Ragged but Right
Encyclopedia
Ragged but Right is the second live album by the Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band
. It was recorded in October and December 1987 at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre
in New York City
, the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles
, and the Warfield Theater
in San Francisco. It was released on November 16, 2010, twenty-two years after the band's first album, Almost Acoustic
.
The Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band existed from the summer of 1987 to the summer of 1988, and played fewer than 30 concerts. Led by Jerry Garcia
of the Grateful Dead
, the band included three members of the 1964 bluegrass
band the Black Mountain Boys — Garcia on guitar
and vocals
, David Nelson
of the New Riders of the Purple Sage
on guitar and vocals, and Sandy Rothman
on mandolin
, dobro
, banjo
, and vocals — plus long-time Garcia collaborator John Kahn
on acoustic bass
, Kenny Kosek
on fiddle
, and David Kemper
on snare drum
.
, the Stoney Mountain Boys, Charlie Monroe
, and Ralph Stanley
, among others.... 'Ragged but right' is a good description of the contents. Grateful Dead fans may take special interest in the version of 'Goodnight Irene,' which is rearranged so differently from familiar renditions that it's practically a different song, at least in terms of the music; it sounds like it could have been on Garcia's first solo album from 1972."
On Jambands.com, John Patrick Gatta contrasted Ragged but Right with its predecessor, saying "The main difference between the two can be found in the warm quality of Almost Acoustic versus the soundboard/audience matrix-like sonics heard on Ragged. It’s not a slam, but a necessary point because the newly released album has a much different sensibility.... Feeding off the rowdy atmosphere, it’s a high-spirited performance. Offering an indication of the looseness of the performance, Garcia jokes to anyone that skipped work for the early show that he’s going to call their bosses. Despite this, there’s, obviously, a respect for the songs and disciplined interaction between the players."
Glide magazine listed Ragged but Right as one of the ten best archival releases of 2010, saying "This year’s Jerry Garcia archival release featured the short-lived, but most-excellent Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band. Not only did Jer’s family put out a remastered version of 1988's Almost Acoustic, but they also released a fine album of unreleased live material called Ragged but Right which contained the other 14 songs in the JGAB’s repertoire lovingly assembled by band member Sandy Rothman."
Jerry García Acoustic Band
The Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band was a band formed by Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead. They played a number of concerts in 1987 and subsequently released two live albums.-Band members:*Jerry Garcia - guitar, vocals*David Nelson - guitar, vocals...
. It was recorded in October and December 1987 at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre
Lunt-Fontanne Theatre
The Lunt-Fontanne Theatre is a legitimate Broadway theatre located at 205 West 46th Street in midtown-Manhattan.Designed by the architectural firm of Carrere and Hastings, it was built by producer Charles Dillingham and opened as the Globe Theatre, in honor of London's Shakespearean playhouse, on...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, and the Warfield Theater
The Warfield
The Warfield, also known as The Warfield Theater, is a 2,300 seat music venue located at 982 Market Street, San Francisco, California. It was built as a vaudeville theater, and opened as the Loews Warfield on May 13, 1922.-History:...
in San Francisco. It was released on November 16, 2010, twenty-two years after the band's first album, Almost Acoustic
Almost Acoustic
Almost Acoustic is a 1988 live acoustic album by the Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band. Held in high esteem by fans for superb sound quality and fine musical selection, it was culled from 18 performances at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre during the fall of 1987...
.
The Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band existed from the summer of 1987 to the summer of 1988, and played fewer than 30 concerts. Led by Jerry Garcia
Jerry Garcia
Jerome John "Jerry" Garcia was an American musician best known for his lead guitar work, singing and songwriting with the band the Grateful Dead...
of the Grateful Dead
Grateful Dead
The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The band was known for its unique and eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, country, improvisational jazz, psychedelia, and space rock, and for live performances of long...
, the band included three members of the 1964 bluegrass
Bluegrass music
Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. It has mixed roots in Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish traditional music...
band the Black Mountain Boys — Garcia on guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
and vocals
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, David Nelson
David Nelson (musician)
David Nelson is an American guitarist and musician.Although he started his musical career playing folk and bluegrass music Nelson is probably best known as one of the original members of psychedelic country rock band the New Riders of the Purple Sage...
of the New Riders of the Purple Sage
New Riders of the Purple Sage
New Riders of the Purple Sage is an American country rock band. The group emerged from the psychedelic rock scene in San Francisco, California in 1969, and its original lineup included several members of the Grateful Dead. Their best known song is "Panama Red"...
on guitar and vocals, and Sandy Rothman
Sandy Rothman
Sandy Rothman is a San Francisco Bay Area bluegrass multi-instrumentalist and record producer, who plays mandolin, dobro and banjo, and was a friend and colleague of Grateful Dead bandleader Jerry Garcia, and a member of the Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band...
on mandolin
Mandolin
A mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
, dobro
Dobro
Dobro is a registered trademark, now owned by Gibson Guitar Corporation and used for a particular design of resonator guitar.The name has a long and involved history, interwoven with that of the resonator guitar...
