Days Between: Watch Classic Jerry Garcia Band Lineup Perform In 1990

Full Show Friday presents a remastered video of the longest-running JGB lineup playing live at Shoreline Amphitheatre.

By Andy Kahn Aug 5, 2022 11:49 am PDT

Grateful Dead guitarist Jerry Garcia was born on August 1, 1942 and died on August 9, 1995 at the age of 53. Each year, the “Days Between” Garcia’s birthday and the anniversary of his death mark a period of time to reflect on and celebrate the beloved musician’s life and career. This year, JamBase honors the Days Between by examining the evolution of the Jerry Garcia Band from inception in 1975 through a final performance in 1995.

Between 1975 and 1995, the Jerry Garcia Band cycled through 26 different musicians. Adding in Reconstruction, the number of musicians Jerry Garcia performed with during that time period rises to 30 different bandmates.

  • Days Between: Jerry Garcia Band - 1st Lineup

    Days Between: Jerry Garcia Band - 1st Lineup 

  • Days Between: Jerry Garcia Band - Godchaux Era

    Days Between: Jerry Garcia Band - Godchaux Era 

  • Days Between: Jerry Garcia Performing With Reconstruction

    Days Between: Jerry Garcia Performing With Reconstruction 

  • Days Between: Jerry Garcia Band – Seals, Kemper, LaBranch & Jones Era

    Days Between: Jerry Garcia Band – Seals, Kemper, LaBranch & Jones Era 

While JGB was often an evolving enterprise, for a period between 1984 and 1993 the band solidified what became its classic lineup. That era saw Garica joined by bassist John Kahn, keyboardist Melvin Seals, drummer David Kemper and vocalists Jacklyn LaBranch and Gloria Jones.

Kahn, who died in 1996 at age 48, was the only other member of every JGB lineup besides its namesake guitarist. Seals was second in tenure behind Kahn, having joined JGB in 1981 and remaining through their final show in April 1995. LaBranch and Jones were also group members through the end. Kemper was replaced by drummer Donny Baldwin who played his first show as the band’s drummer in February 1994 (Reconstruction drummer Gaylord Birch filled in for Kemper for a few shows from late 1985 to early 1986).

The Garcia/Kahn/Seals/Kemper/LaBranch/Jones lineup played around 250 concerts, many in and around the Bay Area. While the intimate Warfield theatre in San Francisco was their most frequent haunt, the Jerry Garcia Band also made three appearances at Shoreline Amphitheatre in nearby Mountain View.

Close Grateful Dead associate Bill Graham opened Shoreline in 1986. Garcia and the Dead played 39 times between 1987 and 1995 at the venue whose design incorporated the band’s Steal Your Face emblem.

Jerry Garcia Band’s first concert at Shoreline was held on September 1, 1990. A pro-shot video of the concert recently remastered by Chris Hazard is the focus of this edition of Full Show Friday.

The two-set concert began with Marvin Gaye’s “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You),” which was the song played most by JGB across its various incarnations. Garcia’s long-established affinity for reggae was then on display with a cover of Peter Tosh’s “Stop That Train.” Next came a song that was first covered by Reconstruction, The Beatles’ “Dear Prudence.”

Jones and LaBranch – “The Jerryettes” – shined brightly on the subsequent take on Bob Dylan’s “I Shall Be Released.” One of two originals on the setlist that evening followed in the form of the title track to the 1982 Garcia solo album, Run For The Roses. The backing vocalists were prominently featured again on the spiritual “My Sisters And Brothers.” The show’s other original, the overlapping Dead/JGB staple “Deal” brought a lively end to the first set.

Motown classic “I Second That Emotion,” which Garcia first played with the Grateful Dead in 1971 before exclusively playing it with JGB and other side projects, was the first song of the evening’s second set. “Think,” by Bay Area pianist Jimmy McCracklin, infused some blues into the performance. Up next was Van Morrison’s “And It Stoned Me,” which made its JGB debut at the Stone in San Francisco in October 1986 at one of the first shows Garcia played after suffering a diabetic coma.

A song brought to Garcia and the band by Jones (who died in 2019 at age 74), “Waiting For A Miracle” by Bruce Cockburn followed. The most exploratory jam of the night came out of the subsequent take on Jesse Stone’s “Don’t Let Go.” Garcia soloed passionately, taking the improvisation out before syncing up with Seals and coming back to land the song’s ending. Seals was given the literal spotlight on the subsequent cover of the pop vocal standard “That Lucky Old Sun.” Dylan’s “Tangled Up In Blue” brought the set, and the show, to a joyous conclusion.


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Christopher Hazard (See 16 videos)
Jerry Garcia Band (See 167 videos)

Setlist (via JerryBase)

Set One: How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You), Stop That Train, Dear Prudence, I Shall Be Released, Run For The Roses, My Sisters And Brothers, Deal

Set Two: I Second That Emotion, Think, And It Stoned Me, Waiting For A Miracle, Don’t Let Go, That Lucky Old Sun (Just Rolls Around Heaven All Day), Tangled Up In Blue

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[Many thanks to JerryGarcia.com, JerryBase.com and Lost Live Dead for statistical data, personnel information, setlists and other resources. ]


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