LN jg1975-06-22.jgms.all.aud-menke-falanga-motb-0048.87236.flac1644
Update: 4/20/2020: I now refer to this as JGMS, because Ron Tutt is not drumming, and Greg Errico is. Less importantly, but not unimportantly, while all of the external materials refer to the group as Legion of Mary, Rex Jackson labeled his tape boxes Jerry & Merl.
Sometimes I have a modest tendency to read too much into too little. Ya
think? So you’ll discount appropriately if I say that the above calendar is a
gift from the data gods, not to mention whoever had it printed on that
attractive blue paper. Working from the edges in toward the center, at least a
local center, of my chosen topic of Garcia On The Side, we can begin with some
of the obscure Bay Area bands, vintage summer 1975. I’ll let you determine for
themselves which those are. Then we can look at some of the not-too-obscure
ones … hello, Freddie King! Yes, I
do feel the blues, thank you for asking.
think? So you’ll discount appropriately if I say that the above calendar is a
gift from the data gods, not to mention whoever had it printed on that
attractive blue paper. Working from the edges in toward the center, at least a
local center, of my chosen topic of Garcia On The Side, we can begin with some
of the obscure Bay Area bands, vintage summer 1975. I’ll let you determine for
themselves which those are. Then we can look at some of the not-too-obscure
ones … hello, Freddie King! Yes, I
do feel the blues, thank you for asking.
Kingfish, with Garcia’s once and future bandmates Bob Weir and Dave Torbert,
play a Thursday-Friday (19-20), while Keith and Donna Band played the previous weekend, Friday, June 13 and Saturday,
June 14, 1975. We know Jerry was out of town on that Saturday (Legion of Mary, 6/14/75,
Fox Theatre, Venice, CA), but we are given to wonder whether he tried his
luck Friday with Keith, Donna, Billy K. and the gang.
play a Thursday-Friday (19-20), while Keith and Donna Band played the previous weekend, Friday, June 13 and Saturday,
June 14, 1975. We know Jerry was out of town on that Saturday (Legion of Mary, 6/14/75,
Fox Theatre, Venice, CA), but we are given to wonder whether he tried his
luck Friday with Keith, Donna, Billy K. and the gang.
Anyway, the most striking feature about this calendar as it relates
directly to my engagement with GOTS is the duplicity of billings for Garcia’s
June 1975 gigs with Merl. On Tuesday-Wednesday June 3-4, 1975, and again on
Wednesday June 11, they are billed as “Jerry Garcia and Merl Saunders”, or “Garcia
and Saunders”. I will refer to this, as usual, as JGMS. On Saturday-Sunday, June 21-22, 1975, they are billed as
Legion of Mary, LOM. June 1975 in
general (beyond the Keystone) features a more or less even split between the two
billings. (update: actually, June was 10-3 in favor of JGMS, by my count as of 4/20/2020.) Since we know of many, many LOM-billed gigs between the name’s ca.
March 1, 1975 “official” debut and June, the old idea that there was a
linear progression from JGMS to LOM, with a clean, speciating break between
them, is untenable.
directly to my engagement with GOTS is the duplicity of billings for Garcia’s
June 1975 gigs with Merl. On Tuesday-Wednesday June 3-4, 1975, and again on
Wednesday June 11, they are billed as “Jerry Garcia and Merl Saunders”, or “Garcia
and Saunders”. I will refer to this, as usual, as JGMS. On Saturday-Sunday, June 21-22, 1975, they are billed as
Legion of Mary, LOM. June 1975 in
general (beyond the Keystone) features a more or less even split between the two
billings. (update: actually, June was 10-3 in favor of JGMS, by my count as of 4/20/2020.) Since we know of many, many LOM-billed gigs between the name’s ca.
March 1, 1975 “official” debut and June, the old idea that there was a
linear progression from JGMS to LOM, with a clean, speciating break between
them, is untenable.
So, what’s going on? First is the “Tutt
Rule”, which comes to us via recollections by Bob Menke and others: “If Ron
Tutt was there, it was Legion of Mary.” Tutt was necessary and sufficient
to the LOM designation (insofar as Jerry-Merl bands go). For example, a note in
the MOTB 0045 seed of the June 3, 1975 show [16 bit: shnid 87198; 24 bit: shnid 87217] explains that “This is
listed as Garcia and Saunders since it has been confirmed Ron Tutt did not play
drums at this show” (see also the June 4, 1975 MOTB 0046 seeds [16 bit: shnid 87204; 24 bit: shnid 87234]). Cryptdev, who was also
around and attending shows, shares
this understanding of arrangements (i.e., that Tutt=LOM).
