Fate Music

Category: Merl Saunders

  • Help Us Out

    Head over to Nick’s place and render judgment on the appropriateness of the title “Merl’s Tune” for the Garciaverse tune by that name, versus the titular line of this post.

  • Second Night Out for Liz and Essra: JGB, Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium, June 25, 1981

    update: the original title of this was “First Night Out”, but I have discovered a warmup gig on 6/24/81 at the Keystone Palo Alto (not in Salinas, as I had elaborately laid out). Liz Stires and Essra Mohawk appear to debut as backing vocalists on the night before this show. There are no singers on the late…

  • Enter Tom Fogerty

    update 20230712 I have no idea why I inferred Tom Fogerty saw JGMS at Keystone Korner on 5/20/71. It seems more likely to have been 5/22/71, and his arrival may mark why they made tapes of the next two nights. Further, I have no idea why I inferred he first joined in Berkeley on 5/26/71, when…

  • San Francisco Sessions, 1972

    I have been processing information from contracts filed at the American Federation of Musicians (AFM) Local No. 6 in San Francisco. San Francisco Sessions, 1967-1968 San Francisco Sessions, 1969 San Francisco Sessions, 1970 San Francisco Sessions, 1971 San Francisco Sessions, 1972 There is nothing representative about these – I have information on stuff that is…

  • Merl Saunders and the Rainforest Band, featuring Jerry Garcia

    Here’s a weird one bottom of column 1 to top of column 2: “Merl Saunders and the Rainforest Band, faturing Jerry Garcia. Performing music from their album Blues From the Rainforest, July 26 at the Great American Music Hall and July 27 at the Cotati Cabaret” Several possibilities. First, perhaps most likely (?), whoever called…

  • Dating the Legion’s Demise: A Revisionist Account

    The demise of the Legion of Mary, Garcia’s principal side band from Ronnie Tutt’s arrival on December 6, 1974 until mid-1975, remains one of the enduring mysteries of the Garciaverse. The “why” is the biggest mystery of all. After almost five years of steady gigging and recording Garcia is said to have walked away. I…

  • From the Picky Deadhead Department

    Nice to see people reading around some old posts. My writing is so tortured, but I do still love some of the ground we have covered together. Thanks for your support. From the Picky Deadhead Department I happily bought 7/5/73 (Jerry Garcia and Merl Saunders, GarciaLive 6: July 5th 1973, Lion’s Share [Round Records, JGFRR1009,…

  • Garcia’s Creative Accounting, late March 1975

    In late March 1975, Peter Simon interviewed Garcia at the “film house”  (230 Eldridge Avenue, Mill Valley, CA, 94941), for publication in New Age Journal (Simon 1975). NAJ: You’re also doing a solo album and touring with Merl Saunders. In that you have so many projects at once, how do you channel your energy so…

  • untitled 19750820b

    UPDATE: researcher David Kramer-Smyth spoke with Hadi al-Saadoon, who identified David Kessner as the composer. David Kessner confirms he wrote it, but is not sure if it had a name. Anyone know the funk-fusion instrumental that ends set I of 8/20/75, Keith and Donna Band at the Great American Music Hall, a week after the…

  • Jerry and Merl in the studio, 1975

    Found this item in the LA Free Press (June 27 – July 3, 1975, p. 14): “Danny [sic] Selwell [sic] has been buzzing ’round the studio scene, putting time in with Art Garfunkle [sic], Steve Marriott … Jerry Garcia and Merle [sic] Saunders”. Having found nothing on Danny “Selwell”, I wrote So interesting. Jerry and…