In celebration of the 40th anniversary since the album’s creation, and the 75th birthday of Jerry Garcia this year, Cats Under The Stars will be reissued in two vinyl configurations - a limited edition pressing of 5,000 marbled gold 180gram vinyl with individually numbered foil-stamped packaging and a 180gram black vinyl version. Both 40th anniversary Cats Under The Stars reissues are pressed by Quality Record Pressings in Salina, Kansas from lacquers cut by Ron McMaster at Capitol Studios and remastered audio by Fred Kevorkian at Kevorkian Mastering.
Recorded and mixed in 1977 at the Grateful Dead’s Club Front, Cats Under The Stars represents Jerry Garcia’s fourth solo studio record, and the only studio record presented as the Jerry Garcia Band. Garcia enlisted John Kahn, Ron Tutt as well as Keith & Donna Godchaux for the recordings with contributions from Merl Saunders and Maria Muldaur, among others. The album’s iconic cover art was created by Stanley Mouse who drew his inspiration from Egyptian iconography while the Grateful Dead were planning their landmark performances at the Great Pyramids of Giza.
Garcia regarded Cats Under The Stars as his favorite of all his studio projects. In the late 80’s Garcia remarked, “The record I worked hardest at and liked best was Cats Under The Stars. That was kind of like my baby.” In another interview, he added, “That’s the one I’m happiest with, from every point of view in which I operate on that record.” In the 1990’s Garcia succinctly stated, "[Cats Under The Stars] had everything – chops, production, songs.” Those songs which included the Garcia/Hunter masterpieces "Rubin and Cherise,” "Cats Under The Stars," and “Gomorrah" would long remain staples of Jerry Garcia Band sets while versions of "Palm Sunday" and "Rhapsody In Red" capture Garcia at his best in the studio setting.
Both vinyl editions of the Cats Under The Stars reissue are available for pre-order at Garcia Family Provisions - GarciaFamilyProvisions.com
