Jerry and Nicky Let It Rock at Keystone Berkeley!
The latest release to come from the Garcia vault is Let It Rock: Jerry Garcia Band 1975 a 2-CD
set recorded November 17 and 18, 1975 at the Keystone Berkeley, featuring the very first
version of the Jerry Garcia Band, with the magnificent British pianist Nicky Hopkins, drummer Ron Tutt and ol’
reliable—bassist John Kahn. This marks the first-ever full release of material from the brief but fruitful
Garcia-Hopkins union (August through December ’75), and it shows the group at its best, rolling though a broad
range of styles, from the churning opener, “Let It Rock,” to Dead favorites like “Sugaree,” “They Love Each
Other” and a lively “Friend of the Devil,” to boppin’ R&B—“Tore Up Over You,” “Roadrunner”—a 19-minute workout
(!) on the Stones’ “Let’s Spend the Night Together,” and Nicky’s exceptional instrumental track “Edward.”
The sound on these discs is impeccable: They were mixed from 16-track master tapes by Jeffrey Norman, who has
mixed and mastered countless Dead-related projects through the years. The clarity of the vocals and instruments
is absolutely stunning—it’s practically like being at the legendary Keystone Berkeley, except without
that distinctive smell of beer and popcorn, and the clacking of the foosball table in the back room. The icing on
this particular slice of psychedelic cake is a fine essay by David Gans which probes the Jerry-Nicky dynamic and
offers some needed historical context. In short, this one is a must for Jerry freaks (and doesn’t that include
all of us?)! To order your copy today, click here.
—Blair Jackson
Track List
CD 1
1. LET IT ROCK
2. TORE UP OVER YOU
3. FRIEND OF THE DEVIL*
4. THEY LOVE EACH OTHER
5. IT’S TOO LATE
6. PIG’S BOOGIE>
7. BAND INTRODUCTIONS>
8. SITTING IN LIMBO
9. (I’M A) ROAD RUNNER
CD 2
1. SUGAREE
2. I’LL TAKE A MELODY
3. THAT’S WHAT LOVE WILL MAKE YOU DO*
4. LADY SLEEPS*
5. AIN’T NO USE
6. LET’S SPEND THE NIGHT TOGETHER*
7. EDWARD, THE MAD SHIRT GRINDER
Recorded live at KEYSTONE BERKELEY, 11/18/75 and *11/17/75
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Can't wait to hear this
Can't wait to hear this release, lots of songs that are not well represented in mainstream JGB releases. I imagine the 16-track sound is going to be immaculate. Nice to have a 1975 release!
Jerry and Nicky!
What more can you say. Looking forward to this.
If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is, infinite.
William Blake
"Edward, The Mad Shirt
"Edward, The Mad Shirt Grinder" ???
From QSMS's "Shady Grove" LP ?
Wow. That's obscure, even for me. That should be an interesting listen.
Love this stuff!
I'm sure Jerry's playing will be as smooth as fine wine.
Coconut Phil, living Free.
Saw the tour!
Looks great !! Caught this line-up at the Flint Center in Cupertino. EDWARD, THE MAD SHIRT GRINDER was memorable !!!
Christmas in October?
I must be dreaming! I am still wildly listening into the mammoth 77 box and then we get not one but 2 new releases???christmas in October,
If you guys maintain that pace then please offer an automatic subscription to the new realeases!!!
looking forward to a 75 vintage.
bravo.
Now please no more bad trip with customs duties and so on....
Merci!
Still cannot order ...
... a freaking thing ... I love to be shut out from buying music, freaking joke ...
Listening to Let It Rock now
Listening to Let It Rock now and it's beautiful. Stunning sound even at the low rez internet player. Gonna order mine today. Whahooooo!
Wow!
I just listened to the Let it Rock and it was impressive, alittle slower temp than most of us are used to,and the recording quality is excellent. It will be wonderful to have something this obscure too. Now lets hear something from that JGB '93 Fall tour? Portland or Worcester? We need killer versions of The Maker and Rueben & Cherise :)
First Time
My first time seeing Jerry live was this line up at the Orpheum Theater in Boston in October 1975! Peter Rowan opened the show (the late show) The promoter, Don Law, announced beforehand that due to a new city law regarding concerts "this show will be brief!" Naturally there were many hearty boos. The band sounded great, and man I was psyched! At one point between songs Nicky asked the crowd "is or is not the guitar drowning out the piano?' More lusty booing, but he won over the crowd with two songs of his, one being Edward the Mad Shirt Grinder.It was a fantastic show in a great venue.
Peace,
Michael
Good call, Michael!
That Super Session cover was, in fact, the inspiration for this one...
Jerry's my man!!! Give us more!
