Jerry Garcia Band - How Sweet It Is (1997)

The Jerry Garcia Band was a San Francisco Bay Area rock band led by Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead. Garcia founded the band in 1975; it remained the most important of his various side-projects until his death in 1995. The band toured and recorded sporadically throughout its twenty-year existence, generally, but not always during breaks in the Grateful Dead's schedule.

How Sweet It Is is the second live album by the Jerry Garcia Band. It was released in 1997, two years after Jerry Garcia‘s death. Like the band’s self-titled first live release, it was recorded in the spring of 1990 at The Warfield in San Francisco, California
Along with it’s companion CD set: “Jerry Garcia Band” this CD is the best example of solid and well performed 90’s era live Jerry. This is Jerry, healthy, happy and leading a fine band at the Warfield Theater on Market Street, San Francisco in 1990. A live: “Cats Under the Stars” would have been worth the cover charge, but adding: “Like a Road”,”Gomorrah”,”Tears of Rage” and “Think” really makes this release something special!
In this edition of the Jerry Garcia Band, Mr. Garcia is joined by John Kahn on bass guitar (thank you for bringing him up in this mix) David Kemper on drums (Both David & John played with the acoustic Garcia Band as well) Jackie LaBranch & Gloria Jones: vocals and Melvin Seals on keyboards.
This band is soulful on the ballads, and rocks like a big fun beast on the upbeat tunes. There are comments regarding the sound quality. As an 80’s tape-trader that has heard his share of audience cassettes, this CD sounds really warm, and that isn’t easy to achieve in this digital age.
With ten songs included on this and 77 minutes of this great music, this is essential Jerrymusic.

1. “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)”  (Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, Eddie Holland) – 6:20
2. “Tough Mama”  (Bob Dylan) – 5:41
3. “That’s What Love Will Make You Do” (James Banks, Eddie Marion, Henderson Thigpen) – 8:03
4. “Someday Baby”  (Lightnin’ Hopkins) – 8:54
5. “Cats Under the Stars” (Robert Hunter, Jerry Garcia) – 8:59
6. “Tears of Rage”  (Dylan, Richard Manuel) – 7:54
7. “Think”  (Jimmy McCracklin, Deadric Malone) – 7:18
8. “Gomorrah”  (Hunter, Garcia) – 6:38
9. “Tore Up over You”  (Hank Ballard) – 7:19
10. “Like a Road Leading Home” (Don Nix, Dan Penn) – 10:12

Jerry Garcia Band

• Jerry Garcia – guitar, vocals
• Melvin Seals – organ
• John Kahn – bass
• David Kemper – drums
• Gloria Jones – vocals
• Jackie LaBranch – vocals

Production

• Producers – John Cutler, Steve Parish
• Recording and mixing – John Cutler
• Engineers – Jeffrey Norman, Dave Roberts
• Mastering – Joe Gastwirt
• Sound – Mike Brady, Uwe Willenbacher
• Photography – Ken Friedman
• Cover photography – Mike Conway
• Design – Gecko Graphics
• Liner notes – Steve Silberman

Notes
Released: April 15, 1997
Recorded: Spring 1990
Genre: Rock
Length: 1:17:18
© 1997

Label - Grateful Dead Records