Search - Swingin' to the Grateful :: Swingin' to the Grateful Dead

A Total Blast! Love it!

07/11/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Swingers and classic rockers take note...this is great! This cd will make everyone start tapping their toes and dancing to the music. Marsh cooks on sax (et al), the horns are awesome and the production is fab! Great to hear the real instruments, (not a lot of programmed tracks) the real deal! Great Fun! I put it on at the office and people were coming in asking where to get it before the first track was over. You might have to lock up your copy to keep it in your possession!"

For open-minded Dead and/or Swing fans only

J. Levinson | Media, PA USA | 02/04/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Imagine Count Basie or Duke Ellington charting the Grateful Dead's repertoire for a 7-piece swing band and you'll have a fairly good idea of this project's result. There's not even a hollow-body jazz guitar present, and a tuba covers the bass parts on some of the songs, yet it's a refreshing interpretation of the Grateful Dead's songbook that highlights the raw strength and melodic beauty of their compositions, plus you can tap your feet to most of it. Many of these arrangements reveal the connection between the Dead's music and traditional American musical forms.This project is not competing directly with the fusion interpretations of "Jazz is Dead", or saxophonist David Murray's avant-garde take on "Dark Star", though "Eyes of the World" actually sounds more like modern jazz than traditional swing, with the bassist laying down a walking pattern that Phil might have used without losing the original groove. Ironically, the only weakness of this project is the lack of extended improvisations and modal jams, which are the elements of modern jazz that are most common to the Dead's concert performances."

A Revelation!

J. Levinson | 07/05/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This CD is a blast and sounds great. It's a great TRIP from start to finish. It's amazing how the Dead's songs can be recast in different styles and still sound great. Overall very strong. Many surprises and exciting new possibilities. Nice jazz vibe. Never mind catagories - this is just good Music with a capital M. I don't understand some of the negative comments on this page. This is like the furthest thing from 'elevator music', folks. (The catch all phrase of the musically ignorant). I suppose they would find a 7.5 earthquake boring too! Apparently for some, any music without guitars and singers is "elevator". Come on now! Open your ears and your mind. It's OK if you don't understand some new music right away. Give it a chance before dropping mindless, uninformed comments."