The legacy of Brent Mydland continues to grow with this latest edition of the ongoing Grateful Dead archive series. The departure of Keith and Donna Jean Godchaux in 1979 opened up an opportunity for the iconic band to reconfigure its chemistry dramatically and, as evidenced by the two nearly-complete shows comprising Rainbow Theatre, London, England (3/20/81 & 21/81), The Dead made the most of the circumstances through the vigorous contributions of the late keyboardist/vocalist/songwriter.
With the two setlists containing no repeats except the “Drums”/”Space” interludes (both of which have been shortened for this set, while the “U.S.Blues” encore of 3/20 is missing), it’s simple to hear how Myland spurred on his bandmates and not just with his lusty singing on “I Know You Rider.” Brent adds the forward-thinking synthesized textures to “Feel Like A Stranger” and uses electric piano equally judiciously to brighten and soften numbers such as “Alabama Getaway.”
But it is on the organ, the preferred keyboard of the late Ron “Pigpen” McKernan, that this former member of Weir’s solo band distinguishes himself most. His assertive work courses through “Scarlet Begonias” and “Fire On The Mountain,” while he adds a whole other level of drama to the already cinematic likes of “Wharf Rat.”
Still, the most ear-opening interval(s) may occur during the double Chuck Berry closing on disc two of these four, “Around And Around” plus “Johnny B. Goode.” During the latter, Brent assumes the lead figures usually played by guitar and twirls them off with great panache.
His bandmates demonstrate similar flair elsewhere during both shows at the vaunted London venue. Bassist Phil Lesh drops no bombs during “Let It Grow,” but he is forceful nonetheless, much like his two panthers in the rhythm section, drummers Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart.
The rhythm devils have arguably never played with more snap, regularly bouncing in and out of tandem playing, most noticeably on “New Minglewood Blues,” one of the select few traditional pieces here in the midst of an expanse of original material.
Guitarist Bob Weir is oddly inaudible much of the time in the otherwise realistic recording of the initial show by Dan Healy (as in its counterpart, mastered for supreme definition by Jeffrey Norman). Yet on the aforementioned blues, his rudimentary slide guitar dominates the proceedings.
As the fretboard counterpart of the youngest member of the band, Jerry plays with great alacrity on both slower material like “Candyman” and the much more upbeat “Truckin’.” More than once, the titular leader of the Grateful Dead is inspired by Mydland to cut a great swath through the action as he does on the latter’s signature song of the group.
In the enclosed sixteen-page booklet of Dave’s #56, where an array of photos and replications of memorabilia mirror the eye-catching, four-fold design of the package, David Lemieux contributes an essay that rightly makes much of the sterling level of musicianship that permeates this roughly five hours of music. And, getting as close as he ever does to waxing rhapsodic, the chief archivist rightfully assigns much of the credit to the enthusiastic presence of Brent Mydland. Still, to comprehend what the Canadian curator is saying and thus sense the tangible joy to which he so cautiously alludes, there is nothing like hearing Dave’s Picks Volume 56.
One Response
They do repeat Althea, but I am not complaining the version on 3/21 is GREAT!