Jerry Garcia
All Good Things: Jerry Garcia Studio Sessions
(Rhino)
Part Six: Outtakes, Jams, and Alternates
First Appeared in The Music Box, September 2004, Volume 11, #9
Written by John Metzger
Hearing Jerry Garcia deliver a rendition of
Warren Zevon’s Accidentally Like a Martyr is, perhaps, the most
tantalizing aspect of the bonus material featured on All Good Things. The
concept, however, is better than its execution. Sketchy at best, the track finds
Garcia — his voice rough, ragged, and weary — delivering a set of elemental
chord sequences via electric piano rather than his customary guitar. Yet, from
beneath this tarnished veneer creeps a captivating poignancy that allows the
tune to become something more than an abject curiosity. Such is the case with
all 12 of the selections featured on Outtakes, Jams, and Alternates, a
hodgepodge of leftovers that not only is a scattered and less than revelatory
affair, but also is strangely intriguing. All of the songs are flawed, of
course, but each finds its own transcendent space. Whether it’s Nicky Hopkins’
deft piano accompaniments on the alternate renditions of Catfish John and
I’ll Take a Melody; the earthy, acoustic spin lent to Lonesome Town;
the guitar pyrotechnics unleashed on a medley of Hey Bo Diddley and Hide Away; or the playful romps through Iko Iko and Rockin’
Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu, the set offers some insight into
Garcia’s penchant for experimentation as a means toward finding perfection
while, above all else, highlighting his affinity for playing guitar and singing
songs as if nothing else in the world really mattered. 
This is the first 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 Four: Cats under the Stars
All Good Things: Jerry Garcia Studio Sessions is available from
Barnes & Noble. To order, 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