Rule”, which comes to us via recollections by Bob Menke and others: “If Ron
Tutt was there, it was Legion of Mary.” Tutt was necessary and sufficient
to the LOM designation (insofar as Jerry-Merl bands go). For example, a note in
the MOTB 0045 seed of the June 3, 1975 show [16 bit: shnid 87198; 24 bit: shnid 87217] explains that “This is
listed as Garcia and Saunders since it has been confirmed Ron Tutt did not play
drums at this show” (see also the June 4, 1975 MOTB 0046 seeds [16 bit: shnid 87204; 24 bit: shnid 87234]). Cryptdev, who was also
around and attending shows, shares
this understanding of arrangements (i.e., that Tutt=LOM).
The Tutt Rule holds up well, on its face, against the evidence of the
June 1975 Keystone billings. Ron Tutt was drumming with Elvis at the start of
the month (helpfully extracted
by Corry from the quite extraordinary site http://www.elvisconcerts.com): every
night from May 30-June 10, inclusive. Those shows are billed as JGMS. We also
know that Tutt was not drumming at El Camino Park on June 8, 1975, as established
in cryptdev’s
comments to Corry’s Paul Humphrey
post (note cryptdev mistakenly calls it June 7). So far, so good.
June 1975 Keystone billings. Ron Tutt was drumming with Elvis at the start of
the month (helpfully extracted
by Corry from the quite extraordinary site http://www.elvisconcerts.com): every
night from May 30-June 10, inclusive. Those shows are billed as JGMS. We also
know that Tutt was not drumming at El Camino Park on June 8, 1975, as established
in cryptdev’s
comments to Corry’s Paul Humphrey
post (note cryptdev mistakenly calls it June 7). So far, so good.
There is also a second rule of thumb, slightly more elaborate, which I’ll
call the alternation rule. According
to received understandings, the Garcia/Saunders/Kahn/Fierro outfit used Paul Humphrey on the weeknights
(because of his weekend obligations filming Lawrence Welk) and Tutt on the
weekends (because he played with Elvis during the week). This one also helps to
make sense of the June 1975 billings: all three JGMS listings fall on weeknights,
and both LOM listings fall on weekend nights (if Sunday counts that way). Over
at Hooterollin’ Around, for
example, commenter
Keats relays a conversation with Merl in which he recalls that “Humphrey
would show up to play in his monochromatic leisure suits from the Welk show.” While
Corry’s courageous research
into the Lawrence Welk TV show suggests that Humphrey didn’t start that until
1976, the year after JGMS/LOM ended, he notes
that it could well have been some other show filmed in Burbank or wherever. So
we might imagine that the June 3-4 and 11 shows feature Paul Humphrey on drums.
call the alternation rule. According
to received understandings, the Garcia/Saunders/Kahn/Fierro outfit used Paul Humphrey on the weeknights
(because of his weekend obligations filming Lawrence Welk) and Tutt on the
weekends (because he played with Elvis during the week). This one also helps to
make sense of the June 1975 billings: all three JGMS listings fall on weeknights,
and both LOM listings fall on weekend nights (if Sunday counts that way). Over
at Hooterollin’ Around, for
example, commenter
Keats relays a conversation with Merl in which he recalls that “Humphrey
would show up to play in his monochromatic leisure suits from the Welk show.” While
Corry’s courageous research
into the Lawrence Welk TV show suggests that Humphrey didn’t start that until
1976, the year after JGMS/LOM ended, he notes
that it could well have been some other show filmed in Burbank or wherever. So
we might imagine that the June 3-4 and 11 shows feature Paul Humphrey on drums.
But we just don’t know. Leaving aside the question of the overall
contours of Humphrey’s playing with JGMS, it remains unknown whether he played
at these June ’75 shows. I will be revisiting June 3-4 as soon as I can. We
know that the El Camino Park drummer (June 8) was black, but cryptdev doubts
it was Mr. Humphrey. What we really need is someone with great ears to check
this stuff out and make stylistic notes on the drummers – while I will give it
a go, it’s really beyond what my ears can detect.
contours of Humphrey’s playing with JGMS, it remains unknown whether he played
at these June ’75 shows. I will be revisiting June 3-4 as soon as I can. We
know that the El Camino Park drummer (June 8) was black, but cryptdev doubts
it was Mr. Humphrey. What we really need is someone with great ears to check
this stuff out and make stylistic notes on the drummers – while I will give it
a go, it’s really beyond what my ears can detect.
