RIP Phil Lesh, founding member and bassist of the Grateful Dead

[Logic]

I would just like to say that no one has ever played the bass like Phil Lesh before, and no one probably ever will again.

Most bassists more or less sound the same. Lesh was the exception. He played all over the fretboard. Played his instrument like a lead guitar. At times he anchored the music as bassists usually do, but at times he also left that to the drummers and keyboardist and said "see ya later" and took off on a flight of fancy, challenging the rest of the band to keep up. 

Lesh was an incredibly original player. So was Bob Weir. So was Jerry. The fact that there were THREE very original players leading the band -- and that they all took turns leading, pushing, pulling, and sonically cajoling each other -- is what made the Dead's music so interesting and it's why they've sometimes been referred to as "electric Dixieland".

Lesh's quote "never play a song the same way once!" was apt. He was such a singular musician, and the Dead were such a singular band. I haven't been too sad about Phil in the few days since his passing. He lived a long, great life and died peacefully with family. Instead, I've just been soaking up the sounds he left behind. What a gift his music was to the world, and what an unspeakable amount of joy it has brought to my life.

Always one of my favorite illustration's of Phil's unmatchable groove and bounce :

 

 

[Mr Info]

I had the opportunity to meet Lesh before a Dead show at Philly about 15-20 years ago. He had an organ donation event in the afternoon prior to the show where he signed paraphernalia in return for a donation to an organ donation group that I do not recall and/or signing up for organ donation.
I will never forget how humble and mild mannered he was. We only spoke for 1-2 minutes and no inkling of him being a famous musician and nice to see him continuing to support other organ recipients after his liver transplant.

[Simon]

2 hours ago, Logic said:

I would just like to say that no one has ever played the bass like Phil Lesh before, and no one probably ever will again.

 

 

 

Posted this elsewhere but wasn't sure you'd see it and thought you might appreciate:

 

Saturday night we had a sort of closing ceremonies party out our camp on the river before closing up for the winter. After midnight when most everybody had headed off for bed I took off the jumpin' party music and put on that "Eyes" with Branford Marsalis and just sat by the fire with a nightcap soaking it up. Damn, did Phil do great work in that.  Genuinely skilled leads on a rhythm instrument; just beautiful stuff all around. 🥲 

[Logic]

53 minutes ago, Simon said:

 

Posted this elsewhere but wasn't sure you'd see it and thought you might appreciate:

 

Saturday night we had a sort of closing ceremonies party out our camp on the river before closing up for the winter. After midnight when most everybody had headed off for bed I took off the jumpin' party music and put on that "Eyes" with Branford Marsalis and just sat by the fire with a nightcap soaking it up. Damn, did Phil do great work in that.  Genuinely skilled leads on a rhythm instrument; just beautiful stuff all around. 🥲 

Thanks for that.

I can (and do) get lost in that version of Eyes over and over and over again. A stellar example (even 25 years into their career) of what the Dead could be at their best.

[gomper]

3 hours ago, Logic said:

I would just like to say that no one has ever played the bass like Phil Lesh before, and no one probably ever will again.

Most bassists more or less sound the same. Lesh was the exception. He played all over the fretboard. Played his instrument like a lead guitar. At times he anchored the music as bassists usually do, but at times he also left that to the drummers and keyboardist and said "see ya later" and took off on a flight of fancy, challenging the rest of the band to keep up. 

Lesh was an incredibly original player. So was Bob Weir. So was Jerry. The fact that there were THREE very original players leading the band -- and that they all took turns leading, pushing, pulling, and sonically cajoling each other -- is what made the Dead's music so interesting and it's why they've sometimes been referred to as "electric Dixieland".

Lesh's quote "never play a song the same way once!" was apt. He was such a singular musician, and the Dead were such a singular band. I haven't been too sad about Phil in the few days since his passing. He lived a long, great life and died peacefully with family. Instead, I've just been soaking up the sounds he left behind. What a gift his music was to the world, and what an unspeakable amount of joy it has brought to my life.

Always one of my favorite illustration's of Phil's unmatchable groove and bounce :

 

 

He really was amazing. If you concentrate on his playing alone on a song, you hear a complete piece of music. A piece that not only supports the song but leads it as well. All the while being improvised. Like Jerry, he was an endless supply of evolving ideas. He really had no equal and probably never will.

[Gregg]

5 minutes ago, Logic said:

Thanks for that.

I can (and do) get lost in that version of Eyes over and over and over again. A stellar example (even 25 years into their career) of what the Dead could be at their best.

 

Here is another great version of Eyes. I was at this show.

 

 

[Logic]

4 minutes ago, Gregg said:

 

Here is another great version of Eyes. I was at this show.

 

 

Yes absolutely!

I saw this video on the big screen at a Grateful Dead "meetup at the movies" a few years back, and it was awesome. Blew me away.

I always love Bruce Hornsby era Dead. The sound of his grand piano fit in beautifully and really brought something unique to the music in those years. His presence (particularly early on in his tenure with the band) also really seemed to inspire Jerry to play well and be creative and to have fun, which in turn meant the band would usually follow suit, and a great night of music would ensue.

We are so, so, so lucky to have so much recorded material from this band. To think that one can listen to high quality recordings of almost every live show they ever played for 30 years is absolutely mind blowing. What a gift.

[gomper]

1 hour ago, Gregg said:

 

Here is another great version of Eyes. I was at this show.

 

 

Iwt as well. I remember listening to Kelly throw 5 or 6 TD's against the Steelers on the ride down. Dark Star teases throughout.  Fun show. 

[Simon]

2 hours ago, Logic said:

I always love Bruce Hornsby era Dead. The sound of his grand piano fit in beautifully and really brought something unique to the music in those years. His presence (particularly early on in his tenure with the band) also really seemed to inspire Jerry to play well and be creative and to have fun, which in turn meant the band would usually follow suit, and a great night of music would ensue.

 

I bet his bluegrass chops really got Garcia engaged