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| Jerry
Garcia, The Very Best of |
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| REVIEWED
BY JASON GLADU, POSTED ON DECEMBER 24, 2006 |
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To start off,
I’m not what you call a Deadhead. Just to give you an idea
of how completely out of the loop I am, I didn’t even know
that Jerry Garcia had such an extensive solo discography. So this
two-disc best of came off as quite a surprise, but I instantly
loved what I heard.
Disc one is entitled Studio Recordings, and it covers all five
of Garcia’s solo endeavours. For new listeners these recordings
are vital to understanding Garcia’s legacy. Deadheads probably
own all these essential tracks, but there’s more for them
later. Disc one opens with three countrified rock tracks (“Deal,”
“Bird Song,” and “Sugaree”) all have the
same sauntering beat, and I can’t help but feel I’ve
heard these songs somewhere before. Other highlights include,
“Let It Rock” (which starts off with a eerie train-horn
as the band rests on a funky back beat), “Russian Lullaby”
(begins with some beautiful guitar plucking, ending in some rambunctious
old-time jazz), and Bob Dylan’s “Knockin’ On
Heavens Door” is transformed with a smooth reggae beat.
The Grateful Dead were always known for their wild live shows,
and Garcia’s solo work is not an exception. Disc two is
entitled Live Recordings, and it’s the best part of this
collection, as it showcases Garcia’s love for blues, rock,
jazz, and even grassroots music. Also, disc two is not put in
chronological order, and what I love about this track listing
is that is best showcases how transcendant Garcia’s work
is. Opening with a wild, 1973 performance of “Catfish John”
(featuring Garcia’s grassroots band Old & in the Way),
track two jumps ahead 14 years to his band wailing on another
grassroots fuelled track, “Deep Elem Blues.” Two other
tracks that Garcia re-invents are Bob Dylan’s “Positively
4th Street” (which becomes a ten-minute epic), and an unreleased
track of an electrifying, 11-minute performance of the Beatles’
“Dear Prudence.”
Overall, fans will love this well thought out collection of essential
tracks, and is the perfect place to start for the uninitiated.
(Rhino)
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