, banjo
Banjo
In the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
, and vocals — plus long-time Garcia collaborator John Kahn
John Kahn
John Kahn was an American rock bass player. For a period of about twenty five years Kahn was Jerry Garcia's principal collaborator outside of the Grateful Dead.-Biography:...
on acoustic bass
Double bass
The double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
, Kenny Kosek
Kenny Kosek
Kenny Kosek, born in 1949 in The Bronx, New York, is an American fiddler who plays bluegrass, country, klezmer, folk music and roots music. In addition to his solo career, he has performed with many other well-known performers and contributed to film and television soundtrack music. He is also a...
on fiddle
Fiddle
The term fiddle may refer to any bowed string musical instrument, most often the violin. It is also a colloquial term for the instrument used by players in all genres, including classical music...
, and David Kemper
David Kemper
David Kemper is a drummer. He was a long-time member of both the Jerry Garcia Band and Bob Dylan's band . He was with the Jerry Garcia Band for the last eleven years of Garcia's life...
on snare drum
Snare drum
The snare drum or side drum is a melodic percussion instrument with strands of snares made of curled metal wire, metal cable, plastic cable, or gut cords stretched across the drumhead, typically the bottom. Pipe and tabor and some military snare drums often have a second set of snares on the bottom...
.
Critical reception
On Allmusic, William Rhulmann wrote, "Garcia, Nelson, and Rothman sing in three-part harmony, enthusiastically essaying songs associated with the likes of Riley PuckettRiley Puckett
George Riley Puckett was an American country music pioneer mostly known for being a member of Gid Tanner and the Skillet Lickers.-Biography:...
, the Stoney Mountain Boys, Charlie Monroe
Charlie Monroe
Charlie Monroe was an American country and bluegrass music guitarist.-Biography:Monroe was born on his family's farm in Rosine, Kentucky; he was the older brother of the mandolin player Bill Monroe. His sister Bertha also played guitar, and brother Birch, fiddle...
, and Ralph Stanley
Ralph Stanley
Ralph Stanley , also known as Dr. Ralph Stanley, is an American bluegrass artist, known for his distinctive singing and banjo playing.-Biography:...
, among others.... 'Ragged but right' is a good description of the contents. Grateful Dead fans may take special interest in the version of 'Goodnight Irene,' which is rearranged so differently from familiar renditions that it's practically a different song, at least in terms of the music; it sounds like it could have been on Garcia's first solo album from 1972."
On Jambands.com, John Patrick Gatta contrasted Ragged but Right with its predecessor, saying "The main difference between the two can be found in the warm quality of Almost Acoustic versus the soundboard/audience matrix-like sonics heard on Ragged. It’s not a slam, but a necessary point because the newly released album has a much different sensibility.... Feeding off the rowdy atmosphere, it’s a high-spirited performance. Offering an indication of the looseness of the performance, Garcia jokes to anyone that skipped work for the early show that he’s going to call their bosses. Despite this, there’s, obviously, a respect for the songs and disciplined interaction between the players."
Glide magazine listed Ragged but Right as one of the ten best archival releases of 2010, saying "This year’s Jerry Garcia archival release featured the short-lived, but most-excellent Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band. Not only did Jer’s family put out a remastered version of 1988's Almost Acoustic, but they also released a fine album of unreleased live material called Ragged but Right which contained the other 14 songs in the JGAB’s repertoire lovingly assembled by band member Sandy Rothman."
Track listing
- "Ragged but Right" (traditional)
- "Short Life of Trouble" (G. B. GraysonG. B. GraysonGilliam Banmon Grayson was an American Old-time fiddle player and singer. Mostly blind from infancy, Grayson is chiefly remembered for a series of sides recorded with guitarist Henry Whitter between 1927 and 1930 that would later influence numerous country, bluegrass, and rock musicians...
) - "I Ain't NeverI Ain't Never"I Ain't Never" is the title of a song, recorded in 1972, by American country music artist Mel Tillis. It was his first No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot Country Singles charts....
" (Webb PierceWebb PierceWebb Michael Pierce was one of the most popular American honky tonk vocalists of the 1950s, charting more number one hits than any other country artist during the decade. His biggest hit was "In The Jailhouse Now," which charted for 37 weeks in 1955, 21 of them at number one...
