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Jerry Garcia
All Good Things: Jerry Garcia Studio Sessions
(Rhino)
Part Two: Compliments
First Appeared in The Music Box, August 2004, Volume 11, #8
Written by John Metzger
 Jerry Garcia
Compliments
(Rhino)
Where Jerry Garcia’s self-titled solo debut was largely a logical extension
of the Grateful Dead’s sound, his second self-titled effort, which was released
in 1974 and became known as Compliments, was a different animal
altogether. Comprised of nine cover songs and a new composition (Midnight
Town) from John Kahn and Robert Hunter, the collection highlighted the eclectic
musical tastes of the famed guitarist — even if it was his bass player,
producer, and long-time friend who selected most of the material. Indeed, it
alluded to the path that Garcia and Kahn would continue to traverse throughout
the various incarnations of the Jerry Garcia Band, one that allowed the duo to
recast a variety of carefully selected songs in whatever image suited them.
Over the years, Compliments has gotten a bad rap due to both the
brevity of its tunes and the polish of the performances, but those looking for
extended jams are simply missing the point. This was an opportunity for Garcia
to do something different — to sing, to perform, and to arrange a variety of
songs however he wanted. As a result, he surely sounded like he was having the
time of his life, whether delivering an airy version of Smokey Robinson’s The
Hunter Gets Captured by the Game, delving into the blues-based funk of
Little Milton’s That’s What Love Will Make You Do, or bouncing through
the New Orleans-baked groove of Dr. John’s What Goes Around. Elsewhere,
he puts an aching, mournful spin on Peter Rowan’s Mississippi Moon and
offers a Django Reinhardt-inspired reading of Irving Berlin’s Russian Lullaby
that positively swings.
As for the bonus material, it encompasses nine additional cover songs and a
fiery little studio jam titled Cardiac Arrest, and the truth of the
matter is that it is nothing short of extraordinary. All of it fits within the
wide-ranging scope of the original package, but the performances are less
polished and far edgier. Most notable are the uplifting gospel-soul strains that
grace Lonesome Town; the brawny, Southern soul of (I’m a) Road Runner;
and the string band flourishes (courtesy of fiddler Vassar Clements and mandolinist David Grisman) that fill Back Home in Indiana. With each note
that Garcia and his ensemble deliver, one is overcome with the music’s
intoxicating effulgence, and even if the original album is of marginal interest
to some, the extras will please everyone.  ½
This is the second installment of a six-part series, which will examine All Good Things: Jerry Garcia Studio Sessions
album by album. The entire set is rated:
All Good Things: Jerry Garcia Studio Sessions
Part One: Garcia
Part Three: Reflections
Part Four: Cats under the Stars
Part Five: Run for the Roses
Part Six: Outtakes, Jams, Alternates
All Good Things is available
from Amazon.com. To order, Click Here!
For Canadian orders, please
Click Here!
For UK orders, please
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Compliments [Remastered & Expanded] is available
from Amazon.com. To order, Click Here!
For Canadian orders, please
Click Here!
For UK orders, please
Click Here!
Ratings
1 Star: Pitiful
2 Stars: Listenable
3 Stars: Respectable
4 Stars: Excellent
5 Stars: Can't Live Without It!!
Copyright © 2004
The Music Box
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