One of the BEST solo collaborations!
Very, very laid back and funky. I'm no pro-fesh'nal music reviewer but I think this is one of the best Garcia side projects I've ever heard. Great for those early morning come down sessions. (sigh).
The Funkadelic & the Mellow Jerry Garcia
It alternates between high energy, fired-up, funky organ, drum & bass driven tracks with fuzz guitar solos akin to Funkadelic's first album & James Brown or Brian Auger and beautiful, trippy instrumental ballads. This is a brilliant album from beginning to end.
The up-tempo tracks have the rhythm section cookin' and Howard Wales smokin' on the organ with Garcia grooving along and completely at home with the tunes in funky Eddie Hazel fuzz-guitar land and sometimes even venturing into Reggie Lucas/Pete Cosey land of the Miles Davis "Agharta" album. Then you have the slow tracks "Up from the Desert," "One A. M. Approach" & "Midnight in Marin" which are gorgeous compositions with definitely the best Garcia electric playing I've personally ever heard. These are what I always play first for anyone who says they don't understand what's so great about Jerry Garcia. The man is a deeply soulful cat who values feeling more than superficial chops and that's what great music is all about in the end
This is also the album many people will like who aren't big fans of the Grateful Dead because it's a bit more of a departure into a grittier, jazzy urban sound , away from their more countrified, hick influences and from Garcia's bluegrass influenced recordings.
Highest recommendation and one to pull out as the ultimate demonstration of Garcia's hippie-renaissance-man versatility. .
One Great Album
I just picked up this album today in Poland. I bought it thinking it would be typical, good enough Jerry so what the hell. I can't tell you how happy I am that I've bought it. Knowing nothing about Howard Wales, but loving the old 60s Hammond organ sound I must say that I am abashed that I've never heard of the guy. His playing is F***ing great and Jerry has really suprised me with the funkadelic style he conjured up on this most excellent album. . Think the soundtrack of a 70's blacksploitation flick mated with suprisingly jazzy Jerry impros and you've got some EXCELLENT product. This is as good as Jerry gets and even non-Dead fans should groove on this baby.
hooter-what?
The Grateful Dead were clearly the grand-daddies of all the Jam Bands that would follow, but even in light of that it is still interesting how far ahead of its time this particular album is. . especially in light of the million bands that would follow in the footsteps of Phish and JTQ - - and so here it is, a Hammond Driven / groove mixed with trippy fusion album from the source. . . and considering that it was recorded back in 1971, it is amazing.
As for the sound. . . overall, quite funky at times. . . in fact, a few of the tracks reminded me of some of the stuff a group called Black Heat was doing around that time - - Though the album is a bit "sloppy" at times, once the band gets into a groove, they're into a groove. . . I think a key problem is the bass playing on the album (both organ and real) - - sometimes a bit out of sync, though everything else is working. . . Howard Wales's playing itself is very interesting. . . at times very gospel influenced (he really works the Leslie and Drawbars!), but suddenly he might start ripping into a Jimmy Smith type solo or some groovy chord comp. (Could be the acid kicking in?) - - between Garcia and rhythm guitarist Curly Cook, the groove is really driving. . . Bill Vitt the drummers also keeps things hot and on the edge. . . . though a bit inconsistent at times, suddenly, the track will sound like its about to flop and next thing you know, its really hot, gritty, funky or something good is happening. . .
As for my favorite track. . . Uncle Martin's - - a sampling DJ/acid Jazzheads wet dream. . . '70s porno soundtrack funky. . . and I mean that in a positive way ! ! ! Wales is really ripping on that one. . . Vitt is outfunking Bernard Purdie. . . the bass player IS with it. . . and Jerry Garcia's backing is REALLY REALLY REALLY funky !
Overall, I'm tempted to give the album 4 stars, but when the band is cooking. . . they're so funky, tripped out and way out there, its impossible not to forgive the occasional jammy incoherence now and then.
A great find for the Jerry fan
It sounds like Jerry was exploring some of the same ground Miles Davis was exploring but he still keeps the music in the Grateful Dead genre. From the multicolored artwork to the spaced out guitar and organs this is a classic piece of 70's pop-jazz (just kind of made up that category but it's hard to call this fusion). The results are a little different but make for an enjoyable journey that any fan of the dead or Garcia should enjoy.
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