Next to the Beatles and Bob Dylan, the Grateful Dead may be one of the most covered bands of the 20th century. That’s because within the crazy world of jam-band psychedelia that encompasses the band, there’s gold in the fabled songbook. Be it the cosmic gems from Jerry Garcia and Robert Hunter, or the jam-athon gateways that grew out of the songs from Bob Weir and John Perry Barlow — or any combination thereof — there’s a wealth of material built for any variety of interpretations or styles. Case in point: Grateful Blues, a six-song EP from veteran guitarist, singer-songwriter and Deadhead J.P. Reali, simmers down a half-dozen classics over a blues-fused fire for a lesson in bona fide musicianship and “a real good time.”
The cool rumblings of “Easy Wind” quickly reels you in. Alongside Reali, the EP’s producer and drummer Jim Larson, keyboardist Rich Budesa and bassist Monty Cullum, come together to mold and shape the songs around loose and lively bluesy arrangements that truly sway and swing. Budesa’s boogie woogie piano is at the heart of “Loose Lucy,” while his electric piano turns on “West L.A Fadeaway” would have made Garcia blush with pride at what can be done on one of his more underappreciated compositions.
“I Need A Miracle,” the lone Weir-Barlow track on the EP, serves as an able-bodied tribute to Weir, who passed away earlier this year. Indeed, Reali transforms it into a sizzling Texas blues shuffle with a pair of galvanizing guitar solos and a swab of “Bertha” on the outro. Cut to “Mr. Charlie,” which famously featured the Dead’s resident bluesman Ron “Pigpen” McKernan, and revel at how Reali’s slide spins it on its proverbial ear, leaving a rather pleasant aftertaste.
A straightforward acoustic with a simple 4/4 from Larson gives “Tennessee Jed” an airy lift for Reali’s smooth and salty vocal to flutter its wings. After the record ends, you’re left with a more-than-satisfying feeling. Nothing too complicated about it; not much to read into it. Just as it should be. Released on Jerry Garcia’s 84th birthday, Grateful Blues is not an ordinary trip through the catalog, but rather a seasoned reimaging through a blues lens that successfully underscores the vast and timeless potency of Grateful Dead music.
~ Shawn Perry
