work of Weir and Garcia. McMurray’s Detroit crew then finds that infectious syncopated groove of “China Cat Sunflower” with Gerard uses some pedal effects to give it some “Detroit funk.” O’Neal adds a penny whistle which doesn’t add much to the tune (probably better suited to the following “Bird Song.”)
McMurray plays both flute and tenor on “Bird Song,” which did not appear on a Grateful Dead studio album but on Garcia’s solo album. After a little meandering, McMurray picks up his tenor and takes us into the familiar melody while the support is largely acoustic but arguably a bit drawn out into casual jamming. (Oh, that may be okay. That’s what jam bands do, right?). No passages last long without this band adding some deep funk, which we do get in the jamming sequence. The mournful “To Lay Me Down” with Jamey Johnson is a clear standout with Leiz’s pedal steel complementing the vocalist’s weary take, where he phrases it much differently than Garcia did. McMurray has the role of a background singer, adding emphasis to the lyrics on the choruses until he unleashes one of his most reaching, poignant solos. The band then renders an especially frisky take on “Truckin’” with exemplary B3 grooves from O’Neal to complement the leader’s R&B/Stanley Turrentine-like tenor like an enlarged Detroit jazz organ trio at work.
Jazz pianist Bob James joins for the Weir/Kreutzman psychedelic “The Other One” but plays the acoustic piano rather than using any electronics. O’Neal and Gerard supply the spacey aspects while McMurray’s tenor lightly floats above it all with sturdy acoustic bass from Jones before the band goes into another funky jam similar to “Bird Song.” McMurray and James then duet acoustically on the Garcia/Hunter “If I Had the World to Give” from Shakedown Street, transforming it into aa soaring, emotive jazz ballad. Burbridge’s layered vocals on “Scarlet Begonias” make it arguably the most faithful arrangement of the original amidst these nine. Percussionist Fratangelo sits this one out as well as the closer, “Crazy Fingers” from Blues for Allah as the group slims down slightly and returns to the smoky Detroit organ-tenor vibe employed on “Truckin’” with McMurray blowing fiercely.
McMurray and his bandmates prove that his first Grateful Dead tribute was no novelty. The Dead’s catalog offers plenty of fodder for funk, jam-like excursions, and even a few tender moments. He and his band dig deep and at this point, the well seems almost limitless.
