4CPcomics

4CPcomics, 1 day ago to random

There really ought to be an established nomenclature to distinguish among types of #gratefuldead instrumental playing.

“Jam” obscures a basic distinction that Phish fans have managed: Type 1 (related to a song) and Type 2 (unrelated to a song).

Dead setlist culture tends to make Type 2/pure improv invisible, esp. in the 1972-1974 period.

For example - 12/31/72: “Truckin’ > The Other One > Morning Dew” is not adequate or helpful.

4CPcomics, 3 days ago to random

Can't believe I missed the 50th anniversary of one of the top 10 #gratefuldead events of all time!

5/19/74 Portland, OR

4CPcomics, 14 days ago to random

Grateful Dead: 1976 Improvisation

This 1976 #gratefuldead mix - the contents of which were not defined by me - has become a mainstay of my Dead listening.

It's a fantastic and unexpected version of "jazz Dead" unlike any other, and a beguiling calling card from 1976 that asks you to listen more closely to the whole year.

"Out of Nowhere Jams," 1976, based on Dead Notes' detective work.

Indexed stream:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RaE2_wHDGw&t=498s

Notes and mp3s:
https://saveyourface.posthaven.com/grateful-dead-out-of-nowhere-jams-1976

4CPcomics, 15 days ago to random

Grateful Dead: May 1976 Rehearsals

Ahead of their June 1976 return to touring, #gratefuldead rehearsed seriously enough to produce beautiful recordings of numerous songs. (Reggae-inflected “Attics!”) This mix includes notable as-recorded takes, plus multi-take edits of Supplication and Eyes.

Could have been a radio/tour-supporting promo album. So good.

Indexed stream:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vn5CHV959_E

Notes and mp3s:
https://saveyourface.posthaven.com/grateful-dead-on-returning-may-1976-rehearsals

4CPcomics, 16 days ago to random

Using just your ears, what year is this #gratefuldead Dark Star passage from?

4CPcomics, 24 days ago to random

LOST LITTLE FEAT SOUL-JAZZ-FUNK ALBUM (1969-1975)

Here’s an imaginary studio Little Feat soul-jazz-funk studio album. It does not include anything from the seven Lowell George-era studio albums. It shuffles together selections from recordings with jazz drummer Chico Hamilton (1973) and singer Robert Palmer (1975) with relevant, officially-released Feat studio outtakes (1972-1975, with two 1969 outliers).

Sadly, this mix does not stream.

Explanations and mp3s:
https://saveyourface.posthaven.com/little-feat-surprise-1969-1975

4CPcomics, 26 days ago to random

I am once again considering printing out stickers to put on the spines of my official #gratefuldead CDs.

4CPcomics, 27 days ago to random

It's currently the sweetest, softest Spring-into-Summer evening where I am... Great weekend so far. Biked the neighborhood yard sale Friday, collecting little treasures to give to the 1-3 year-olds we saw at brunch and a bbq today. Brunch hosted by someone we met when she was nine. BBQ hosted by our young neighbors, whose toddler is letting us try out being grandparents. Spring + humans vibing together is an amazing reminder of the reasons to be hopeful.

#gratefuldead improv 6/18/94

4CPcomics, 1 month ago to random

As #gratefuldead May ’77 madness comes ‘round again, bolstered this year by the release of 1.5 more May ’77 shows (Dave’s 50 shipping now), I encourage you to check out two hours of jammy highlights from the tour’s first two shows on April 22-23, in Philadelphia and Springfield.

If you find May ’77 too “same-y,” I think you’ll find this music less so. Second and third performances of "Fire!"

Indexed stream:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKxnwRd5S20

Notes and mp3s:
https://saveyourface.posthaven.com/grateful-dead-the-first-two-may-77-shows-april-22-23

4CPcomics, 1 month ago to random

The announcement of a live 1968 Mothers of Invention box brings this household great joy.

A while back, Save Your Face sifted a ton of late ‘60s Mothers tapes and created a couple of big mixes of instrumental and improvisational material. King Kong, Pound for a Brown, Sleeping in a Jar, Eric Dolphy Memorial BBQ, Green Genes, Uncle Meat, Dog Breath Variations, Orange County Lumber Truck… that kind of music.

The SYF mixes remain available to grab as mp3s.
https://saveyourface.posthaven.com/the-mothers-of-invention-seriously-live-volume-2-1968-1969-bootleg-highlights

4CPcomics, 1 month ago to random

Stained glass, vinyl edition

4CPcomics, 1 month ago to random

#gratefuldead fans: There will surely be a "Blues for Allah" reissue in 2025. Will we get a comprehensive boxed set of the vast/important rehearsals... or something much smaller and extremely disappointing?

