New Vault Release Coming May 1st – GarciaLive Vol. 22: September 25th, 1971 Lion’s Share San Anselmo

Another GarciaLive release has been brewing, and it’s a rare slice of two-guitar Garcia/Saunders alchemy. GarciaLive Volume 22: September 25th, 1971 captures almost every note played across the early and late shows at San Anselmo’s intimate Lion’s Share, a tiny Quonset hut on the edge of town. The nearly complete performances, originally captured on 1/4″ analog reels by Betty Cantor-Jackson and Bob Matthews, will be released by Round Records on May 1st.

Jerry Garcia’s partnership with Merl Saunders carved out a parallel musical life in small Bay Area clubs. Somewhat of a local phenomenon, they were joined this evening by rhythmic anchor John Kahn, Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann, and Tom Fogerty on rhythm guitar, recently departed from Creedence Clearwater Revival. This quintet specialized in power pockets and strong grooves, giving Garcia space to elaborate and extend his musical knowledge, free from the expectations that followed him elsewhere. The key ingredient was fun.

The setlist brims with rarities born from the band members’ restless energy for exploration. Garcia and Saunders stretch the room wide, opening with a ten-minute Saunders original that dissolves into an ethereal instrumental reading of John Lennon’s “Imagine.” Garcia’s tender vocal on Blind Lemon Jefferson’s “One Kind Favor” contrasts with romping blues and the rare Jesse Winchester gem “Biloxi,” which while carefully restored unfortunately exhibits some lapses in fidelity due to the effects of time.

The late show carries the same adventurous spirit, moving from the bluesy shuffle of “Hi-Heeled Sneakers” into an expansive “Summertime.” Fogerty steps forward with ‘50s R&B fire on “Annie Had a Baby” and “W-P-L-J,” the latter once called by Garcia one of his junior high anthems. The set closer, “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down,” unfortunately does not survive in Bob and Betty’s recording. Aside from the missing finale and the unavoidable tape wear on “Biloxi,” what remains is an intimate performance in a small Marin County club, now preserved in full color.

GarciaLive Volume 22: September 25th, 1971 is now available for pre-order at Garcia Family Provisions in advance of its May 1st release. The 2-CD set or digital download, featuring liner notes by San Francisco music critic Joel Selvin, can be pre-ordered on its own or bundled with an exclusive 100% organic cotton t-shirt and/or limited edition 18” x 24” screen-print designed and numbered in an edition of 350 by Logan Fox.

 

Track List:

DISC ONE

  1. Band Introductions
  2. Save Mother Earth >
  3. Imagine
  4. One Kind Favor
  5. I Was Made to Love Her
  6. Baby What You Want Me to Do?
  7. Biloxi

DISC TWO

  1. Hi-Heel Sneakers
  2. Man-Child >
  3. Summertime
  4. That’s s Touch I Like
  5. Annie Had a Baby >
  6. W-P-L-J