Jerry Garcia & Merl Saunders • Keystone Companions The Complete 1973 Fantasy Recordings

 

 

Review
by Thom Jurek  
The recordings that made up the original Live at Keystone albums by Jerry Garcia, Merl Saunders, John Kahn, and Bill Vitt took place over two nights in July of 1973. The band had been playing a regular gig at the famed San Francisco venue for some time, but it was here that it gelled. Their program was a wide range of covers from Jimmy Cliff's "The Harder They Come" to Motown numbers, Bob Dylan songs, jazz standards, and even a wholly improvised jam. Recorded by the Grateful Dead's sound engineers Betty Cantor and Rex Jackson, the first release was issued in late 1973, compiled from the "best" of both nights. In 1988, two volumes called Keystone Encores were released on three discs. This deluxe four-disc package contains remastered versions of all the material from both those concerts presented in original running order. In restores the three-and-a-half-minute jam "Space" with the full, nearly 14-minute version, now entitled "Merl's Tune." In addition, there are six more previously unreleased selections. All are different takes of songs that were featured on the earlier sets, including "The Harder They Come," "It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry," "My Funny Valentine," "Merl's Tune," "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)," and "Someday Baby." Taking it all in, it's fascinating to hear how complementary Garcia and Saunders were, and the degree to which they trusted one another in moving a set arrangement in another direction on the spot. Contrast the two versions of "My Funny Valentine." On the latter one, Saunders shifts tonalities from a straight, subdued reading toward a more modal and exploratory one. Garcia responds by extending the tune's entire harmonic reach. The rhythm section, too, is unshakable -- check their astonishing interplay and shifting time signatures on the first version of "Merl's Tune." There are many surprises to be found here, not the least of which is the remastered sound by Paul Blakemore, who retained the atmosphere that made the original recordings so appealing. His attention to detail in dynamics, textures, and presence is noteworthy. This box also includes a poster, a pin, a coaster, and a "scratch book" -- it seems matchbooks are no longer allowed. The definitive presentation of these recordings underscores what a historic -- if low-key -- partnership this was. The music, by any standard, is simply excellent.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/keystone-companions-the-complete-1973-fantasy-recordings-mw0002369353

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Reseña
por Thom Jurek  
Las grabaciones que conformaron los álbumes originales Live at Keystone de Jerry Garcia, Merl Saunders, John Kahn y Bill Vitt tuvieron lugar durante dos noches de julio de 1973. La banda llevaba algún tiempo actuando regularmente en el famoso local de San Francisco, pero fue aquí donde cuajó. Su programa incluía un amplio abanico de versiones, desde "The Harder They Come" de Jimmy Cliff hasta temas de Motown, canciones de Bob Dylan, estándares de jazz e incluso una jam totalmente improvisada. Grabado por los ingenieros de sonido de Grateful Dead, Betty Cantor y Rex Jackson, el primer lanzamiento se publicó a finales de 1973, recopilando lo "mejor" de ambas noches. En 1988, se publicaron dos volúmenes llamados Keystone Encores en tres discos. Este paquete de lujo de cuatro discos contiene versiones remasterizadas de todo el material de esos dos conciertos presentado en el orden original. En restaura la jam de tres minutos y medio "Space" con la versión completa, de casi 14 minutos, ahora titulada "Merl's Tune". Además, hay otras seis selecciones inéditas. Todas son versiones diferentes de canciones que ya aparecían en los primeros discos, como "The Harder They Come", "It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry", "My Funny Valentine", "Merl's Tune", "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)" y "Someday Baby". Resulta fascinante escuchar lo complementarios que eran García y Saunders, y el grado en que confiaban el uno en el otro a la hora de cambiar la dirección de un arreglo sobre la marcha. Contrasta con las dos versiones de "My Funny Valentine". En esta última, Saunders cambia las tonalidades de una lectura directa y tenue a una más modal y exploratoria. García responde ampliando el alcance armónico de la melodía. La sección rítmica también es inquebrantable: fíjate en su asombrosa interacción y sus cambios de compás en la primera versión de "Merl's Tune". Aquí hay muchas sorpresas, entre las que destaca el sonido remasterizado por Paul Blakemore, que ha conservado la atmósfera que hizo tan atractivas las grabaciones originales. Su atención al detalle en la dinámica, las texturas y la presencia es digna de mención. Esta caja también incluye un póster, un pin, un posavasos y un "libro de rascas" (parece que las cajas de cerillas ya no están permitidas). La presentación definitiva de estas grabaciones subraya lo histórica -aunque discreta- que fue esta colaboración. La música, se mire por donde se mire, es simplemente excelente.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/keystone-companions-the-complete-1973-fantasy-recordings-mw0002369353


jerrygarcia.com ...

Tracks:
CD 1:
1. Hi-Heel Sneakers [08:14]
2. Keepers (Previously Unreleased Take) [07:54]
3. The Harder They Come [06:23]
4. It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry (Previously Unreleased Take) [06:21]
5. It s Too Late (She s Gone) [07:47]
6. My Funny Valentine (Previously Unreleased Take) [18:14]
7. Mystery Train [11:37]

CD 2:
1. I Second That Emotion [10:59]
2. Someday Baby [10:15]
3. Merl s Tune [13:34]
4. It Ain t No Use [09:36]
5. Positively 4th Street [07:45]
6. How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) (Previously Unreleased Take) [08:09]

CD 3:
1. It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry [07:06]
2. Keepers [06:34]
3. One Kind Favor [06:39]
4. That s All Right, Mama [04:11]
5. The Harder They Come (Previously Unreleased Take) [10:09]
6. My Funny Valentine [18:05]
7. Money Honey [08:21]

CD 4:
1. Someday Baby (Previously Unreleased Take) [10:15]
2. Merl s Tune (Previously Unreleased Take) [12:21]
3. Like A Road Leading Home [11:02]
4. How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) [10:20]

Label:    Fantasy – FAN-33796
Country:    US
Released:    Sep 25, 2012
Genre:    Jazz, Rock, Funk / Soul
Style:    Soul-Jazz, Rock & Roll, Rhythm & Blues
https://www.discogs.com/release/3929049-Merl-Saunders-Jerry-Garcia-Keystone-Companions-The-Complete-1973-Fantasy-Recordings

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