Bare Bones: Volume 1 - Master Takes [Lavendar Eco Mix Vinyl] [Barnes & Noble Exclusive

by Jerry Garcia, David Grisman

Overview

The musical comradery between the Grateful Dead's central member Jerry Garcia and mandolin master David Grisman resulted not just in some of the Dead's most lasting Americana tunes but also a wealth of bluegrass, folk, and country-adjacent tangents and side projects. Garcia and Grisman's early-'70s group Old & In the Way was a traditional bluegrass counterpoint to the Dead's improvised rock style, and in subsequent decades, the friends recorded multiple duo albums of gentle acoustic folk. Bare Bones is a deep dive into Grisman's extensive recording archives, collecting the basic tracks of vocals, guitar, and mandolin put to tape in laid-back sessions at his home studio. Bare Bones is broken into three volumes: one that collects the raw master takes that were later fleshed out with additional overdubbed instrumentation on the pair's '90s albums (Garcia/Grisman, Not for Kids Only, Shady Grove, and Been All Around This World), one that focuses on unreleased songs, and a third volume with alternate takes. Throughout the majority of this lengthy collection, there's a strong sense of relaxed happiness, with the familiarity between Garcia and Grisman guiding the proceedings. The home studio setting also adds to the feeling of comfort in these takes. A slowed-down take on Grateful Dead classic "Friend of the Devil" is loose and meandering, almost like the two friends are just running through the tune for fun. Stripped-down versions of lighthearted kids songs like "A Horse Named Bill" and "There Ain't No Bugs on Me" from the pair's 1993 children's album Not for Kids Only aren't all that much sillier in spirit and presentation than more adult-themed songs like "Little Glass of Wine" or the bluegrass standard "Man of Constant Sorrow." Lyrics are flubbed, studio chatter and jokes fly between takes, and more than anything else, two good friends pass the time playing the songs they love. This was true of most of Garcia and Grisman's collaborative output, but Bare Bones offers an especially intimate look at their chemistry, both musical and personal. ~ Fred Thomas

Product Details

Release Date:	12/13/2024
Label:	Ato Records
UPC:	0880882649715

Tracks

Disc 1

1. Walkin' Boss
2. Dreadful Wind and Rain
3. I Truly Understand
4. I'm Troubled
5. When First Unto this Country
6. The Handsome Cabin Boy
7. Casey Jones
8. The Sweet Sunny South
9. Freight Train

Disc 2

10. Jenny Jenkins
11. A Horse Named Bill
12. Arkansas Traveler
13. Hot Corn, Cold Corn
14. The Miller's Will
15. There Ain't No Bugs On Me
16. Hopalong Peter
17. Three Men Went A-Hunting
18. Whiskey In The Jar
19. Down In The Valley

Album Credits

Performance Credits

David Grisman   Primary Artist
Jerry Garcia   Primary Artist,Primary Artist