David Murray Joins Grateful Dead At MSG In 1993

Throughout the Grateful Dead’s long career the band welcomed many guests to share the stage, at times pulling from the world of jazz to augment their sets. Saxophonists such as Charles Lloyd, Branford Marsalis and David Murray are among those who graced the Grateful Dead stage. With Murray celebrating a birthday today, this week’s Full Show Friday is a chance to revisit and re-listen to the full soundboard audio of his lone sit-in with the Dead in 1993.

The final show of the band’s six-night stand at Madison Square Garden in New York City came on September 22, 1993. During the first set closing performance of “Bird Song,” Murray emerged to add his jazz-influenced sax. When the band returned for the second set, Murray was again sitting-in, joining “Easy Answers” and sticking around for the rest of the set. A highlight was the extended version of “Dark Star” played that night – and Murray would go on to record a tribute album to the Dead, entitled Dark Star: The Music of the Grateful Dead released in 1996 and featuring Bob Weir on a track.

Stream a soundboard recording of the entire September 22, 1993 show, which also features James Cotton on harmonica for the second set closing “Turn On Your Lovelight” and the “I Fought The Law” encore, below: