Moore Jerry!

Last week, on the morning of June 3, Jerry Moore passed away. Who was Jerry Moore? All's I know about him is he's responsible for taping a lot of music in the mid 70's through to the 80's and maybe beyond? There are shows that we would never be able to hear all these years later if it weren't for Jerry Moore. I don't know if he was a Deadhead first and foremost or if he just loved music. What is for sure is he sure did give a lot of attention to all things Grateful Dead-related, pouring his money and time and love into preserving the music that we love. He really enjoyed that right up until the very end. For all that he's done, we Deadheads who press play on a Jerry Moore production should be very Grateful, not only for what he taped and spread around, but also for inspiring others to get out there and make their own recordings of music we dig listening to.

Over the next few days I'm a-gonna try to pay my respects to Mr. Moore by giving a few of his shows a listen and allowing you to grab them, too, of course.

Thanks, Jerry!

Jerry Garcia & Merl Saunders July 2, 1974 The Bottom Line New York City

1st Set: That's The Touch I Like, Expressway (To Your Heart),
Someday Baby, My Funny Valentine, (I'm A) Road Runner

Set 2: How Long Blues#, It's Too Late, After Midnight,
My Problems Got Problems, How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)

- Show without Martin Fierro (horns)
- w/ Maria Muldaur (vocals) + Roger Troy (a.k.a. "Jellyroll") (bass, vocals)
# Roger Troy lead vocals

I hate to criticize the quality of a recording but it's important. If something sucks it might be torture to listen to. Always I attempt to be fair; I'm just going by what my ears hear... and what my ears hear might not be what your ears hear. Ya know? Anyway, this isn't the best Jerry Moore aud of a Jerry & Merl show but it's not terrible by any means. It's a little bit kinda distantly muddy sounding without Jerry's guitar being completely nicely squarely up front in your face as one might like... but it's surely listenable.

The performance is another good one, of course. Did Jerry & Merl ever have an off night? The only songs that had me wishing for a soundboard is My Funny Valentine. This is Grateful Dead-like in the way it kinda melts for awhile into an outer space jazzy dreamy jamland. Very nice Merl here. Road Runner to close the first set really rocks to a great conclusion. John Kahn on bass helping power the way forward while Jerry's on auto-pilot. Absolutely the way you wanna go into Halftime, methinks.

Kicking off Set 2 is a treat, in a way -- the only known version of How Long Blues by a Garcia side project. This is it. Always kinda cool to have a guest on vocals on a tune. After Midnight is purely my highlight of the set. I love the way it just rambles on with everyone playing as important of a role as the next guy. My Problems Got Problems is also is another rambler, much fun to listen to right after After Midnight. And then How Sweet It Is definitely makes a better show-closer than opener. What a wonderful way to end the night. Mmmm! All the way through this is a nice listen and it's made my afternoon a whole lot brighter! Thank you, Jerry & Merl . . . and Jerry!

as of 6/11/09, there's still no Garcia at the Live Music Archive. Complain to your Congressman.

Download The Show Here Source: shnid=14984 ♦ Audio Quality: Lineage: Master Audience Cassette (taped by Jerry Moore) > SHN 7/2/74 - Garcia-Saunders - Part 1 Part Two - Jerry and Merl - 7/2/74

7-2-74 aka 07-02-74 aka 7/02/74 aka 07/02/74 aka 74-07-02