#jacklyn labranch

Song Review: The Jerry Garcia Band - “The Way You do the Things You Do” (Live, Feb. 28, 1991)

Melvin Seals mixed things up a bit, frequently alternating between synth, organ and piano sounds and super-charging the Jerry Garcia Band’s Feb. 28, 1991, rendition of “The Way You do the Things You Do.”

The extra-clean soundboard recording is out to announce JGB’s forthcoming (July 25) Live at the Warfield, which captures every song from the group’s Feb. 28-March 2, ’91, run at the titular San Francisco venue.

This is a prime example of Garcia and company - Seals, forever bassist John Kahn, four-armed drummer David Kemper and soulful singers Gloria Jones and Jacklyn LaBranch - demonstrating how best to psychedelicize a Motown ballad while retaining the Motown balladry that makes “The Things You Do” so sonically appealing in the first place.

Running for 11 minutes, this version finds the right balance of following the script and scribbling well beyond the lines to make a heavy-rotation song sparkle like something new. A short fade - the song never had a proper ending - also makes this one a bit different from others and seems to indicate the band’s desire to get on with the show.

Grade card: The Jerry Garcia Band - “The Way You do the Things You Do” (Live - 2/28/91) - A-

Song Review: Jerry Garcia Band - “Valerie” (Live, June 18, 1982)

When Jerry Garcia dug into the grimy guitar solo on “Valerie” during his eponymous Band’s June 18, 1982, gig in Cape Cod, fans must’ve anticipated a good night to follow.

Forty-one years later, the Garcia Estate must’ve confirmed that as it plans to release the full concert June 30 as GarciaLive Vol. 20.

As lead single - the No. 2 slot on the setlist - “Valerie” is a strong opening card. Tight band. Engaged Garcia. A terrific, rarely played Garcia-Robert Hunter original. And that perfectly toned guitar solo.

There’s nothing the matter with Garcia on this “Valerie.”

Grade card: Jerry Garcia Band - “Valerie” (Live - 8/18/82) - A

Album Review: The Garcia Project - Spirit

The Garcia Project is to the Jerry Garcia Band as Dark Star Orchestra is to the Grateful Dead - with one big difference.

The Project, unlike the Orchestra, has made a studio album. Spirit was produced by former JGB vocalist Maria Muldaur and features JGB alums Jacklyn LaBranch and Buzz Buchanan, plus Peter Rowan, who played with Garcia in Old & in the Way.

As the name suggests, Spirit focuses on Garcia’s spiritual side and traverses disco (“Mighty High”), gospel (“I’ll Be with Thee”) and bluegrass (“Throw out the Lifeline”) as the Grateful Dead guitarist did in his extracurricular life. And while a cover album of cover songs - “Gomorrah” and “Palm Sunday” are the only Garcia/Robert Hunter originals among the 12 tracks - might seem ridiculous on its face, the album is 100 percent listenable, if also unnecessary.

Hard-to-find-by-Garcia songs like “Strange Man” and “Cold Jordan” are particularly enjoyable. But no Garcia fan needs to hear a band playing songs like the aforementioned originals or what’s dubbed “Sisters and Brothers” in Garcia’s image more than one time outside of a concert hall.

Grade card: The Garcia Project - Spirit - C+

Song Review: Jerry Garcia Band - "Mission in the Rain" (Live, June 10, 1989)

If the version of "Mission in the Rain" the Jerry Garcia Band played on June 10, 1989, was the only example of the song, it'd be considered exceptional.

But it isn’t.

There are scores, perhaps hundreds, of renditions of this song out there; as such, this "Mission," while still a delight, doesn't rank on the all-time - or even the must-hear - list. Set for release on the forthcoming Electric on the Eel set - which collects complete concerts from 1987, '89 and '91 - this version is a little too fast, has a weird, new-wavy keyboard solo from Melvin Seals and sounds like an audience recording.

No matter what comes down, the Mission always looks the same, Garcia sings.

But the "Mission" doesn't always sound the same.

As this version proves, that's both a blessing and a mild curse.

Grade card: Jerry Garcia Band - "Mission in the Rain" (Live - 6/10/89) - B-

Gloria Jones, Longtime Jerry Garcia Band Vocalist, Has Died

Gloria Jones, who along with Jacklyn LaBranch sung backing vocals in the Jerry Garcia Band for more than a decade, died Feb. 1 of unknown causes.

She joined the Garcia Band in 1984 and stayed with the group until Garcia’s death in 1995. In later years, Jones would sing with Melvin Seals & JGB, the Jerry Garcia Birthday Band and other tribute acts.

“She was a wonderful soul and I feel blessed she was my friend and bandmate,” Seals said of Jones in a Facebook post. “The countless hours we spent together on stage, in rehearsals, on the road and off. ... I have so many wonderful memories.”

Jones, whose age was unavailable, has been ill missed January’s Like a Road Leading Home Home tribute concerts.

“Words fail me at this moment, so I’ll just say thank you Gloria Jones for the music and for your heart,” former Furthur and JGB vocalist Sunshine Becker tweeted.

“Let the music do what it does in times of great sorrow.”

Jones will be featured on the forthcoming Garcia Band box set Electric on the Eel, which comes out March 15.

Members of JGB, Others to Celebrate Garcia’s 76th Birthday

Former members of the Jerry Garcia Band and players who perform in various family groups will celebrate what should be Garcia’s 76th birthday - belatedly - with two concerts in Colorado in August.

Longtime JGB members Melvin Seals, Jacklyn LaBranch and Gloria Jones will pair with guitarist Tom Hamilton (Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, Ghost Light), drummer Duane Trucks (Widespread Panic, Hard Working Americans) and Dead & Company bassist Oteil Burbridge for the Aug. 17 and 18 performances the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater in Vail. Garcia’s birthdate is Aug. 1.

Writing on Facebook, Seals said it’s “a blessing to be a part of” what’s known as the Jerry Garcia Birthday Band, which last year celebrated the late guitarist’s 75th with a concert at Red Rocks.

”It’s always an honor to be apart of Jerry Garcia’s birthday celebration,” Burbridge wrote on Facebook. “I hope that Jerry is digging how we are approaching it now. So many times I wish I could rap with him about all of this. I guess I’m on a long line of people seeking his guidance.”

Tickets go on sale June 8. More info at: AXS.com.