Jerry Garcia Band
If theGrateful Deadwas Garcia's day job, then his beloved Jerry Garcia Band was his robe and slippers. Without the "scene" swirling quite as much around the JGB, those shows took on a more informal, laid-back feel that was clearly liberating to Garcia, who with the JGB had the freedom to completely indulge his own tastes. The JGB of Garcia's last decade boasted terrific organist Melvin Seals as Garcia's chief improvisational sidekick, plus the background female soul singers Gloria Jones and Jackie LaBranch and Garcia's old buddy John Kahn on bass. Recorded in 1990 at San Francisco's Warfield Theater--which was nothing short of the JGB's home field--this double-disc set gives a clear idea of the ensemble's breadth:Dylancovers, Motown hits, and blues romps, as well as classic rock, gospel, and reggae numbers, and basically any song that Garcia loved. Of course, there's plenty of solo space provided to Garcia's spiraling guitar, but his passionate vocals on the ballads are also quite moving. The single-discHow Sweet It Iswas recorded during the same stretch and is equally as impressive.--Marc Greilsamer