• Artist: Jerry Garcia
• Rating:
• Styles: Rock & Roll, Folk-Rock, Country-Rock
• Track Picks: "He Ain't Give You None," "Russian Lullaby," "When the Hunter Gets Captured by the Game"
• Similar Albums: Il Rock 5, Dick's Picks, Vol. 5, The Best of the Band, Crazy Loving: The Best of Poco 1975-1982, Gagged but Not Bound, Liberty, In the Dark, What a Long Strange Trip It's Been, Blues for Allah, To Kingdom Come

Review

Jerry Garcia's second solo effort initially bore the same eponymous title as his first. A parenthetical "Compliments Of" was originally featured on promotional copies that bore the words atop the "Garcia" moniker. The name was officially changed in the late '80s, when the platter evolved into the CD format, to alleviate any confusion between the two very different recordings. In direct contrast to the 1972 release, the vast majority of the ten tracks on 1974's Garcia (Compliments) are cover versions performed with an ensemble, rather than just by the multi-instrumental artist. Equally distinguishing is that most of the material was not selected by the guitarist, but rather by the project's producer, John Kahn, who likewise had been Garcia's bassist and primary non-Grateful Dead collaborator. Although Garcia would reassert more control over the choice of songs in the future, this album heralds the origins of what would ultimately become the Jerry Garcia Band. Backed by an A-list cast of studio heavies, covers such as the Rolling Stones' "Let's Spend the Night Together" and Van Morrison's "He Ain't Give You None" come off sounding slightly over-arranged. The converse, however, can be said of Garcia's intimately chilling reading of Peter Rowan's "Mississippi Moon," the slinky irrepressible Motown vibe on the Marvelettes' "The Hunter Gets Captured By the Game," and Little Milton's "That's What Love Will Make You Do" -- all of which remained as staples of the Jerry Garcia Band's live catalog. Although there aren't very many opportunities for Garcia to unleash the full potential of his formidable fretwork, the reading of Irving Berlin's "Russian Lullaby" -- adapted from Argentinean guitarist Oscar Alemán's arrangement -- does allow him to perform some of the disc's most involved and intricately executed guitar work, which he renders on an acoustic classical axe. The solitary original composition, "Midnight Town" from Kahn and lyricist Robert Hunter, comes off somewhat uncharacteristically lightweight in deference to the album's otherwise solid effort. [This version of the album includes bonus material.] ~ Lindsay Planer, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	iTunes	Composers	Performers	Time
Let It Rock	...	Chuck Berry	Jerry Garcia	(3:14)
When the Hunter Gets Captured by the Game	...	William Robinson	Jerry Garcia	(2:49)
That's What Love Will Make You Do	...	James Banks, Eddie Marion, Henderson Thigpen	Jerry Garcia	(3:49)
Russian Lullaby	...	Irving Berlin	Jerry Garcia	(3:07)
Turn on the Bright Lights	...	Albert Washington	Jerry Garcia	(5:37)
He Ain't Give You None	...	Van Morrison	Jerry Garcia	(3:26)
What Goes Around	...	Mac Rebennack	Jerry Garcia	(3:09)
Let's Spend the Night Together	...	Mick Jagger, Keith Richards	Jerry Garcia	(3:41)
Mississippi Moon	...	Peter Rowan	Jerry Garcia	(3:09)
Midnight Town	...	Robert Hunter, John Kahn	Jerry Garcia	(3:22)
That's a Touch I Like [#][*]	...	Jesse Winchester	Jerry Garcia	(3:40)
(I'm A) Road Runner [#][*]	...	Lamont Dozier, Eddie Holland, Brian Holland	Jerry Garcia	(4:10)
It's Too Late [#][*]	...	Chuck Willis	Jerry Garcia	(4:27)
I'll Forget You [#][*]	...		Jerry Garcia	(3:21)
Tragedy [#][*]	...	Fred Burch, Gerald Nelson	Jerry Garcia	(3:52)
Think [#][*]	...	Jimmy McCracklin, Don Robey	Jerry Garcia	(4:12)
I Know It's a Sin [#][*]	...	Jimmy Reed, Mary Lee Reed	Jerry Garcia	(2:41)
Lonesome Town [#][*]	...		Jerry Garcia	(6:19)
Cardiac Arrest [Studio Jam][#][*]	...	Jerry Garcia	Jerry Garcia	(1:39)
Back Home in Indiana [#][*]	...	Ballard MacDonald, James F. Hanley	Jerry Garcia	(7:08)