Jerry & Nicky and Spending the Night Together...YEA!!!!!!!!! I can't wait!Halloweendeadhead
You guys get better with each release .. thanks
This really looks good . Lookignforward to hearing Nicky Hopkins ; looks like a real treat
If the last Jerry release from early 78 is not the greatest , then this should be higher octane music . Thanks
yes please
When the last (and wonderful) Pure Jerry release came out I asked hopefully if we could have some Nicky Hopkins JGB next and my wish came true. Hooray. Can't wait to hear this one, especially since it is from a multi-track recording. Thanks to all concerned.
looks good!
I might have to order that one. I really enjoy the Pure Jerry Album. "The sky was yellow the sun was blue".
hard_to_handle
Jerry Garcia Collection Volume 1 - Legion of Mary
I saw somone asked what was Volume 1 of the Jerry Garcia Collection. Not sure if you had gotten an answer or not but it looks like Volume 1 was The Legion of Mary CD that was released a couple of years ago.
new release
looking forward to this. I have it on tape but digi would be nice.
...one good thing about music, when it hits, you feel no pain.
To Blair - JG Collection vs Pure Jerry?
Hi Blair
What's the difference between the JG Collection Vol. X and Pure Jerry releases? The latter are Garcia daughter releases but these are Dead releases (sort of)? Multi-tracks vs soundboards? Just curious.
This looks fantastic. I still think the Pure Jerry Bay Area release is one of the best sets to come out in recent times. There's some amazing music on there.
Hmm, interesting question...
Hard to say, really...Originally, the first JG Collection of Legion of Mary stuff was distinguished from the PJ releases because it was a compilation rather than a specific show release. This Jerry-Nicky set has been in the works for a couple of years and, as a compilation (albeit from only two shows) we thought it fit into the criteria established by JGC Vol. 1. Also, it's from multitrack tapes, whereas the PJ releases have all been from stereo masters. (But then, so was JGC V1.) To add a further layer of confusion, between the time that the Jerry-NIcky set was conceived and released, the Bay Area 78 PJ came out, which was also a compilation, but was actually conceived before the PJ series started, if I understand the chronology correctly. Bottom line, if there were any rules, we've now broken them all, I guess! ;-)
Thanks Blair
Thanks for the speedy response Blair. I'll not read too much into the series titles from now on!! The naming system roughly makes sense although, as you say, the Bay Area release is a compilation too. Anyway, it's all the same once it hears my ears, whatever it's called!
Have a good one.
Thanks for the laugh, Blair.
Proving once again that truth is better than fiction, reading the history of PJ v. JGC had me in stitches. If it feels right, do it...sort of.
this is a great show, but I've had it for years...
I have this on soundboard and it is a great show.
You guys need to get this if you don't already own it.
Some monster stuff here.
Nicky Hopkins!!!
Okay, now this one has me excited! I love Jerry...but I don't need that many JGB shows, too repetative, and those back up singers get to be bland....this one really has me pumped!! I have a great copy of 12/31/75 and have always loved it as my favorite JGB! I am ecstatic for an official release of that brief period. Same with the Ozzie Ahlers time in 1980...four players, no back up signers, and some killer keys......Let's get some more of that!!
Saw this tour! (too :)
Caught this lineup in a classic little theater attached to the St Paul Civic Center Nov. 75.Drove in from Menomonie Wisconsin, with a friend...and had a fine time. Still have the ticket stub around here somewhere...of course.
Thanks for what looks like a fine release.
(funny how 35 years fly by).
Reverb?
...Smell the tail of the dragon...Does anyone else hear reverb on the drums and vocals on "It's Too Late"? Maybe someone at the site like Blair or Mary could clear this up for me. Certainly reverb would not have been added in the mastering. Perhaps it's on the reels?
Reverb
Recordings like this are generally made "flat," so a touch of reverb on instruments or the lead vocal might be added at the mixing stage to give it a little more life and some of the ambience of the room in which it was recorded. I suspect that's what happened here. If you were at the Keystone itself that night, the front-of-house mixer probably would have added some judicious reverb for the benefit of the audience there that night... that's very common...
Let There Be Keystone Berkeley!
Please, sir, may I have some more?
I'm listening to the Friend Of The Devil right now and I am in awe of the sound and the mix. Just a spectacular job! I have recordings of this foursome and Nicky Hopkins’ piano always sounds muddy. Can’t wait to order and receive.
demented
so far only a few people received it and that was people who ordered express...some have theirs on the way people who ordered after me...i ordered on oct 2nd but on mine there wasn't any hits on my card so it hasn't been sent...others claim their cards were hit...still it's been over a week and something should've been said or sent by e-mail...but this is something that's happend most times...though it would be nice if a generic e-mail was sent saying it'll be delayed 2 or 4 weeks whatever the case may be...but i hate to say it i'll keep buying these shows providing they keep making them...i used to say i'll stop but each new one does have a good sound to them...if they sounded muddy or boring i probably would've stopped, but if you listen there's always some new touch...so even though it's been about 10 years or so of these extra releases it's still not dull or pointless for me...i'm sure alot of people stopped after the dicks picks or maybe after just a few, but i'm going to hang on to this...with GOD willing i know alot of people are out of work or looking for real work providing they have work...so i say that with GOD willing because you have to be blessed to be able to buy CDs in these hard times...but these CDs can take you back to a happier place and time even if you weren't there because with these CDs you can tell such a time and place did exist, because it sure doesn't exist too much in the present...and if it does someone please tell me where and when.