, Mel TillisMel TillisLonnie Melvin Tillis , known professionally as Mel Tillis, is an American country music singer. Although he recorded songs since the late 1950s, his biggest success occurred in the 1970s, with a long list of Top 10 hits....
) - "Trouble in MindTrouble in Mind (song)"Trouble in Mind" is a slow eight-bar blues song written by jazz pianist Richard M. Jones. The song was recorded in 1924 by singer Thelma La Vizzo with Jones providing the piano accompaniment...
" (Richard M. JonesRichard M. JonesRichard M. Jones, born Richard Marigny Jones, was a jazz pianist, composer, band leader, and record producer. Numerous songs bear his name as author, including "Trouble in Mind"....
) - "Drifting with the Tide" (traditional)
- Band introductions
- "Deep Elem BluesDeep Elm BluesThe Deep Elm Blues is an American traditional song. The title of the tune refers to the "Colored Red Light District" in Dallas, Texas, known as "Elm Street". Sometimes the song's title is also spelled "Deep Elem". The first known recording was made by the Cofer Brothers under the name of The...
" (traditional) - "Rosa Lee McFall" (traditional, Bill MonroeBill MonroeWilliam Smith Monroe was an American musician who created the style of music known as bluegrass, which takes its name from his band, the "Blue Grass Boys," named for Monroe's home state of Kentucky. Monroe's performing career spanned 60 years as a singer, instrumentalist, composer and bandleader...
) - "Two Soldiers" (traditional)
- "If I Lose" (traditional, Ralph StanleyRalph StanleyRalph Stanley , also known as Dr. Ralph Stanley, is an American bluegrass artist, known for his distinctive singing and banjo playing.-Biography:...
) - "Bright Morning Stars" (traditional)
- "Goodnight IreneGoodnight, Irene"Goodnight, Irene" or "Irene, Goodnight," is a 20th century American folk standard, written in 3/4 time, first recorded by American blues musician Huddie 'Lead Belly' Ledbetter in 1932....
" (traditional) - "It's a Long Long Way (To the Top of the World)" (Don Wayne)
- "Drifting Too Far from the Shore" (Charles E. MoodyCharles E. MoodyCharles Ernest Moody was a gospel songwriter from Gordon County, Georgia, United States. He was a member of the string band The Georgia Yellow Hammers from Calhoun, Georgia which included members Bill Chitwood, Bud Landress, and Phill Reeves...
) - "Turtle Dove" (traditional)
Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band
- Jerry GarciaJerry GarciaJerome John "Jerry" Garcia was an American musician best known for his lead guitar work, singing and songwriting with the band the Grateful Dead...
- guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - David NelsonDavid Nelson (musician)David Nelson is an American guitarist and musician.Although he started his musical career playing folk and bluegrass music Nelson is probably best known as one of the original members of psychedelic country rock band the New Riders of the Purple Sage...
- guitar, vocals - Sandy RothmanSandy RothmanSandy Rothman is a San Francisco Bay Area bluegrass multi-instrumentalist and record producer, who plays mandolin, dobro and banjo, and was a friend and colleague of Grateful Dead bandleader Jerry Garcia, and a member of the Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band...
- mandolinMandolinA mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
, dobroDobroDobro is a registered trademark, now owned by Gibson Guitar Corporation and used for a particular design of resonator guitar.The name has a long and involved history, interwoven with that of the resonator guitar...
, banjoBanjoIn the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
, vocals - John KahnJohn KahnJohn Kahn was an American rock bass player. For a period of about twenty five years Kahn was Jerry Garcia's principal collaborator outside of the Grateful Dead.-Biography:...
- acoustic bassDouble bassThe double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2... - Kenny KosekKenny KosekKenny Kosek, born in 1949 in The Bronx, New York, is an American fiddler who plays bluegrass, country, klezmer, folk music and roots music. In addition to his solo career, he has performed with many other well-known performers and contributed to film and television soundtrack music. He is also a...
- fiddleFiddleThe term fiddle may refer to any bowed string musical instrument, most often the violin. It is also a colloquial term for the instrument used by players in all genres, including classical music... - David KemperDavid KemperDavid Kemper is a drummer. He was a long-time member of both the Jerry Garcia Band and Bob Dylan's band . He was with the Jerry Garcia Band for the last eleven years of Garcia's life...
- snare drumSnare drumThe snare drum or side drum is a melodic percussion instrument with strands of snares made of curled metal wire, metal cable, plastic cable, or gut cords stretched across the drumhead, typically the bottom. Pipe and tabor and some military snare drums often have a second set of snares on the bottom...
Production
- Sandy Rothman – producer, liner notes
- John Cutler – recording
- Joe Gastwirt – mastering, editing
- Brendan Doyle – editing
- Steve Silberman – essay