So I know this is an old post, but yeah. From a musician’s perspective, it’s not a key change/scale change (scale changes usually don’t happen in music because most “scale changes” are accounted for in a key change – best example is from a major chord to a minor chord. Straight up scale changes aren’t used frequently. To give a GD example of a key change is any version of Help>Slipknot! This set of chord changes (we call those cadences) completely amazes me EVERY TIME). Jerry just simply turns off an effect on the guitar at the end of his solo.

On a side note, there are some other solos you might wanna check out. 04-21-78, Stella Blue has a beautiful solo near the end. You can find this track actually on the So Many Roads box set (which by the way, I really enjoy).

05-28-77, Sugaree is straight BEAUTIFUL. I like the AUD, but GDP rereleased this as To Terrapin (which you don’t seem to like, but you should actually give it a listen). It’s a long 20 minute piece, with three solos. If you give it a serious listen, you can tell how the band works together amazingly to slowly and minutely build magically up until the climax in Jerry’s solo, then all together gradually come down. On a side note, the transition from Bertha>Good Lovin’ is pure musical genius, while another example of a key change is the transition from Good Lovin’>Sugaree. It’s amazing how Jerry can so exquisitely manage the amazingly awkward key change and make it sound natural.

09-28-1975, Franklin’s Tower has an awesome second solo again – this solo made me almost cry also when I first heard it because it is way too short.

Happy listening!

The ability to share these experiences and learn from those who’ve been on this particular road longer is absolutely precious to me.

I missed out on the community of these shows the first time around but I am comforted that I am already feeling the community in the form of your comments.

Getting doses of folks’ perspective this way in a highly-concentrated form, it’s just unbelievable.

In so many aspects of life I am now expected to have and provide answers, it is thrilling to be able to be the one with questions — a role I will be in for a long time with regard to the Grateful Dead.

Hope you stick around and find things worth reading, to revive your own fond memories.

Doesn’t even seem like music. It’s more. It’s why I’ve been traveling the Golden Road for years and recently became re-enlightened again. I can’t get enough with all the riches available on archive.org and being able to see The Dead this month. I’m stoked that you are on the bus. It was never too late. It will last forever because the boys were smart enough to know when the magic hit a recorder would be handy. By the way, I’ve slept to Freedom Hall as well. It seems like a dream when I hear Jerry quoting My Old Kentucky Home in Beat It On Down The Line (did he plan it?) and I always melt into It’s a Sin. Great site you’ve got going here! Keep it up. You may even want to check out icepetal’s deadlistening.blogspot.com. Happy discoveries.

I will hold off as long as I can — maybe until tomorrow, then give it a listen. Anything in the same league as that Buffalo ’78 version needs to be heard.