Keystone Companions: The Complete 1973 Fantasy Recordings

Last updated
Keystone Companions: The Complete 1973 Fantasy Recordings
KeystoneCompanions.jpg
Live album by
Merl Saunders
and Jerry Garcia
ReleasedSeptember 25, 2012
RecordedJuly 10 – 11, 1973
Genre Rock
Label Fantasy
Producer Merl Saunders, Jerry Garcia,
John Kahn, Bill Vitt
Merl Saunders and Jerry Garcia chronology
Well-Matched: The Best of Merl Saunders & Jerry Garcia
(2006)		Keystone Companions: The Complete 1973 Fantasy Recordings
(2012)		 Garcia Live Volume Three
(2013)
Jerry Garcia chronology
Ragged but Right
(2010)		Keystone Companions: The Complete 1973 Fantasy Recordings
(2012)		 Garcia Live Volume One
(2013)

Keystone Companions: The Complete 1973 Fantasy Recordings is a four-CD album by Merl Saunders and Jerry Garcia. It was recorded live at the Keystone in Berkeley, California on July 10 and 11, 1973, and released by Fantasy Records on September 25, 2012. [1]

Contents

From February 1971 to July 1975, Merl Saunders and Jerry Garcia played many live shows together when the Grateful Dead were not on tour. Their band's lineup for the July '73 shows at the Keystone was Saunders on keyboards, Garcia on guitar and vocals, John Kahn on bass, and Bill Vitt on drums. [2]

Some songs from the July 10 and 11, 1973 Keystone concerts were released as the 1973 album Live at Keystone , and others were released in 1988 as Keystone Encores . Keystone Companions includes all of the songs from the two earlier albums (except for the track titled "Space"), along with seven previously unreleased tracks. All the songs were remastered for the new album, and are presented in the order that they were played in concert. [3]

Keystone Companions is packaged as a box set, and includes a booklet with photos and liner notes, a poster, and a button, among other extras. [4]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [1]
Blues Review8/10 [5]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [6]

In Rolling Stone , Patrick Doyle wrote, "What's most remarkable about this four-disc set, which compiles two 1973 dates, is the range: They jam on Rodgers and Hart as well as Jimmy Cliff, and turn out the Funkadelic-like instrumental 'Keepers'; Garcia also croons an unexpectedly sweet version of 'Positively 4th Street' amid soaring, melodic guitar solos. There are no rules — just four luminaries testing their own boundaries." [6]

On Allmusic, Thom Jurek said, "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'.... The music, by any standard, is simply excellent." [1]

In Blues Review, Bob Putignano wrote, "I’ve always felt the Saunders brought out and extracted a different side of Garcia, a side that was more jazz-oriented. Blues and rhythm and blues surfaced readily, and the deep grooves (especially from Saunders' B3) allowed Garcia alternate landscapes to explore. Additionally, within the Dead's universe there was far more pressure and egos to deal with. With Merl it seemed obvious that the musical state-of-affairs were more casual, yet no intensity is lost." [5]

On Voice of America, Katherine Cole said, "The music on Keystone Companions' four discs is exactly what you’d expect from a Jerry Garcia side project: a mix of rock, blues and jazz with some bluegrass and soul mixed in. And, as with any jam session, the songs sometimes wander and might even include all those styles of music within the same tune.... Keystone Companions is a fan’s dream come true — it contains two complete sets equaling almost four hours of live music. The tracks were remastered to crystal clarity..." [7]

In Relix , Tony Sclafani wrote, "This new release configures the original recordings in the order in which the songs were performed and also offers vintage photos and liner notes by David Gans. The results are compelling. The spacious, remastered sound brings out the chemistry of the two main players as well as the interplay of the rhythm section, made up of bassist John Kahn and drummer Bill Vitt." [8]

Track listing

Disc 1

  1. "Hi-Heel Sneakers" (Robert Higgenbotham) – 8:12
  2. "Keepers" (Merl Saunders, John Kahn) – 7:54
  3. "The Harder They Come" (Jimmy Cliff) – 6:23
  4. "It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry" (Bob Dylan) – 6:21
  5. "It's Too Late (She's Gone)" (Chuck Willis) – 7:47
  6. "My Funny Valentine" (Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart) – 18:14
  7. "Mystery Train" (Sam Phillips, Junior Parker) – 11:37

Disc 2

  1. "I Second That Emotion" (Smokey Robinson, Al Cleveland) – 10:59
  2. "Someday Baby" (Sam Hopkins) – 10:15
  3. "Merl's Tune" (Saunders, John White) – 13:34
  4. "It Ain't No Use" (Jerry Williams, Gary Bonds, Don Hollinger) – 9:36
  5. "Positively 4th Street" (Dylan) – 7:45
  6. "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)" (Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, Eddie Holland) – 8:09

