Garcia’s acoustic work shines

Spencer Patterson

Friday, May 14, 2004 | 8:12 a.m.

To celebrate the one-year anniversary of Patterson's Picks, we take a trip back to the beginning, sort of.

Fifty-two weeks ago, this weekly series kicked off with a look at the psychedelic side of Jerry Garcia's guitar work, on the Grateful Dead's "Dick's Picks Volume 4" (a live recording from February 1970).

This week, we examine another aspect of Garcia's storied career: his acoustic side.

More than anything he played with the Dead or with his own Jerry Garcia Band, the latter years of the legendary guitarist's life were highlighted by his collaborations with mandolinist David Grisman.

A longtime member of the Grateful Dead's extended family, Grisman's relationship with Garcia dated to the 1960s, when the duo played together in bluegrass outfit Old & In the Way. Grisman also contributed to the Dead's "American Beauty" album, playing mandolin on two tracks on the classic 1970 LP.

It wasn't until 1991's "Jerry Garcia/David Grisman," however, that fans truly sensed the pair's considerable musical prowess.

That disc -- the first of six Garcia/Grisman recordings (most were released posthumously after Garcia's 1995 death) -- showcases nine elegant, melodic pieces, all of them acoustic.

From the opening moments of the first two tracks, blues standard "The Thrill is Gone" and original composition "Grateful Dawg," it's apparent that the album will not be marked by showy guitar noodling or trippy jam excursions.

Instead, Grisman's mandolin takes the lead often, providing a mesmerizing counterpart to Garcia's restrained yet emotive guitar offerings.

Supplemented by bassist Jim Kerwin and percussionist/fiddler Joe Craven, Garcia and Grisman tackle a variety of material, from a dreamy version of Grateful Dead standby "Friend of the Devil" to a fully worked-out, 15-minute take on Grisman's Eastern-flavored "Arabia."

Garcia's voice is in fine form throughout, particularly on the wistful, Irving Berlin-penned "Russian Lullaby," another of the CD's many highlights.

Check it out if you enjoy bluegrass, folk music or the quieter side of rock, even if you don't consider yourself a fan of Garcia's "other" band, the Grateful Dead.

Artist: Jerry Garcia & David Grisman.

Title: "Jerry Garcia/David Grisman."

Year of release: 1991 (Acoustic Disc).

Tracklisting: "The Thill Is Gone," "Grateful Dawg," "Two Soldiers," "Friend of the Devil," "Russian Lullaby," Dawg's Waltz," "Walkin' Boss,' "Rockin' Chair," "Arabia."