2019 live album by Jerry Garcia and Merl Saunders
Garcia Live Volume 12 is a three-CD live album by Jerry Garcia and Merl Saunders. It was recorded on January 23, 1973 at the Boarding House in San Francisco. It was released on December 20, 2019.[1][2][3]
At this concert, Jerry Garcia (electric guitar, vocals) and Merl Saunders (keyboards, vocals) were accompanied by their usual rhythm section of John Kahn (bass guitar) and Bill Vitt (drums). They were joined by vocalist Sarah Fulcher, who often sang with the band in the early part of 1973.[4][5]
Critical reception
On AllMusic, Fred Thomas wrote, "On this date, Saunders and Garcia are more grounded in blues- and soul-rocking than the often-cosmic psychedelia of the Grateful Dead, but the creative chemistry of the band still explores the outer reaches of improvisation.... The relaxed energy and loose performances capture the magical connection Garcia and Saunders found in these low-pressure gigs. The powerful addition of Fulcher's presence makes Garcia Live, Vol. 12 a mandatory footnote to the scope of Garcia's creative output."[6]
In Glide Magazine, Doug Collette wrote, "Garcia Live Volume 12 offers some of, if not the most, spirited, edgy performances yet released in this archival series. And while it’s not quite accurate to assign all the credit to vocalist Sarah Fulcher as the catalyst for this combustible content, it is no coincidence she is featured prominently in photos within the twelve-page booklet... As it was evolving here, roughly three years into their ongoing collaborations, Jerry Garcia's relationship with Merl Saunders was becoming one of the most fulfilling of his life and career."[7]
