David Bowie, star and genius, never stopped reinventing himself throughout his fascinating, shape-shifting musical career. Although few in number, his contributions to Europe '72 are among the most commanding not only of this release, but of his career. Great pioneer of free jazz, and majestic figure of the musical avant-garde of the 20th Century, the Texan saxophonist always inspired a strong reaction. An American-Australian audio engineer, Bear was a key figure in the Bay Area hippie movement in the ’60s. ![]() Guitarist Jerry Garcia called Mydland's death 'crushing', according to Relix, an event that abruptly ended a decade of stability for the band. Keith Godchaux was now on keyboards, with his wife Donna Jean providing occasional backing vocals. Mydland served as the third Grateful Dead member to die, following founding member Ron 'Pigpen' McKernan in 1973 and Keith Godchaux in 1980. Sadly, this European jaunt would be the last of its kind to include the formidable talents and soul of founding member Ron "Pigpen" McKernan (organ/mouth harp/vocals), who was in increasingly fragile health. It was also the first to be recorded without original member Ron 'Pigpen' McKernan, whod recently died of internal hemorrhaging due to complications from alcoholism. Since their last outing, the group had expanded to include the husband-and-wife team of Keith Godchaux (keyboards) and Donna Jean Godchaux (vocals). Among them are "China Cat Sunflower" - which was now indelibly linked to the longtime Dead cover "I Know You Rider" - as well as "Cumberland Blues," "Truckin'," "Sugar Magnolia," and "Morning Dew." With the additional album the band was able to again incorporate some of their exceedingly stretched-out instrumental improvisations - titled "Epilogue" and "Prelude" here. ![]() The band mixes a bevy of new material - such as "Ramble on Rose," "Jack Straw," "Tennessee Jed," "Brown-Eyed Woman," and "He's Gone" - with revisitations of back-catalog favorites. ![]() This collection is fashioned in much the same way as their previous release - which had also been a live multi-disc affair. The Grateful Dead commemorated their first extended European tour with an extravagant triple-LP set appropriately enough titled Europe '72.
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