Bob Weir

@stuartk I perceive that my saying that Keith was agile in his ablities to change with the band and your comment about him being a musical chameleon are somewhat similar. Admittedly, I never really thought of him as a jazz pianist but did love hearing him on those more exploratory improvisations. It is interesting how we hear the band in different ways but I believe that to be the norm. And as for Jerry, yes he definitely went through some changes in 71 & 72. Let's not forget too his having to re-teach himself to play after his coma. I hear changes in his playing after that happened also.

@larsman I've wanted to see Dark Star Orchestra but haven't gotten to it. Another group I'd like to see is Goose. They're there own group, however I understand their shows to reflect a spirit in the same way Dead shows have. I guess mainly I've heard that their parking lot atmosphere is very Dead like.

Parking Lot Atmosphere … a great band name..

ha….

@goofyfoot - they're always on tour and they play everywhere, so they should be somewhere near you at least once on 2026. Dunno about parking lot atmosphere, but they play good-size venues on multiple nights to a good many Deadheads. They play Grateful Dead shows Grateful Dead style and sound much more like them than any of the offshoots. They've been going for more than 35 years themselves.

@goofyfoot 

I didn’t mean to suggest or imply that Keith played Jazz with the Dead. But Jazz was, according to an interview with him I read many years back, his preferred genre. As for Bruce’s playing being "more refined" that Keith’s, I’d have to listen to Bruce play. All I’ve heard is the stuff he had on the radio way back when and that was all in one bag, pretty much. He is clearly a "stylist" , in that he has an an identifiable sound. What sort of range/depth he might possess, I have no idea.

I intend to listen to  the ’91 Greensborough show @ezwind recommended. I’ve listened to very little Dead after ’77. My last two of the six shows I attended were in the eighties and for me, it was just not the same, at that point. 

@larsman ‘Dunno about parking lot atmosphere’ 

I was referring to Goose regarding the parking lot vibe. As far as Dark Star, I’ll take a look at when they’ll be coming around again. What little I do know about DSO, they would replicate a complete GD show. I assume they still do that.