Credits

Geoff Muldaur (Clarinet), Jerry Garcia (Guitar), Jerry Garcia (Vocals), Jerry Garcia (Producer), Jerry Garcia (Guitar (Classical)), Jerry Garcia (Main Performer), Larry Carlton (Guitar), Merl Saunders (Organ), Maria Muldaur (Vocals (Background)), Amos Garrett (Trombone), Arthur Adams (Guitar), Richard Greene (Violin), Clydie King (Vocals), Clydie King (Vocals (Background)), Sid Page (Violin), Bobbye Hall (Conga), Bobbye Hall (Tambourine), Bobbye Hall (Bells), Bobbye Hall (Shaker), Bobbye Hall (Cowbell), Bobbye Hall (Guiro), Bobbye Hall (Guido), Bobbye Hall (Wood Block), Jeff Adams (Project Assistant), Terry Adams (Cello), James Austin (Reissue Producer), Ben Benay (Guitar (Rhythm)), Joel Bernstein (Archivist), Hugh Brown (Reissue Art Director), Merry Clayton (Vocals), Merry Clayton (Vocals (Background)), Vassar Clements (Violin), Gene Conners (Trombone), Gene Conners (Arranger), Gene Conners (Horn Arrangements), Gene Connors (Trombone), Gene Connors (Horn Arrangements), Jimmy Edwards (Product Manager), Arni Egilsson (Bass), Nancy Ellis (Viola), Tom Flye (Mixing), David Gans (Reissue Producer), Joe Gastwirt (Remastering), Joe Gastwirt (Digital Remastering), David Grisman (Mandolin), John Kahn (Bass), John Kahn (Guitar (Bass)), John Kahn (Producer), John Kahn (Horn Arrangements), John Kahn (String Arrangements), Jackie Kelso (Sax (Baritone)), Jackie Kelso (Sax (Tenor)), Jackie Kelso (Baritone (Vocal)), Jackie Kelso (Tenor (Vocal)), Ron Malo (Engineer), Melvin Moore (Trumpet), David Nichtern (Guitar), Michael Omartian (Piano), Michael Omartian (Fender Rhodes), Michael Omartian (Tack Piano), Michael Omartian (Fender Piano), Carl Pedersen (Violin), Gary Ray (Clarinet), John Rotella (Clarinet), John Rotella (E Flat Clarinet), Nathan Rubin (Violin), Sid Sharp (Contractor), Joel Tepp (Clarinet), Ron Tutt (Drums), Emily VanValkenburgh (Violin), Judiyaba (Cello), Gary Lambert (Liner Notes), Victor Moscoso (Artwork), Steve Vance (Design), Steve Vance (Reissue Art Director), Reggie Collins (Discographical Annotation), Jon Sievert (Photography), Willie Green (Clarinet), Billy Wolf (Overdubs), Billy Wolf (Mixing), Sheryl Farber (Editorial Supervision), Andy Leonard (Photography), Miram Dye (Viola), Blair Jackson (Reissue Producer), Richard Loren (Production Assistant), Bruce Polonsky (Photography), Dave Patrick (Photography), Joel Axelrad (Photography), Richard Greene & Beryl Marriott (Violin), David Lemieux (Project Assistant), April Milek (Project Assistant), Tim Scanlin (Liner Note Coordination), Roberto Rabanne (Photography), Suzanne Love (Project Assistant), Joshua Blardo (Production Assistant), Christopher Sabec (Executive Producer), Peter Mcquaid (Executive Producer), Hale Milgrim (Executive Producer)