Whatever the case, the show at Keystone Berkeley, 2119 University
Avenue, Berkeley, CA, 94107 on Sunday, June 22, 1975 falls foul of the Tutt
rule and belies any assumption we might make about Humphrey being there when
Tutt was not. An unimpeachable but unnameable source identifies the drummer at
this show as “Gregg Ricero”, a misspelled first name and anagrammatic
rearrangement of the last name of Greg
Errico. And, as is so often the case, the tape gives us a confirmatory
piece of evidence when, after the first song, a crowd member yells “That
drummer’s outta site!” Errico is not identified by name, but I am constantly
amazed by how knowledgeable Garcia audiences were, even at this relatively
early date. The attendee just sounds like he’s making special note of a drummer
he hasn’t seen before. When I put these two facts together, I can only conclude
that, notwithstanding the Legion of Mary billing, the drummer this night is Greg Errico. This further makes me wonder
about the rest of the month, and whether we might not have an opportunity to
scrutinize the alternation rule more closely, e.g., by comparing Errico’s
drumming here with the drumming on June 3, 4 and 21, among others.
Avenue, Berkeley, CA, 94107 on Sunday, June 22, 1975 falls foul of the Tutt
rule and belies any assumption we might make about Humphrey being there when
Tutt was not. An unimpeachable but unnameable source identifies the drummer at
this show as “Gregg Ricero”, a misspelled first name and anagrammatic
rearrangement of the last name of Greg
Errico. And, as is so often the case, the tape gives us a confirmatory
piece of evidence when, after the first song, a crowd member yells “That
drummer’s outta site!” Errico is not identified by name, but I am constantly
amazed by how knowledgeable Garcia audiences were, even at this relatively
early date. The attendee just sounds like he’s making special note of a drummer
he hasn’t seen before. When I put these two facts together, I can only conclude
that, notwithstanding the Legion of Mary billing, the drummer this night is Greg Errico. This further makes me wonder
about the rest of the month, and whether we might not have an opportunity to
scrutinize the alternation rule more closely, e.g., by comparing Errico’s
drumming here with the drumming on June 3, 4 and 21, among others.
The show is a little sluggish to my ears, but I love it. No one song or
passage really stood out for me as particularly great or particularly off.
Within about two weeks, Legion of Mary would be no more.
passage really stood out for me as particularly great or particularly off.
Within about two weeks, Legion of Mary would be no more.
Listening notes follow …
Legion of Mary
Keystone
June 22, 1975 (Sunday)
–Set I (6 tracks, 80:10)–
d1t01. //Think [#8:14] (1) [0:19] % [0:16]
d1t02. Favela [17:07] [0:14] % [0:33]
d1t03. Last Train From Poor Valley [12:12] [0:54]
d1t04. [0:25] I Feel Like Dynamite [12:25] [0:21]
d1t05. I Second That Emotion [14:52] [0:17] %
d1t06. That’s Alright, Mama [11:55] (1) [0:15]
–Set II (5 tracks, 72:20)–
d2t01. After Midnight [15:40] [0:25] % [0:27]
d2t02. Wondering Why [23:10] [0:26]
d2t03. Tough Mama [8:16] [0:17] % [1:34]
d2t04. My Problems Got Problems [12:54] [0:27]
d2t05. How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) [8:38] (2) [0:03]
! ACT1: Jerry Garcia and Merl Saunders
! lineup: ! lineup: Jerry Garcia – el-guitar, vocals;
! lineup: ! lineup: Jerry Garcia – el-guitar, vocals;
! lineup: Merl Saunders – keyboards, vocals;
! lineup: John Kahn – el-bass;
! lineup: Martin Fierro – saxophone, flute;
! lineup: Greg Errico – drums.
MOTB:
MOTB: MOTB Release: 0048 16/44.1
Release Date: 09/14/2007
Band: Legion Of Mary
Date: 06/22/1975. Sunday
Venue: Keystone
Location: Berkeley, CA
Source: Audience FOB Recording
Media: Maxell UD90
Lineage: Sony ECM-270 and ECM-250 [Positioned Onstage] > Sony TC-152
> MAC
> MAC
Transfer: MAC > Nak Dragon > LynxTWO-B > WaveLab 5.0 > HD
24/96 WAV
24/96 WAV
Taper: Bob Menke and Louis Falanga
Transfer: Bob Menke
Mastering: Derek McCabe
JGMF:
! Recording: symbols: % = recording discontinuity; / = clipped song; //
= cut song; … = fade in/out; # = truncated timing; [ ] = recorded event time.
