Guest Reviewer Fumo Verde
Legion of Mary played together at over 60 shows from December 1974 through July 1975. All the selections from this live set have been collected from seven different shows and have been previously unissued.
With Garcia's name at the front, you're thinking Dead-offshoot, or maybe he’s just sitting in, but it's not that at all, far from it--but not that far. This album finds Garcia in an element you may never have imaged him in: Jazz/Blues. It was a big leap for a man so well known for creating melodic and astral-like guitar riffs that carried us off to sunshine daydreams with sugar magnolias, yet as the leader of Legion of Mary, Garcia turns his gentle strokes into blues-withering howls that echo through your soul on an album that fits well on any shelf in your music library, whether R&B, Jazz, Blues or even the Grateful Dead section.
The talented musicians that round out the quintet are each a star in his own right, such as drummer Ron Tutt, who toured with Elvis back when leather-studded karate suits were the norm. Keyboardist Merl Saunders, who worked with Oscar Brown, Dinah Washington and Miles Davis, contributes more than just the hip and haunting cries from his Hammond B-3, for his years of experience alone could lead a band of gypsies. A key element in the Legion of Mary is that sound known all too well, the sound of soul music itself, the saxophone, which is played by Martin Fierro, whose credits include playing with Fats Domino and Little Richard. These men form an R&B section that can not only play the blues, but also can roam through a song such as "I Second That Emotion" or "Last Train from Poor Valley" and make it seem like a journey to the deepest part of your being.
As for Garcia, his voice reaches deep into the heart of the lyrics and he effortlessly makes them his own, while letting the rest of the band tell the story musically with improv so well known by jazz artists alike. Although there are Dead-like undertones that creep their way in songs like "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down", if you listen closely, you can hear the whispers of history from the other band members. All this wisdom and talent mix together on stage, and yes, these are live shows, which gives it an energy all of its own, creating a unique experience that both Blues fans and Deadheads will enjoy.
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