DAYS BETWEEN 8/3

Today we go back to Family Dog at the Great Highway in 1969. A show that features Charles Lloyd on Saxophone and David Flamme on Violin. Here the SBD can be downloaded.

The funky electric violin can be heard in the solo break of "Hard To Handle." Jerry starts playing off the and then takes over soloing duties. I count 29 hits before the band starts the "BIODTL." It throws their guest off as they are not sure what to do with that many hits.
This is the final "Hi Heeled Sneakers." The Dead only did it four times but Jerry later did it a couple of more times with Merl Saunders. Jerry starts off singing the song. Half way through the second verse, Jerry forgets the lyrics. Pigpen laughs and then takes over the vocals of the songs. It's as if he was warning Jerry that he couldn't sing the blues like he could. So he finishes the song for him.
A tentative "High Time" comes next and were Jerry fades on the songs break, Phil fills in. "Mama tried to raise me better but her pleading I denied."
As the "Dark Star" starts the other guest makes his way to the stage. The sax branches out as he plays off the theme Jerry has established. Jerry and Lloyd trade licks as the music drifts from the theme. Then they circle back to the main rift as Jerry sings the first verse. Flamme then re-enacts the verse on his violin. As the three play off each other until the second verse is sung. There is a brief pause before "Alligator" is started. Garcia and Weir rift lyrics over the drums making for some interesting banter.
Feeling more confident in the direction of the music and the jam, Charles Lloyd accelerates the interchanges on "The Other One." Phil leads them to the descending jam, that usually goes post verse, as the band enters "Caution." Lloyd is running his sax up and down scales as the heavy baseline is played. Pigpen sings the verse as the band lets the song melt away into a feedback mess. Here Lloyd starts to play "Stars and Stripes Forever," which the band doesn't pick up on. They stay with their abstract weirdness with some traditional song teases. Until Garcia caps the jam with "Bid you Goodnight."
The Family Dog was a Chet Helms club. Chet Helms and Bill Graham were the two big promoters in San Francisco and were mirror opposites. They were ying and yang of concert promoters, one was mellow and laid back while the other was in your face. Over time the New York attitude of Bill Graham made him a favorite of the Dead

Hard to Handle, BIODTL, Hi-Heeled Sneakers, High Time, Mama Tried, Dark Star, Alligator, Caution, We Bid You Goodnight

Tonight there will be a live broadcast of Bob Weir's tribute to Jerry's 70th, Move Me Brightly. It starts at 9:30 EST and you can watch it through this link for TRI Studios. Last night a tweet went out saying that they were going to board cast some of the rehearsals. We got to see the band do "Catfish John" and instrumental "Shakedown" and "Terrapin." The show will be simulcasted on Sirius/Xm channel 23 if you are taking off on vacation.
Phil's emotional tribute to Jerry from Terrapin Crossroads is now available to download HERE. Notice the encore of the show. A very classy tribute to Grateful Dead history. It reminds me of the first time Phil & Friends played Bethel Woods and reenacted the Grateful Dead setlist from Woodstock.

I can be followed on twitter @potvinrocks or add me to your Google+ circle.