The recorded event time immediately after the song or item name is an attempt
at getting the “real” time of the event. So, a timing of [x:xx] right
after a song title is an attempt to say how long the song really was, as
represented on this recording.
= cut song; … = fade in/out; # = truncated timing; [ ] = recorded event time.
The recorded event time immediately after the song or item name is an attempt
at getting the “real” time of the event. So, a timing of [x:xx] right
after a song title is an attempt to say how long the song really was, as
represented on this recording.
! db: http://db.etree.org/shn/87236
(this fileset); http://db.etree.org/shn/87237
(same tape and transfer, preserve at 24bit/96kHz); http://db.etree.org/shn/12558
(deprecated copy of same master); http://db.etree.org/shn/103435
(deprecated copy of same master, misidentified as a soundboard).
(this fileset); http://db.etree.org/shn/87237
(same tape and transfer, preserve at 24bit/96kHz); http://db.etree.org/shn/12558
(deprecated copy of same master); http://db.etree.org/shn/103435
(deprecated copy of same master, misidentified as a soundboard).
! R: this is one of the great set of audience recordings ever made, the
1974-1976 recordings made by Louis Falanga and Bob Menke of Bay Area Jerry
Garcia shows. These guys came into the bar, went to the front, grabbed the
table at Jerry’s feet (right of center from the audience perspective) as soon
as the doors opened. As the evening progressed, they would prepare cassette
decks (e.g., this Sony TC-152), presumably complete with fresh batteries.
Cassettes would be opened, maybe labeled, made ready (e.g., these Maxell
UD90s). Two separate microphones, a Sony ECM-250 and (I presume) a newer Sony
ECM-270, probably discrete while the lights are up, I figure? Lights go down,
mics come out and are, apparently, placed onstage right in front of Garcia, one
of them pointing into his stage monitor and the rest angled stage-center to
catch the other players. You can hear the clinking of glasses, the low talk of
the players onstage, the beautiful fuzz around the monitored guitar … so very
much. Wonderful.
1974-1976 recordings made by Louis Falanga and Bob Menke of Bay Area Jerry
Garcia shows. These guys came into the bar, went to the front, grabbed the
table at Jerry’s feet (right of center from the audience perspective) as soon
as the doors opened. As the evening progressed, they would prepare cassette
decks (e.g., this Sony TC-152), presumably complete with fresh batteries.
Cassettes would be opened, maybe labeled, made ready (e.g., these Maxell
UD90s). Two separate microphones, a Sony ECM-250 and (I presume) a newer Sony
ECM-270, probably discrete while the lights are up, I figure? Lights go down,
mics come out and are, apparently, placed onstage right in front of Garcia, one
of them pointing into his stage monitor and the rest angled stage-center to
catch the other players. You can hear the clinking of glasses, the low talk of
the players onstage, the beautiful fuzz around the monitored guitar … so very
much. Wonderful.
! R: The vocals are low … persistent buzzing, especially set II?
! R: d1t01 Think enters in progress, maybe 30 seconds missing.
! P: d1t01 Martin does a Lonely Avenue quote about 5-minutes in.
! d1t01 (1) @ 8:23 crowd guy yells “That drummer’s outta
site.” Someone on stage: “Really?”
site.” Someone on stage: “Really?”
! P d1t01-d1t02 both of these opening numbers are a little sluggish.
! P: d1t06 TAM they don’t quite know how to start, consistent with this
being a less acclimated drummer.
being a less acclimated drummer.
! d1t06 (1) JG: “We’re gonna take a break for a little while.
We’ll be back a little bit later.”
We’ll be back a little bit later.”
! P: I find the performance sluggish. Nothing really takes off in Set
I.
I.
! P: d2t01 After Midnight is plodding
! d2t01 @ 16:01 chick asks for “Sing Me A Rainbow” … odd. Wasn’t that a NRPS tune?
! R: d2t02 the buzzing is really bad in WW. It’s a monitor buzz. Really
bad in Tough Mama, down @ 0:27, back up.
bad in Tough Mama, down @ 0:27, back up.
! d2t05 (2) JG: “Thank you.”
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