It’s springtime and around here that means one thing: the music of Jerry Garcia. Normally our thoughts turn to JGB in one of its various incarnations but this year’s JG
Rarely do you get the chance to listen to a finished product 30 years in the making. Even rarer is when it’s any good. But Bill Cutler’s Crossing the Line is just that – a nice piece of work; it’s solid enough to make you wonder what took so long to get these songs — six of which were recorded with Jerry Garcia — released.
Well-Matched showcases classic numbers such as the Phillips/ Parker rumbling “Mystery Train,” Dylan’s piercing "Positively 4th Street” and Jimmy Cliff’s reggae gem “The Harder They Come,” in a fashion that any music lover can get behind.
There are of course gems in every year of the Grateful Dead’s last third (1985-1995), but when asked to find a period of prowess in that time frame, the year 1989, and specifically the summer tour, of which this July 4th Buffalo date is a true nugget.
In less than a few short years, the estate of one Jerry Garcia, at least in the vault material department, has upped its commercial status from sleeping giant to roaring juggernaut. This latest, four-disc collection
The Mix, is brand new musical collaboration that combines Hammond B-3 specialist Melvin Seals from Jerry Garcia Band fame on the Keyboards and Vocals, John Kadlecik and Kevin Rosen who use their guitar, bass, and vocal abilities to recreate classic Grateful Dead performances in their other band the Dark Star Orchestra, and the highly skilled drummer Greg Anton from legendary Bay area rock band Zero, to create an innovative and original debut album called American Spring.
