Stream ‘Midnight Moonlight’ From Jerry Garcia Band’s ‘GarciaLive Volume Seven’

On Friday, Round Records will issue the seventh installment in the Jerry Garcia archival GarciaLive series featuring a performance by the Jerry Garcia Band. In advance of the official release of GarciaLive Volume Seven: November 8th, 1976 – Jerry Garcia Band, a recording of “Midnight Moonlight” from the show has been made available to stream.

Recorded by Betty Cantor-Jackson, tapes of the previously uncirculated concert were uncovered by Grateful Dead/Jerry Garcia Band vocalist Donna Jean Godchaux during a recent move. The new GarciaLive installment captures a JGB lineup of Jerry and Donna alongside her husband, keyboardist Keith Godchaux, bassist John Kahn and drummer Ron Tutt, performing at Sophie’s in Palo Alto, California on November 8, 1975.

Stream “Midnight Moonlight” in advance of Friday’s release:

Here’s more background on GarciaLive Volume Seven:

Volume Seven showcases the Jerry Garcia Band’s November 8th, 1976 performance at Sophie’s in Palo Alto, California. Recorded by Betty Cantor-Jackson, the original master reels were only recently re-discovered, along with a few other reels dubbed the “Houseboat Tapes”, and have been remastered for this release. It was the year of this recording that Donna Jean and Keith Godchaux first joined up with the Jerry Garcia Band. Their addition, along with Ron Tutt on drums and bassist John Kahn, helped form what would be one of the most durable lineups of the Garcia Band. In fact, earlier that year Garcia commented “I haven’t been as happy with any little performing group since Old And In The Way in terms of feeling ‘this is really harmonious, this is what I want to hear.’”
That harmonious vibe is especially present as well. Throughout the course of the evening, the band deftly melds gospel, rock, soul, and reggae to form their quintessential mid-70’s sound. As one astute critic pointed out, “More than any other Garcia band this one allows him room to run through all his guitar styles, often within a single song.” From the opening notes of “The Way You Do The Things You Do”, the band lock into a relaxed, but confident groove with Kahn & Tutt’s deep pocket providing the foundation for Jerry & Keith’s melodic exploration rounded out by Donna Jean’s soulful harmonies. The Hunter/Garcia penned “Mission in the Rain” and Dylan’s “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” are particularly poignant and soulful while songs like “Midnight Moonlight”, “Tore Up Over You” and “Ride Mighty High” provide the sparks bringing balance to the evening. A 22+ minute “Don’t Let Go” stands out not only for its length, but for its exercise in dynamics which further showcases Garcia’s comfort not only with the band, but the freedom found in playing smaller rooms tailor-made for they type of music he was looking to create.