God bless the Deadheads. Their hearts are always in the right place, even when their heads are a little clouded. I wouldn’t waste my time or conscience slamming a benefit compilation, but the folks at the Jersey Jams Fund, which raises money for music education, may have gotten a little too ambitious with this collection of Jerry Garcia covers. Jerry Jams, Jerry Cares presents a hodge-podge of regional New Jersey acts and national stars making valiant attempts - some more successful than others - at classic Garcia tunes, but three discs is overkill, and the collection could benefit greatly from some serious editing.
That said, there are some real gems here. The David Grisman Quintet contributes a dawgified "Dark Star" to open the first disc, and Railroad Earth’s sweet harmonies and lazy riverside revival of "Catfish John" shine brightly amongst disc two’s acoustic numbers. Dark Star Orchestra’s "They Love Each Other" is a no-brainer, and the Dead Hour’s David Gans delivers a simple acoustic take on "Lazy River Road."
A few scattered reinterpretations should satisfy more adventurous tastes. Michael Patrick &the Suburban Hillbillies add a Bakersfield shuffle to the Appalachian spirit of "Midnight Moonlight," and Walt Bibinger’s "Nuages" takes a jazzier angle on a lesser-known country jig. T. Lavitz’s Hammond organ puts the soul in Soul Farm’s rock revision of "Sugaree," while Swampadelica adds an R&B groove to Damian Calcagne’s bluesy growl on the epic "Wharf Rat." The freshest voice, however, belongs to One Cat Left, whose slick, polished vocals and glam rock rhythms on "The Golden Road (To Unlimited Devotion)" summon the ghosts of T-Rex and Journey as much as the patron saint of the skull and roses.
Other notable contributions include Phish lyricist Tom Marshall’s Amfibian on "Tennessee Jed," the banjo and dobro textures of Caren Kennedy and Gregg Cagno on "Scarlet Begonias" and "Ripple" respectively, and Ron Penque’s Jerry-esque vocals on Stir Fried’s "Gomorrah." Like many Garcia tributes that are sure to follow this year, Jerry Jams is a mixed bag of diamonds and duds, but the project’s inclusive community spirit absolves its inconsistency, and the inherent sincerity of even the shakiest tracks should touch the altruistic core of even the staunchest Deadhead purists.
For more info see: jerseyjamsfund.com
