All Good Things: Jerry Garcia Studio Sessions and HDCD (High Definition Compatible Digital) CDs

I recently returned to Minneapolis for a quick trip and gathered a bunch of HDCD CDs for the Desert 🌵 Sessions to play on the Oppo, which has an HDCD decoder. The discs I picked up are limited to two artists: Joni Mitchell and Jerry Garcia.

HDCD CDs are specially encoded CDs that have a higher dynamic range and lower distortion than standard CDs (in essence, 20-bit quality from 16-bit media). Developed by Pacific Microsonics and now owned by Microsoft, it offers improved dynamic range, better 3D soundstaging, and more natural timbre. However, your CD player needs an HDCD decoder to experience the benefits of the format.

I find the format sounds better than CDs and comparable to SACDs, but that is purely subjective, as I have not A/B’d any titles. The soundstage is the most notable feature. I had a conversation on a Facebook SCAD group, and the other members confirmed that the HDCD format rocks; however, not many CD players can decode it, so most people are just playing the Redbook layer of the disk. Fortunately, the Oppo can play any shiny object, including quarters 😉 and HDCD CDs.

One of the titles I brought to the Desert 🌵 Sessions is All Good Things: Jerry Garcia Studio Sessions, a 2004 reissue box set of Garcia’s five solo studio albums (including the only Jerry Garcia Band studio release), plus an additional disc of previously unreleased studio recordings in HDCD format. The albums are remastered and include bonus tracks such as alternate versions and outtakes from the album recording sessions. 

I am not familiar with the vinyl originals or the standard CDs, but these HDCD versions sound fantastic. On Jambands.com, John Patrick Gatta said:

“These revamped recordings shine like the first sunny day after a long hard winter. I tested my copy of Run for the Roses with the new version and there’s a world of difference. The volume on the remixed and remastered HDCD disc brings the instruments up in order to add stronger support. At times, the clarity is amazing.”

I will take Mr. Gatta’s word on this, as the album’s sound is sonically great to my ears.

I have said many times that I am not a Deadhead, but a Jerry Garcia fan. I was first introduced to Garcia via his 1991 live album, Jerry Garcia Band. I have collected an extensive collection of Garcia’s solo work and projects outside of the Dead. Most of those titles are live albums. The solo studio albums feel a bit underrated in the Deadhead universe, and even for me, I have spent more time with the live Garcia stuff. But I am in a receptive state of mind to listen to these albums in this latest iteration of the Desert 🌵 Sessions.

In the liner notes, Robert Hunter says of Garcia: “He had more talent for more things in his missing finger than most have in ten.” Hunter goes on to say: “Jerry did three things well in music, stamping them fully with the strength of his extreme individuality: he composed, sang, and played brilliantly.” Indeed!

Garcia is Jerry’s first solo album and was released in January 1972. Garcia recorded the album almost entirely by himself, with only Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann assisting him. It is an eclectic mixture of Grateful Dead-style country music (transcendent) and atmospheric electronic pieces (weird). All songs were written by Garcia/Kreutzmann (weird), Hunter/Garcia (brilliant), and Hunter/Garcia/Kreutzmann (“The Wheel”). It does have some Garcia/Dead classics: “Deal,” “Sugaree,” “The Wheel,” and “Loser.” I have to admit, you need to be in an adventurous mood for the weird stuff, but it’s cool.

Garcia, also known as Compliments, is Jerry’s second solo album from 1974. It mostly covers, with elaborate band arrangements featuring horns and strings. The best feature of the album is that Jerry sounds like he is having a blast – his vocals are joyful. Covers like these would become an essential element of Jerry’s live shows.

Per Wikipedia regarding Reflections:

“Partway through production, Garcia stopped recording with his solo band and brought in the members of the Grateful Dead, who performed on four songs, plus a bonus jam from the box set version of the release we have been talking about. Three of the four Grateful Dead-performed songs had earlier live debuts: “Comes a Time” (1971), “They Love Each Other” (1973) and “It Must Have Been the Roses” (1974); “Might as Well” entered their rotation in 1976, and “Mission in the Rain” received a select few performances that same year. Most of the songs [including covers and bonus material] entered the live rotation of the new Jerry Garcia Band as well.”

The album (with reissue bonus tracks) is about half Garcia/Hunter songs and half inspired covers. Garcia’s vocals are incredible – top of his game. I never really listened to this album. What a treasure to discover at this late date. Garcia can be a very soulful singer, and he is all in here. I know many of these songs from the live albums. Jerry plays some great guitar, too. The piano by Nicky Hopkins is so good! This is my favorite album in the box set.

Highlights:

• Rock ‘n Roll Jerry on “Might As Well.”
• A cover of Allen Toussaint’s “I’ll Take a Melody” is absolutely gorgeous. Jerry croons.
• “Mission In The Rain” would be an amazing Elton John song
• “It Must Have Been the Roses,” a country weeper. Bob and Donna’s harmonies are the best.
• More Rock ‘n Roll Jerry on “Tore Up Over You.”
• “Catfish John”- again, Bob and Donna’s harmonies!
• “Mystery Train” – Jerry’s take on Elvis – truly unique.
• “Orpheus” is an instrumental Grateful Dead jam featuring Garcia, Bob Weir, Keith Godchaux, Phil Lesh, Bill Kreutzmann, and Mickey Hart.

Cats Under the Stars is the only studio album by the Jerry Garcia Band (JGB). There are numerous live JGB albums. Cats Under the Stars was a commercial flop, but it is beloved by Deadheads, and Jerry often cited it as his favorite solo album. However, this is my least favorite album in the collection, but it has the best cover art!

The original album was all original material by Hunter/Garcia, Hunter/Kahn, Hunter/Garcia/Kahn, Donna Jean Godchaux, and Kahn. The bonus material on the reissue is mostly covers. The album has a Grateful Dead vibe – what we would now call Americana.

The first half of this album is made up of alternative versions of songs from the four albums. The second half is songs that never made it onto the four albums. The alternate versions are different enough from the album cuts to be interesting. The CD is a nice bonus to the collection. Highlights:

• A more spirited take on “Deal” from the Garcia sessions
• A moodier take on “I’ll Take A Melody” from the Reflections sessions
• A gorgeous studio version of the JGB live staple (they performed it over 200 times), “My Sisters And Brothers,” with the Godchaux’s from a November 1976 session
• “Iko Iko” – a studio jam of the Nola standard from Cats Under The Stars Session
• “Accidentally Like A Martyr” – a cover of the Warren Zevon classic with a rare performance of Garcia on piano from 1977

The box comes with a nice booklet with essays by Robert Hunter (Garcia’s chief lyricist) and others, photos, and notes on the recordings.

Overall, I really enjoyed digging into the Garcia solo albums. Garcia had a rich (I would argue richer) musical life outside of the Grateful Dead.

HDCD is an underrated format, but because it requires a special CD player to decode it, most listeners will never get a chance to appreciate it. I feel lucky I have my Oppo. This has been a fun rabbit hole! The combination of Jerry and HDCD is audiophile heaven.

With the exception of Outtakes, Jams & Alternates, the reissued expanded albums are available on streaming services in Redbook CD quality. The box set is not on streaming services.