With the rise in recent years of the Americana movement spreading to sold-out amphitheaters (Jason Isbell, Avett Brothers), a couple of legacy bands have benefited the most: The Grateful Dead and The Band. While the first one has its share of tribute bands and sold-out collaborations with remaining members; The Band today only has Robbie Robertson and Garth Hudson still alive from The Last Waltz configuration, yet neither plays those picture-painted songs currently in any configuration. San Diego-based Chest Fever brings a well-versed stroke to the catalog of The Band, while keeping the songs alive but breathing in a respectful vintage vibe.
Chest Fever is comprised of members of the San Diego Music Award-winning rock band Mrs. Henry, including keyboardist Jody Bagley, guitarist Dan Cervantes, and bassist Blake Dean. The lineup is rounded out with organist Doug Organ, drummer Allan Ritter, and horn player and arranger Jesse Audelo of Sure Fire Soul Ensemble.
Recently featured on an episode of The Band: A History podcast, members of Chest Fever were interviewed about the origins for the project. The seed for Chest Fever was born out of Mrs. Henry’s sold-out November 2021 show “Mrs. Henry Presents The Last Waltz” at the Belly Up in Solana Beach, CA. It was there playing alongside legendary musicians such as Eagles collaborator and hit songwriter Jack Tempchin, violinist Scarlet Rivera of Bob Dylan’s Rolling Thunder Revue, solo artist/Black Crowes member Marc Ford, and local hero Isaiah Mitchell, that the idea took flight.
Glide is premiering Chest Fever’s take on “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” and “Across The Great Divide,” where the raspy country vocals evoke the spirit of Levon Helm and the mighty song presentation The Band was most respected for.
“True to the original Rock Of Ages record, we performed “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” into “Across The Great Divide” as a suite. The songs are very much a sonic and lyrical landscape of America, and of course two of the most beloved by the Band that we chose as our first step forward as Chest Fever. A lot of fans of The Band and The Last Waltz identify with Levon Helm’s delivery of “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down,” as the definitive performance, but the version on Rock Of Ages has got such a heavy and dramatic molasses feel that leaves room for the vocal melody and horns. We loved sinking into it each night, giving way to the playful and rambunctious “Across The Great Divide” sung by Blake Dean on fretless bass/vocals. Blake sings the Richard Manual parts with such character and everyone is grabbing their hat to go along for the ride. Big shout out to the horn sections on these two tunes – two of our favorite ensembles we got to perform with on tour in Columbus, OH and Pittsburgh, PA,” says Cervantes.
