While googling images for the last post, I came across this (from the site of Bolerium Books):
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| Robert Pruzan, photo & David Wilts, design |
I know, I know. Every time the words "Merl Saunders" and "special guest" appeared together, it was obviously code for only one thing. Still: just for John Kahn's presence, this is one more piece to add to the pre-Reconstruction puzzle. The Shady Grove was the club where Garcia joined Saunders & Friends for a benefit (to keep the club opened) on 10/3/78 (edit: also 10/2, which doesn't appear to have been taped). He hadn't played onstage with Saunders since July 1975, although Saunders apparently did a week of recording with the JGB in Sept 1977, per JGMF (mysterious).
EDIT: commenter David Kramer-Smyth reports being in touch with "one of the partners of the Shady Grove" and reveals that Garcia was actually present!? Saunders, Kahn, Garcia, plus Maria Muldaur. Um, wow.
I would love to know what Kahn was up to in 1978 when not playing with the JGB, if anything. Lostlivedead had a great series of posts (almost 10 years ago) on Kahn's work history, but the last one ended with 1974.
The Shady Grove was (as far as I can tell) the local Haight-Ashbury club and hangout for a time until it closed in 1980. According to the Facebook page of Leif Grafix,"the Haight Street Fair evolved out of a cooperatively run night club on Haight Street called Shady Grove. Merl Saunders & Friends performed regularly at SG and as the street fair formed they essentially became its house band, performing at every fair for decades." Robert Hunter played there regularly in 1976 (and later). And in his book Skeleton Key, Steve Silberman recalled that, circa 1979-80, "Garcia would occasionally be seen at the bar in a Yankees jacket." Seems like the perfect disguise for an incognito San Francisco rock star.
I agree that anyone seeing that handbill would have thought of Jerry. But maybe it was Maria, or Jellyroll ... ;-)
ReplyDeleteTrue, it's probably wishful thinking. But seeing John Kahn as a guest with Merl is interesting to me, both as a prelude to Reconstruction and in and of itself -- I wonder how often their musical paths crossed after Merl and Jerry parted ways in 1975 (or 1979).
Deletetiny breadcrumb: there's a Bettyboard GD cassette labeled "8/25/78 Studio" (part of the "batch 3" tapes returned by ABCD to the GD org, list courtesy of JGMF).
ReplyDeleteI have talked with one of the partners of the Shady Grove online. He can confirm that Merl’s friends are Jerry Garcia, John Kahn, and Maria Muldaur. And that they played Shady Grove four! times in 1978.
ReplyDelete8-23-78
10-2-78
10-3-78
12-31-78 !!!
David, I am really sorry I am only seeing this now.
DeleteWow! that's incredible. Thank you for sharing this. 8/23 fits the timeline perfectly; I believe we already knew about 10/2... but I gotta say I'm skeptical about 12/31. Saunders & Kahn & Muldaur sure, but how could Garcia have possibly made that gig?
He reported that Garcia only played the first set. The Dead didn’t play till midnight. The distance is less then two miles between the venues.
Deleteum, wow. So he warmed up for a 5 hour gig by playing a reunion set with Merl. I am sure Uncle Bobo was not impressed.
DeleteThank you again for sharing this, David!
I am spinning 10/3/78 again right now, and man is there some great stuff here.
ReplyDelete