In the fall of 1991, the Jerry Garcia Band embarked on its first extensive Fall Tour since 1984. The previous year, Jerry Garcia had kept his band close to their West Coast home base, with San Francisco’s Warfield Theatre serving as their sanctuary. While 1990 and 1991 are widely celebrated as exceptional years for both the Grateful Dead and the Jerry Garcia Band, they were marked by profound loss, including the untimely deaths of keyboardist/vocalist Brent Mydland and legendary promoter Bill Graham. If Garcia was deeply grieving—and most accounts suggest he was—he found solace and healing through music, pouring his heart into every performance.
1991 was a monumental touring year for Garcia, who played an astonishing 112 shows across the Grateful Dead, the Jerry Garcia Band, and his collaborations with David Grisman. Thirty-seven of those performances were with the Jerry Garcia Band, which had maintained its tight lineup since 1984. Keyboardist and organist Melvin Seals, often referring to the group as Garcia’s “Magic Band,” was a creative cornerstone of their sound. Drummer David Kemper, bassist John Kahn, and vocalists Jackie LaBranch and Gloria Jones brought an unparalleled depth, elevating Garcia’s exploration of soul, gospel, jazz, folk, and rock.
By November 23rd, the Garcia Band was well into a hot streak, highlighted by a standout performance with pianist and Grateful Dead member Bruce Hornsby at the Hampton Coliseum. While much of the band’s repertoire consisted of covers, their heartfelt and soulful arrangements always made the material uniquely their own. That night in Milwaukee, a city deep in Deadhead territory, the band performed four originals penned by Robert Hunter.
The show opened with “Cats Under the Stars,” a song that, much like a fine wine, improved with age. Originally recorded for Garcia’s 1978 Cats Under the Stars album, the song had matured into a full-bodied masterpiece by 1991, bolstered by the ethereal tones of Garcia’s MIDI-equipped Rosebud guitar. The set’s energy surged from the start as Kemper, Garcia, and Seals locked into a familiar, infectious groove. This era saw “They Love Each Other” thrive more powerfully with the Jerry Garcia Band than it had with the Grateful Dead.
The band’s expansive repertoire included gems like Eric Clapton’s “Lay Down Sally,” reimagined with a gospel-infused flair courtesy of LaBranch and Jones’ church-trained vocals. Another highlight was their rendition of The Band’s classic, “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down.” In his later years, Garcia’s poignant delivery of this song brought a weight and emotional depth that rivaled Levon Helm’s iconic performance in The Last Waltz.
1991 was also a good year for “Reuben and Cherise,” a quintessential Garcia/Hunter collaboration that had been performed sparingly by the Grateful Dead. The inclusion of this challenging and intricate piece reflected Garcia’s dedication to revisiting and mastering his most engaging originals. The set continued with the R&B staple “Money Honey,” showcasing Garcia’s deep affection for the roots of rock, and concluded with a jubilant “Deal,” a crowd-pleaser that perfectly bookended the set’s blazing start.
The second set opened with the final performance of Van Morrison’s “Bright Side of the Road,” a spirited tune that Garcia had only played a handful of times in 1991. Bruce Cockburn’s “Waiting for a Miracle,” a staple of the Magic Band’s repertoire since the late 1980s, followed with Seals delivering particularly impassioned organ work. Jackie and Gloria shone during a bluesy take on Jimmy McCracklin’s “Think,” a testament to their vocal prowess and their unique chemistry with Garcia.
One of the evening’s standout moments came with the band’s rendition of “Shining Star,” originally by The Manhattans. The 13-minute version performed at the Bradley Center captured the essence of unconditional love, weaving a dreamlike atmosphere that epitomized the spirit of Deadheads at their finest.
Norton Buffalo’s “Ain’t No Bread in the Breadbox” provided a lively and jam-worthy showcase of the band’s versatility, while the gospel standard “That Lucky Old Sun” revealed a poignant connection between Garcia and Seals, rooted in their shared love of spirituals despite their vastly different musical backgrounds. The set closed with a stirring performance of Bob Dylan’s “Tangled Up in Blue,” a song that encapsulated hope amidst a world of troubles. The climactic jam brought the evening to a fever pitch, with Garcia and his Magic Band pouring every ounce of their passion into the music.
This unforgettable performance from the Fall ’91 tour is now available to all, courtesy of Round Records, with a release date of March 10th. Whether revisiting cherished memories or discovering this magical night for the first time, fans of the Jerry Garcia Band are in for an exceptional addition to their collection.
This recording, available to all on March 10th from Round Records, will likely reunite many Deadheads who witnessed this standout night from Fall 91’ JGB tour with memories and feelings from long ago. It will be equally enjoyed by all fans of Garcia looking for an outstanding addition to their ever-growing collection.
