Alrighty Garcia Fans ... I'm not sure how to be any more direct on this one, and don't want to run the risk of sounding too brash - but make-SURE ! you get this Pristine & Beautiful ! Pure Jerry 8 release. Garcia & Kahn at the MCVA in Marin Co. on 2/28/86 !!!  I mean Fan-to Fan ... I just do not want you to let this one slip by.  And quite frankly, I really hope you already have it right inside your in your music treasure chest ( in a CD rack ! ) in a very-accessible place, and you play it all the time.  This one is just Pure ! J.G. Acoustic-Magic !!!  As you probably already know, Jerry & his Ol' Buddy John Kahn started taking it Solo ( Duo ) Acoustic on the road in touring fashion way back in 1982.  They made fantastic similar runs in 1984, 1985 & 1986, and this performance really marks the ( close to ) end of this most vital period of not only Live Acoustic performance history, but basically American Music History.  This is literally as stripped down a sound that you will ever hear Jerry Garcia sharing American Music, his music, his brilliance, his passion and his soul.  In addition, this recording ( and unbelievable re-mastering ) is just about as good as it gets.  Shortly after this, this project essentially got staffed up by the boss himself ( J.G. ! ) in the form of the Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band, but only lasted through the magical 1987 short tours which they ran.  This one really makes me think back to all of the wonderful Shows from this period that we were all able to get are hands on over the years, but still none sounded as clear and as crisp as this.  I mean just think back : '82 Mackey ( Boulder ) - '82 Oregon State Prison - '82 Passaic - '82 South Eugene High School - '82 Portland - '84 Bushnell - '85 Catalyst - '86 Ritz ... and now - " Thankfully ! " this Beauty !  I love this release, because it really is a landmark culmination of this entire 4 years of touring over only a short-lived 5 year span.  I mean just look at this material, and how masterfully it is performed : Deep Elm - Little Sadie - F.O.T.D. - Masterpiece - Spike Driver - Run for the Roses - Dire Wolf - Jack-A-Roe - Ain't No Lie - Birdsong - Ripple & Goodnight Irene.  Yum ...  Makes my spine tingle !  I mean why the Grateful Dead didn't lay down any more acoustic sets ( consistently ) past '80 ?!?  Well, we won't go there.  Another thing that I find really ear-catching with this '86 run is Jerry's Axe-choice, switching smoothly ( naturally ) to the Takamine cut-away, or as he called them ' production, out-of-the-box Guitars '.  I'm not sure if it was an endorsement issue ?, maybe easy of fret board playing ?, tone ?, or maybe just a change of pace to mix it up ??  But none the less, it is very ear-catching with a higher-very clean treble centered tone.  I myself have to admit I prefer the deep-bass and powerful muscle tone of the Martins ( HD-35 - D-28 & 21 ) & especially the 35, but hey - a new tone never hurts, and this release proves just how smooth a Tak can really be.  But then again, it is being strummed by Garcia - who in my humble opinion, is pretty much the King of Rock n' Roll - and I guess in Acoustic Music terms too.  But, that's just my ears talkin'.  None the less, him and John just have a synergy.  I'm not sure Jerry was ever more comfortable on stage with anyone then he was with John Kahn.  Not to offend any of J.G.'s other brothers in music, but John just had an always-natural feel - and he could always both read & steer what what was coming around the corner in Jerry's mind live on stage.  Well, to put it plainly - if the house was a-burnin' down and I had to grab just one CD, it might possibly be this one.  Yeah, that is a strong claim - but I've been feeling that way for a while - probably since 2009 when it was released.  Can you believe it took until '09 ?!? for a little Garcia / Kahn ? - but it finally did happened for us, and in Grand ! & Amazing ! fashion.  So yes ... Enjoy !!! this Garcia Live Acoustic Gem !!!!!


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Jerry Garcia & John Kahn ' Live ' and Acoustic ! ( Garcia & Kahn ! ) at the Marin Veteran's Memorial Auditorium in San Rafael, California ( CA ) on February 28, 1986 ( 2/28/1986 ) :