Tony, go furthur...
...some time in December/NYs
~THESE ARE the good old days!~
reverb
Certainly reverb would not have been added in the mastering.It would have been added in the mixing. Gans/GD Hour blog
GD Hour station list
makes sense
that would make sense that no one has both...i can see the people who ordered the jerry seperately having there's but from what i understand NOBODY HAS BOTH?? but i can see it be delayed a month because they did last spring if i remember right...some say the box set a month ago was delayed but i'm not sure if it was or not...but you'd think someone from the grateful dead camp would say something somewhere on this site...i assume phil lesh spends 4 hours a day on this site reading posts from his adoring fans...anyway i'm sure it'll go out no later than december 8th.
I got mine and it's a must have!!! Trust me!
I received mine yesterday and let me tell you the sound is perfect and the performances are extremely tight. It sound's like Jerry makes a real effort to keep his solo's short [for him] and directly to the point. The band comes across as laid back but playing with definite purpose.It really is Jerry almost as i've never heard him before. As I said I received mine yesterday and as I've also stated before I got my copy from another website for far less then I would have paid here including the free shipping. It took about 6 day's from the time I ordered it till the time it arrived in my malbox.If I didnt have a gift certificate for the other website apparently I'd still be waiting for my copy and I would have paid more for it.These thing's as a lifetime Deadhead and someone who buy's practically everything this band and it's surviving members put's out [not to mention concert tickets]confuses and frustrates me to no end! I'm done feeling guilty about not buying an item through this website.
Rogue
Ron Tutt
This looks like a must have for sure. I have been getting into older Garcia (bands) again recently so this is right on time. I have been really impressed with drummer Ron Tutt from this era. Mr. Tutt also played with Gram Parsons & the Fallen Angels and in Evis's band which should put him in the "not a slouch" category. With this said and with Nicky Hopkins & John Kahn how could you go wrong here.Excellent job - keep it comin........B
Currently letting it rock....
For those in an ordering snafu, I ordered mine 11/9 and received today 11/16. My last dead.net buy was delayed though....
This is gold. Truly. I knew I wouldn't be disapointed by Nicky & Jerry's playing. (Ron & John definitely rock the house too!). I am in heaven with my JGB-four piece. Please bring on more, either this era (although I know its short) or Ozzie's.
In the sublime of "Sitting in Limbo" right now....
What a treat
Man. There's something real sweet about these Garcia Band releases ... of course the Dead stuff that's been coming out has been phenomenal, but it's almost easier to take that stuff for granted. Maybe it's because there's (relatively) less of it out there, or maybe it's because you can still go see The Dead (though it's not the same of course) but Jerry Band will never be Jerry Band again and it makes it that much more bittersweet. Anyway, this is killer stuff - I'll Take a Melody brought tears to my eyes, and really, this band crackles (in a laid back way) through this whole set. Thanks to all.
Rowan Bros.
Michael (Meeko), I was at the late show on 10/24/75 too. However, I recall that the Rowan Brothers did a short acoustic set before Jerry and Nicky came out. This was a group comprised of Peter Rowan's two brothers, Chris and Lorin. Peter might have been on the October '75 date we both went to (I seem to remember that there were three guitarists playing). However, it's not necessarily a sure thing. The Rowan Brothers had toured for several years prior to '75, but Peter was not a regular member. He did eventually become part of the group though and they released an album together in 1976 called The Rowans (which was the band name they adopted at that time), followed by Sibling Rivalry (1977), and Jubilation (1978).
"When it comes to humility, I'm the greatest!" - Bullwinkle Moose
Rowans
The three Rowans were working together in '75, for sure. I remember very well the set that played at El Camino Park on 6/8/75 w/ Garcia-Saunders and Kingfish.
Gans/GD Hour blog
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GD Hour station list
Thanks for the info. Do you
Thanks for the info. Do you know of a source on-line that says this definitively? I'd always wondered if that was Peter that night.
"When it comes to humility, I'm the greatest!" - Bullwinkle Moose
Sweet!
Got my Road Trips/Let it Rock bundle today. What a nice way to start the weekend! I second what others are saying about this incredible release. "I'll Take a Melody" is sweetly trickling out of my speakers as I type this. Too bad that this incarnation of the JGB lasted for so short a time, because these four guys have got a serious groove on.
Jeff VanderVeen
"May the 4 winds blow you safely home."
Band
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