name, city, instrument, years of playing, current band, gear
 #167686  by BluegillFreegrass
 
Hello fellow humans!

I've been into the dead for more than 25 years. I'm an amateur musician (intermediate guitarist, burgeoning mandolinist, and hack pianist) but just recently started playing Jerry's material. I'm hoping to find some likeminded musicians in the area who are down to get together for a jam (or maybe know of ongoing jams focused on Dead songs or similar genre). For a sense of my style / vibe check out my SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/bluegill-freegrass/sets/jerry.

Musically, what has always drawn me to the Dead are Jerry's improvisations. Jerry's improvisational approach has always been inspiring to me. The only other guitarist I can think of who had the same effect on me over time was Django Reinhardt. Is it simply a coincidence that they both were missing a fretting finger? Both of these legends were living proof that it is constraint from which the most interesting and creative innovations emerge!

Thanks for being here!

Walter (aka BlueGill FreeGrass)
strumminsix liked this
 #167689  by Jon S.
 
Welcome, Walter.

P.S. Yes - it's a coincidence. :-)
BluegillFreegrass liked this
 #167691  by lbpesq
 
+1 on Django! I’ve read interviews where Jerry identified Reinhardt as one of his major influences. But, to be accurate, Jerry’s missing digit was on his picking hand, not his fretting hand. As far as guitar playing goes, Django’s disability had far more impact on his playing than Jerry’s ever did. What always amazed me, though, about Jerry’s disability was how he overcame it when it came to picking the Banjo..

Bill, tgo
BluegillFreegrass liked this