Here's a delightful little creature from those rehearsals/sessions:

4CPcomics, 1 month ago to random

I really like the early throbbiness of “West LA Fadeaway.” At some point it relaxed into a more “Althea”-like execution and lost some of the grim, hard edge. This version is the 10th performance of the song from 41 years ago this week.

West LA Fadeaway
April 9, 1983, Hampton Coliseum
#gratefuldead

4CPcomics, 1 month ago to random

35 years ago, my most fun Grateful Dead run - Ann Arbor, April 5-6, 1989. Walked to the shows from my apt. Center of the 8th and 13th rows with all my hometown Heads. Club show experience.

I’d seen some 1988 shows, and this seemed like a different band. Tight, confident, energetic, having fun, singing well, jamming fluidly. Mighty!

I pulled together my favorite 3 hours from the run.

Archive stream:
https://archive.org/details/grateful-dead-save-your-face-shortlist-ann-arbor-89-april-5-6

Notes and mp3s:
https://saveyourface.posthaven.com/grateful-dead-shortlist-ann-arbor-89-april-5-6

4CPcomics, 1 month ago to random

It's the 33rd anniversary of me finally getting what I was looking for. #gratefuldead

4CPcomics, 1 month ago to random

Here's a fantastic #gratefuldead Space improv passage from 30 years ago tomorrow. Jason Crane has identified the source of the vocal sample: "Something Within Me" by Take 6.

4CPcomics, 1 month ago to random

Deadhead question: When assessing the quality of an individual performance of a song, how important is it to you that the song is sung robustly, with accurate lyrics? Do you care if the performance could stand alone to represent the song itself to a new audience, or can the vocals be buried or a whole verse f@cked up, and you'd still call it a good take, because of the jam, solo, third verse, or whatever? What counts as good enough to support as an individual song performance?

4CPcomics, 1 month ago to random

The compilation that inaugurated the Save Your Face mixtape blog in 2016 was a compilation of 26 Hunter/Garcia compositions, selected from a dozen 1972-1974 archival live releases… every song practically perfect in every way.

I’ve recently been digging around in another era’s tapes for a mix of immaculate performances of H/G songs, while also spinning this 72-74 anthology to keep me honest.

The mix isn’t available to stream, but it persists as an mp3 download:
https://saveyourface.posthaven.com/save-your-face-garcia-songs-live-1972-1974

4CPcomics, 2 months ago to random

Grateful Dead '94
Song of the Day

The Dead at their most ambient.

Excerpt from Space 3/23/94, Uniondale, NY

4CPcomics, 2 months ago to random

Grateful Dead '94
Song of the Day

Bertha
3/21/94, Richfield, OH

4CPcomics, 2 months ago to random

Grateful Dead ’94 Highlights #2
Dylan Covers

If you’re looking for a way into appreciating the sound and character of 1994 #gratefuldead, I strongly suggest you start with this mix.

These Dylan covers foreground and benefit from the generally lighter touch that characterizes 1993-1994.

If you can embrace the band’s sound here, you’ll be ready to appreciate a great ’94 version of your favorite Dead song.

Notes and mp3 download
https://saveyourface.posthaven.com/grateful-dead-dead-play-dylan-1994

Indexed Stream
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZ84GKvQMAE&t=288s

4CPcomics, 3 months ago to random

You can pick ONE solo Beatles song to include on an anthology.

4CPcomics, 3 months ago to random

Grateful Dead: Tones (1969)

What's the earliest instance of “space” territory in #gratefuldead music? Possibly “feedback,” but I like to put my finger on the quieter tones, drones, and knob-twiddling that followed feedback in 1969. I think you can find descendants of these classical-music-inflected tones all the way to the Dead’s final show in 1995.

Here’s an anthology of 14 passages from 1969 - 35 minutes:

Indexed stream:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qy5PfXgYmyE&t=14s

Notes and download:
https://saveyourface.posthaven.com/the-grateful-dead-tones-1969

4CPcomics, 3 months ago to random

Grateful Dead
Garcia sings the Hunter/Garcia Songbook
September 1987

Is there any time between 1980 and 1995 when Jerry Garcia was singing as magnificently as he did in the Fall of 1987?

17 knockout performances.

Stream:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4azHsKwHpfA&t=4s

Notes and download:
https://saveyourface.posthaven.com/grateful-dead-shortlist-garcia-sings-hunter-slash-garcia-september-1987

#gratefuldead

4CPcomics, 3 months ago to random

Hey now, here’s a no-brainer follow for Deadheads: @DeadStudies

The feed compiles numerous Dead-related accounts that offer rich information and paths down many wormholes. If you’re looking for more than inspirational Monday morning “Ripple” quotes and unannotated links to random shows played on this day, you’ll be delighted by the places you end up.

#gratefuldead