Search - Jerry Garcia :: After Midnight: Kean College 2/28/80 (Dig)

Almost as Good as Dead

Birdman | Minnetonka, MN USA | 09/30/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Garcia gave to the Dead, and the band's members gave back so much to him in their choice of material, delivery and a style of jamming that has rarely been equaled. Thank God they put up with him.



This album is SO good, in its dynamic range, in its choice of material, in the performances and Garcia's state-of-mind -- and in the extraordinary value you get for such a beautiful package, it is quite frankly, better than half the Dick's Picks releases I own and as good as the Dead's best live recorded performances.



In general, Jerry's band had less status than the Dead, but musically they could equal their musical ancestors. I recognize this may really anger some listeners, but all I can say is-- just listen and then: you tell me.



Garcia was a strange man. He had so many failings, but musically was so imaginative and generous. He knew how to make people happy, and in this release that's exactly what he and his gifted engineers achieve.



One of the best vintage rock releases of 2004 -- bar none.



Rhino is also getting better, not merey recycling old releases but generating impressive material that has never been presented before.



You'll love it."

Garcia and band give it the old college try....

Mike E. Cooperider | Manchester, NH United States | 09/29/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Simply one of the finest releases to come out of the Garcia archives since his passing. Let's face it Jerry was a brilliant, fluid, mesmerizing guitarist on his good nights, and on the nights where he wasn't his best he could be down right awful. Fortunately for us this was one of those brilliant nights, from the opening chords of Sugaree to an incredible Eleanor Rigby and back thru Tore Up Over You to the closing Midnight Moonlight, Jerry and the tight 4 piece band pulled out all the stops in a show that must have gone well into the morning hours judging by the starting time of 10:30 for opening act Rachel Sweet, probably the reason for the title, "After Midnight"!! As longtime lyricist Robert Hunter alludes to in the liner notes (he is also featured on 2 cuts) this is a pared down Jerry Garcia Band, with Jerry, Ozzie Ahlers on keys, John Kahn providing the bass, and Johnny De Foncesca on drums, allowing an incredible tightness and a very solid sound to this 1980 concert. The sound quality is tremendous, and as Hunter further notes, Jerry even remembered all the words, no small task some nights for Captain Trips! I have all the Jerry Garcia Band commercial live releases and this one is the clear winner (so far), not to say the others aren't good, but this one absolutely smokes, no nonsense, no frills, just Jerry and band playing well into the night, where everything just clicked, and you can hear the crowd enjoying every note, glad to be part of one incredibly magical musical evening! The Jerry Garcia Band goes to college, and comes out with an A+! Get this one, you won't be sorry."

Ultra Jerry

Erik Gauger | Los Angeles, CALIF | 09/30/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is definitely the best Garcia Band release yet. Jerry in top form, playing long groovy jams on some of the rarer JGB tunes. The After Midnight->Eleanor Rigby instrumental->After Midnight is excellent, but there are some even finer gems on this release. This album has a lot of swing to it. Its hard to describe a lead guitar player as a master of swing, but thats what we have here. Groove and swing and a kind of music that is totally undescribable. Great stuff. Also, there is something fun about the keyboard player from these early 80's shows. He plays this ultraweird keyboard tone that adds a new dimension to these songs. Erik at notesfromtheroad.com"