Listen To Jerry Garcia Band Perform ‘I’ll Take A Melody’ From ‘GarciaLive Vol. 17: NorCal ’76’
The 15-minute Allen Toussaint cover was recorded at the Keystone in Berkeley, California on November 7, 1976.
By Scott Bernstein Nov 10, 2021 • 6:48 am PST
Photo by Ed Perlstein
Jerry Garcia Band‘s cover of Allen Toussaint’s song “I’ll Take A Melody” from GarciaLive Volume 17: NorCal ’76 is now available to stream. The full 14-track archival live release arrives on Round Records this Friday, November 12.
GarciaLive Volume 17: NorCal ’76 features highlights from three Jerry Garcia Band performances recorded by Betty Cantor-Jackson that took place between November 7 – 13, 1976 at the Keystone in Berkeley (November 7), at the University of California, Davis (November 12) and at Arcata’s Humboldt State University (November 13) as well as an undated version of “Mighty High” thought to be from the same period. Jerry Garcia was augmented in the JGB lineup at the time by his Grateful Dead bandmates keyboardist Keith Godchaux and vocalist Donna Jean Godchaux as well as bassist John Kahn and drummer Ron Tutt.
“I’ll Take A Melody” was taped at the Keystone in Berkeley on November 7, 1976. Jerry Garcia and Donna Jean Godchaux share vocal duties on a song penned by Toussaint first recorded by Frankie Miller. Garcia initially performed “I’ll Take A Melody” with Legion Of Mary in 1975 and it remained a part of his solo repertoire through 1994.
Hear “I’ll Take A Melody” from GarciaLive Volume 17: NorCal ’76 below:
