Jerry Garcia Merl Saunders

GarciaLive Volume 12 chronicles Jerry Garcia and Merl Saunders' performance at The Boarding House in San Francisco, CA on January 23, 1973, joined by John Kahn (bass), Bill Vitt (drums) and Sarah Fulcher (vox). Both sets from that evening were unique with rarely featured Motown composition "Honey Chile" and famous Carmichael/Gorrell penned "Georgia on My Mind." This one-of-a-kind, previously uncirculated show was mixed from multi-track recordings by Jonathan Wilson (Father John Misty).

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.

On October 13th, Round Records will celebrate the 40th anniversary of Cats Under The Stars with a pair of 180gram vinyl reissues of the classic album. Both editions are now available for pre-order here. Recorded and mixed in 1977 at the Grateful Dead’s Club Front, Cats Under The Stars represents Garcia’s 4th solo studio record and the only studio record presented as the Jerry Garcia Band. Garcia enlisted John Kahn, Ron Tutt as well as Keith & Donna Godchaux for the recordings with contributions from Merl Saunders and Maria Muldaur, among others. The album’s iconic cover art was created by Stanley Mouse who drew his inspiration from Egyptian iconography while the Grateful Dead were planning their landmark performances at the Great Pyramids of Giza.

Run for the Roses is the fourth and final solo album by the American musician Jerry Garcia, released in 1982. It was recorded during a period when Garcia began to have health issues.

Jerome John Garcia was an American singer-songwriter and guitarist, best known for his work as the lead guitarist and as a vocalist with the band the Grateful Dead. One of its founders, Garcia performed with the Grateful Dead for their entire thirty-year career (1965–1995). Garcia also founded and participated in a variety of side projects, including the Jerry Garcia Band, the Saunders–Garcia Band (with longtime friend Merl Saunders), Old and in the Way, the Garcia/Grisman acoustic duo, Legion of Mary, and the New Riders of the Purple Sage. This Hi-Res collection of the recently launched archival series presents the Jerry Garcia Band's hystorical performances during '70-'90.

Take a visual and audio trip through the rainforest with Merl Saunders and special friend Jerry Garcia on this exclusive DVD presentation. This album is probably not the best representation of Merl Saunders, whose instrument of choice was the Hammond B-3 organ, but it’s a terrific album worth revisiting, and an album whose creator is worth remembering.

GarciaLive Volume Nine presents Jerry Garcia & Merl Saunders’s August 11th, 1974 performance at Keystone in Berkeley, CA. Joining Garcia & Saunders this evening were John Kahn on bass, Martin Fierro on saxophone & flute and the Grateful Dead’s Bill Kreutzmann on drums. As the site of over 200 performances by Garcia in various configurations, the Keystone Berkeley stage likely felt more like an extension of the Saunders’ family garage where the group would often practice. It was a space without pressure or pretense one in which they could freely experiment with arrangements, new repertoire and, most of all, just play.

Merl Saunders helped bring the Hammond B-3 organ to prominence throughout the '70s, playing its warm tones on recordings and live dates with numerous renowned jazz, blues, and rock artists.

Rainforest Band is a collaboration between guitarist Vernon 'Ice' Black, bassist Tony Saunders and keyboardist Sylvester Burks. The inspiration for the group came from the original Rainforest Band formed by Merl Saunders (Tony's dad), featuring Jerry Garcia. The 1990 project Blues From the Rainforest - a Musical Suite was created out of Merl and Jerry's need to spread the word about the beauty of the rainforest, as well as the message of preservation. With influences of world music, new age and traditional blues, Saunders and company crafted tunes that took the listener on a spiritual and musical journey that was close to their hearts.

Originally released in 1972, Excalibur is the second solo title from Creedence Clearwater Revival's Tom Fogerty. Full of bluesy hooks, the album features a who's who of '70s Bay Area musicians, including the Grateful Dead's Jerry Garcia on lead guitar, keyboardist Merle Saunders, bassist John Kahn and drummer Bill Vitt. Now back and for the very first time on HighResAudio after 46 years.