Saunders, Merl & Jerry Garcia: Well-Matched, The Best Of

This ten track compilation of "cherry" jam was recorded during the collaborative years 1971 to 1974. "I Second That Emotion", from a studio radio broadcast in 1973, is the only previously unreleased track. Most of the others, are from the seminal double live release Live at Keystone , also in 1973.

During that 4 to 5 year period, and under Saunder's loose Art Tatum based jazz tutelage, Garcia reined in his free flowing solo style somewhat injecting some discipline and fire into his playing. The result was a Well-Matched collaboration indeed, resulting in this fiery, yet harmonic display of musical expression. Of the bounty of work Jerry created outside the confines of the Dead, (who were also arguably hitting their commercial peak during those early 70's) these jams and collaborations represent perhaps the very best. It was, to many at the time, a strange partnership indeed, but tracks like "Mystery Train", "After Midnight" and "The Harder They Come" show that the duo was ahead of its time in many respects. This one will appeal to all lovers of jam music with a spiritual bluesy jazz bent…and of course to every Dead head on the planet.

Track Listing:

1. Mystery Train
2. Lonely Avenue
3. Merl's Tune
4. Positively Fourth St.
5. After Midnight
6. Welcome To The Basement
8. Space
9. I Second That Emotion
10. The Harder They Come

Added: June 17th 2006
Reviewer: Mike Blackburn
Score:
Related Link: More Info
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Language: english

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