Sunday August 15, 2010 at 12:00AM
Wednesday night a few friends and I headed down to the Brooklyn Bowl to check out Melvin Seals & the JGB (Jerry Garcia Band).
Being an obsessive self proclaimed aficionado of all things Jerry Garcia, I was extremely excited because this was the first time I had the opportunity to check out the “Keepers of the Flame”. Previously knowing only of Melvin’s work with the JGB since 1980, and next to nothing about the other current members of the band, I was slightly skeptical about whether or not this was going to be the real deal. Could they really put together a lineup worthy of playing this music that I have grown up with, cherished, and loved my whole life? Either way, I was very anxious and excited to find out.
If you’ve been reading my blog at all over the past couple weeks, you would know that Jerry Garcia died 15 years ago last week. It’s no secret that his presence is totally irreplaceable, but I hoped and prayed that the night ahead of me would prove that there is a group worthy of “keeping the flame.” The catalogue of music that Jerry wrote and performed peripherally to the Grateful Dead is unquestionably my favorite music out there, and I have been dying to see it performed live (by someone worthy) for as long as I can remember. As soon as I heard the opening notes to “Cats Down Under the Stars”, all of my skepticism was immediately thrown out the window. What was funny was that I was on my way from the men’s room as the music began, and without a view of the stage, I couldn’t tell if the music had began or if they were playing a Jerry Band tape as the house music.
I was totally caught off guard although I now realize that I should’ve expected them to be this awesome all along. The way I see it is that there is no way these guys would even consider trying to perpetuate this music on stage if they weren’t doing it the right way. This little cluster of confusion definitely set the precedent for the rest of the night. The band’s lineup was incredible- showcasing talent that far exceeded my expectations. Each member contributed tremendously to the whole JGB experience.
The first set included gems like “Catfish John”, “Crazy Love”, “They Love Each Other”, and “Tore Up Over You”; most of which were beautifully accompanied by gospel singers Shirley Starks and Cheryl Rucker who remained on stage for the majority of the night. Perhaps my favorite part about the JGB’s music; as well as the largest distinction between their music and that of the Grateful Dead’s, is that there is almost always at least 2 female accompanying vocalists (usually gospel-type singers like Jaclyn LaBranch and Gloria Jones from back in the day) that bring a much more soulful, interesting, and generally FULL sound to the songs. Sure Donna Jean played a crucial role in the Dead’s music, but her best work was undeniably done with the Jerry Garcia Band in the late 70’s (check out “Strange Man” on disc 2 of “Don’t Let Go, and you’ll know what I’m talking about). Anyway, back to the show.
Set 2 was jam packed with excellence as well including favorites like “Deal”, “Waiting for a Miracle”, and what made for one of the most incredible renditions of Jimmy Cliff’s “Sitting in Limbo” that I have ever heard bringing Cheryl Rucker to tears of joy. I have got to tell you, it was REALLY something seeing these guys on stage. After the band had left the stage, the fans along with drummer Pete Lavezzoli persuaded the rest of the band to take the stage for the encore. “What y’all wanna hear?” proclaimed Melvin Seals as he took the stage once again. I was front row pleading for a “Boogie on Reggae Woman” to no avail, but what ensued was perfect. The selection was a very extended jammed out version of Rubin & Cherise, a song which Jerry used to frequently forget the words to.
Towards the end of the jam, bass player Jimmy Tebeau dropped in a few minutes of some of the dirtiest bass jamming I’ve heard in quite a while making this the most memorable song of the night. Boy, did he make it look easy up there. Throughout the whole show, guitarist Stu Allen (whose guitar looked strikingly similar to one of Jerry’s) and Jimmy did an incredible job replicating the chemistry shared between Jerry and John Kahn during the best years of the JGB. I am so thrilled and relieved that last night’s show turned out the way that it did, and am totally pumped that I get to see them 2 more times next weekend at Bella Terra Music Festival and Benefit for the Barn before they head back to the West Coast! Thank you Melvin Seals & the JGB for keeping the legacy that is the Jerry Garcia Band alive!