Disc 3

  1. "It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry" (Dylan) – 7:06
  2. "Keepers" (Saunders, Kahn) – 6:34
  3. "One Kind Favor" (Blind Lemon Jefferson) – 6:39
  4. "That's All Right, Mama" (Arthur Crudup) – 4:11
  5. "The Harder They Come" (Cliff) – 10:09
  6. "My Funny Valentine" (Rodgers, Hart) – 18:05
  7. "Money Honey" (Jesse Stone) – 8:21

Disc 4

  1. "Someday Baby" (Hopkins) – 10:15
  2. "Merl's Tune" (Saunders, White) – 12:21
  3. "Like a Road Leading Home" (Don Nix, Dan Penn) – 11:02
  4. "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)" (Holland, Dozier, Holland) – 10:20

Personnel

Musicians

Production

Related Research Articles

Merl Saunders American musician

Merl Saunders was an American multi-genre musician who played piano and keyboards, favoring the Hammond B-3 console organ.

Legion of Mary was an American rock band, formed by Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead and his friend and musical collaborator Merl Saunders. The band existed from December 1974 to July 1975, and played about 60 live shows. Its members were Garcia, Saunders (keyboards), John Kahn, Martin Fierro and Ron Tutt (drums). The previous lineup of the band, with Paul Humphrey on drums, is sometimes also referred to as Legion of Mary, but later research has shown that they did not use the Legion of Mary name.

<i>Garcia Plays Dylan</i> 2005 compilation album by Jerry Garcia

Garcia Plays Dylan is an album composed of various live performances featuring Jerry Garcia playing covers of Bob Dylan songs. It is culled from performances from 1973–1995, and features Garcia playing with Grateful Dead, Legion of Mary, Jerry Garcia Band, and Garcia-Saunders. Garcia takes lead vocals on all tracks.

<i>Legion of Mary: The Jerry Garcia Collection, Vol. 1</i> 2005 live album by Legion of Mary

Legion of Mary: The Jerry Garcia Collection, Vol. 1 is an album by Legion of Mary, a jazz influenced rock band led by Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead. It was recorded live on various dates from December 1974 to July 1975, at the Keystone in Berkeley, California, the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco, California, and the Paramount Theatre in Portland, Oregon. It was released on August 23, 2005.

Michael David Hinton was an American guitarist, residing in the San Francisco Bay Area. During his career, he played with numerous bands, including Norton Buffalo and the Knockouts, High Noon, Merl Saunders & the Rainforest Band, to name a few. He appeared on several albums with the Rainforest Band and other Merl Saunders projects, including It's In The Air, Fiesta Amazonica, Still Having Fun, Merl Saunders With His Funky Friends - Live, and Still Groovin' .

<i>Excalibur</i> (Tom Fogerty album) 1972 studio album by Tom Fogerty

Excalibur is an album by guitarist and singer Tom Fogerty. His second solo effort, it was released in 1972. The album features Jerry Garcia on guitar, Merl Saunders on keyboards, John Kahn on bass, and Bill Vitt on drums.

<i>Let It Rock: The Jerry Garcia Collection, Vol. 2</i> 2009 live album by Jerry Garcia Band

Let It Rock: The Jerry Garcia Collection, Vol. 2 is an album by the Jerry Garcia Band. It was recorded live at the Keystone in Berkeley, California, on November 17 and 18, 1975. It was released by Rhino Records as a two-disc CD on November 10, 2009.

<i>Live at Keystone</i> 1973 live album by Merl Saunders, Jerry Garcia, John Kahn, Bill Vitt

Live at Keystone is an album by Merl Saunders, Jerry Garcia, John Kahn, and Bill Vitt. It was recorded live at the Keystone in Berkeley, California on July 10 and 11, 1973, and released later that year as a two-disc vinyl LP. It was re-released in 1988, with additional tracks, as two separate CDs, called Live at Keystone Volume I and Live at Keystone Volume II.

<i>Keystone Encores</i> 1988 live album by Merl Saunders, Jerry Garcia, John Kahn, Bill Vitt

Keystone Encores is an album by Merl Saunders, Jerry Garcia, John Kahn, and Bill Vitt. It was recorded live at the Keystone in Berkeley, California, on July 10 and 11, 1973, and released on CD by Fantasy Records in 1988. It was also released, with additional tracks, as two separate LPs called Keystone Encores Volume I and Keystone Encores Volume II.

<i>Fire Up Plus</i> 1992 compilation album by Merl Saunders and Friends

Fire Up Plus is an album by Merl Saunders and Friends. It contains most of the songs from two LPs from the early 1970s — Heavy Turbulence, and Fire Up. It was released on CD by Fantasy Records on July 9, 1992.

