Fate Music

The still-unidentified funky instrumental from 8/20 and 8/30/75

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.

At Jerrybase, we are now calling this “David’s Tune (Gm)“

On August 20, 1975 at the Great American Music Hall, and again on August 30, 1975 at the Orphanage, both times with Garcia, the Keith and Donna Band played a funky instrumental number the title of which has eluded me for well over ten years.

Looks like I asked about it five years ago.

Someone must be able to identify this tune.

I post mp3s of the two versions here to aid in that identification.

Please help!

untitled-19750820 from 8/20/75

untitled-19750820 from 8/30/75

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19 responses to “The still-unidentified funky instrumental from 8/20 and 8/30/75”

  1. Nick Avatar
    Nick

    fwiw, the K&D Band (sans Garcia) also played this tune on 4/17/75 (d1t05). On the 8/20/75 sbd (id=21672) in the tuning track before this song approx @1:25 you can hear someone onstage clearly say "David's tune" and "G minor," which has been my shorthand label for this song ever since. If we could only figure out who David might be…

    Reply
  2. David Johnstone Avatar
    David Johnstone

    Sounds like a tune straight outta Tower of Power. I originally thought of CT from his Powerhouse album.

    Reply
  3. Fate Music Avatar
    Fate Music

    We have been batting this back and forth on Twitter. Let me try to pin a few things.

    In my 2016 post, I had quoted Nick, who detected stage talk referring to the tune as David's tune … G-minor. So Nick notes it as "David's tune (Gm)".

    Given the first-name basis of the band with the composer, we imagine this is some friend, and imagine further that this might explain why it is so hard to identify – this might be a chart they had of a tune that never made it to vinyl.

    Who might David be?

    David "Fathead" Newman? Ray Riescher locates ties between him and the Doug Sahm crew. This seems like a live possibility, because Sahm's horns were certainly prominent in the Bay Area studio and live scene once they arrived.

    Corry wonders about David Mackay: "bassist for the Tasmanian Devils? On the scene, had the chops".

    Folks have also wondered about Tower of Power connections.

    Finally, if anyone wants to ask Donna Jean Godchaux, or Steve Schuster, or any number of other people, please do and report back!

    Reply
  4. Nick Avatar
    Nick

    I reached out to Steve Schuster in 2019 and mailed him a thumbdrive of all available K&D recordings, which he said he had heard almost none of. He had no recollection at all of what this tune was.

    Reply
  5. David Kramer-Smyth Avatar
    David Kramer-Smyth

    Wasn’t the Tower of Power drummer named David Garibaldi? He gets credit on many ToP tracks as a writer. I also reached out to Tony Saunders and asked if he recognized it. He did not.

    Reply
  6. Fate Music Avatar
    Fate Music

    That thought had crossed my mind, but, yeah, great question. I have just submitted a question via the ToP web page and hope it might land us on an answer. Thanks!

    Reply
  7. Fate Music Avatar
    Fate Music

    Also just put the question in a message to his Facebook fan page.

    Reply
  8. Fate Music Avatar
    Fate Music

    Well, it's not David Garibaldi. So, still an open question.

    Reply
  9. David Kramer-Smyth Avatar
    David Kramer-Smyth

    I am starting to wonder if it's a David Axelrod tune.

    Reply
  10. David Kramer-Smyth Avatar
    David Kramer-Smyth

    I asked Hadi Al-Saadoon. The tune is by a friend of his. Named David Kessner. Who played keyboards in a band called the Mirrors. He doesn’t think it had a name.

    Reply
  11. Fate Music Avatar
    Fate Music

    Wow, wonderful, thank you!

    Reply
  12. Corry342 Avatar
    Corry342

    David Kessner had been in a band called Martha's Laundry in the 60s, with drummer Randall Smith, and he and Smith started Prune Music. Prune Music was in Berkeley, moved to Mill Valley. Big musician's hangout

    Reply
  13. Corry342 Avatar
    Corry342

    I also think Kessner had a recording studio in Marin called The Church (a converted Church), the Sons rehearsed and recorded there

    Reply
  14. Fate Music Avatar
    Fate Music

    I am in touch with Mr. Kessner, please stay tuned!

    Reply
  15. Fate Music Avatar
    Fate Music

    OK, David Kessner it is! He is not sure if it had a name. Does anyone want to propose a naming convention for it? I still like untitled-19750820, which I know Peter Losin uses for tunes that Miles did that have this characteristic. But "David's Tune (Gm)" also has a certain ring to it. Thoughts?

    Reply
  16. David Kramer-Smyth Avatar
    David Kramer-Smyth

    With three different live versions . The first instance would be more logical. But I would go with David's Tune in G minor. I think it sounds "cooler".

    Reply
  17. Fate Music Avatar
    Fate Music

    OK, Michael Kramer has suggested we go with "David's Tune (Gm)", since that's as close as we come to having a name from the parties involved. I am good with that. So, let it be written! https://jerrybase.com/songs/623

    Reply
  18. David Kramer-Smyth Avatar
    David Kramer-Smyth

    For the record. My name is David not Michael. I should have probably disqualified myself for obvious 'conflict of interest' with the shared name.

    Reply
  19. Fate Music Avatar
    Fate Music

    Sorry, crossed wires – Michael Kramer responded on Twitter. I saw his reply before I saw yours. Thanks so much for all of your help, everyone!

    Reply

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