<i>Pure Jerry: Keystone Berkeley, September 1, 1974</i> 2004 live album by Jerry Garcia and Merl Saunders Band

Pure Jerry: Keystone Berkeley, September 1, 1974 is a three-CD live album by the Jerry Garcia and Merl Saunders Band. It contains the complete concert performed at the Keystone in Berkeley, California, on September 1, 1974. The fourth in the Pure Jerry series of archival concert albums, it was released on December 28, 2004.

Bill Vitt was an American drummer and keyboardist. He worked extensively as a live performer and as a session musician. In the 1970s he played with Brewer & Shipley, Jerry Garcia, Merl Saunders, and the Sons of Champlin.

<i>Well-Matched: The Best of Merl Saunders & Jerry Garcia</i> 2006 compilation album by Merl Saunders and Jerry Garcia

Well-Matched: The Best of Merl Saunders & Jerry Garcia is a retrospective album by Merl Saunders and Jerry Garcia. It contains selections from six of their albums, along with one previously unreleased track, all recorded between 1971 and 1974. It was released on CD by Fantasy Records on May 23, 2006.

<i>Garcia Live Volume Three</i> 2013 live album by Legion of Mary

Garcia Live Volume Three is a three-CD album by Legion of Mary, a band led by Jerry Garcia and Merl Saunders. It was recorded live on December 14 and 15, 1974, at the Paramount Theatre in Portland, Oregon and the EMU Ballroom in Eugene, Oregon. It was released by ATO Records on October 15, 2013.

<i>Garcia Live Volume Six</i> live album by Jerry Garcia and Merl Saunders

Garcia Live Volume Six is a three-CD live album by Jerry Garcia and Merl Saunders. It was recorded on July 5, 1973 at the Lion's Share in San Anselmo, California. It was released on June 24, 2016.

<i>Garcia Live Volume Seven</i> 2016 live album by Jerry Garcia Band

Garcia Live Volume Seven is a two-disc live album by the Jerry Garcia Band. It was recorded at Sophie's in Palo Alto, California on November 8, 1976. It was released on August 19, 2016.

<i>Garcia Live Volume Nine</i> 2017 live album by Jerry Garcia and Merl Saunders

Garcia Live Volume Nine is a two-CD live album by Jerry Garcia and Merl Saunders. It was recorded on August 11, 1974 at the Keystone in Berkeley, California. It was released on July 28, 2017.

Jerry Garcia discography

Jerry Garcia was an American musician. A guitarist, singer, and songwriter, he became famous as a member of the rock band the Grateful Dead, from 1965 to 1995. When not touring or recording with the Dead, Garcia was often playing music in other bands and with other musicians.

<i>Garcia Live Volume 12</i> 2019 live album by Jerry Garcia and Merl Saunders

Garcia Live Volume 12 is a three-CD live album by Jerry Garcia and Merl Saunders. It was recorded on January 23, 1973 at the Boarding House in San Francisco. It was released on December 20, 2019.

<i>Garcia Live Volume 15</i> 2020 live album by Jerry Garcia and Merl Saunders

Garcia Live Volume 15 is a two-CD live album by Jerry Garcia and Merl Saunders. It was recorded on May 21, 1971 at the Keystone Korner in San Francisco. It contains the complete concert from that date except for the encore, which was "Deal". It was released on December 4, 2020.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Jurek, Thom. Keystone Companions: The Complete 1973 Fantasy Recordings at Allmusic. Retrieved March 18, 2013.
  2. ↑ Gatta, John Patrick (November 16, 2012). "Bill Vitt Remembers His Keystone Companions: Jerry Garcia and Merl Saunders", Jambands.com. Retrieved March 3, 2013.
  3. ↑ Keystone Companions: The Complete 1973 Fantasy Recordings at the Grateful Dead Family Discography. Retrieved March 18, 2013.
  4. ↑ "Merl Saunders/Jerry Garcia: Keystone Companions Box Set Sweepstakes", dead.net. Retrieved March 18, 2013.
  5. 1 2 Putignano, Bob (November 30, 2012). Keystone Companions: The Complete 1973 Fantasy Recordings, Blues Review. Retrieved March 18, 2013.
  6. 1 2 Doyle, Patrick (November 9, 2012). Keystone Companions: The Complete 1973 Fantasy Recordings, Rolling Stone . Retrieved March 18, 2013.
  7. ↑ Cole, Katherine (January 3, 2013). "Keystone Companions Highlights Merl Saunders – Jerry Garcia Collaboration", Voice of America. Retrieved March 18, 2013.
  8. ↑ Sclafani, Tony (November 21, 2012). Keystone Companions: The Complete 1973 Fantasy Recordings, Relix . Retrieved March 19, 2013.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.