Song Review(s): Phil Lesh & Friends - “Aiko Aiko,” “Cold Rain and Snow” and “China Cat Sunflower” -> “I Know You Rider” (Live, Oct. 14, 2022)
With seven Friends joining Phil Lesh on stage, things can be exuberant, sloppy or a bit of both.
Couch surfers got to hear all of these elements in “Aiko Aiko,” “Cold Rain and Snow” and “China Cat Sunflower” -> “I Know You Rider,” the gratis tracks from Lesh & Friends’ Oct. 14 gig/livestream in New York State.
Guitarists Eric Krasno, John Scofield and Grahame Lesh; keyboardist Ivan Neville; Karl Denson on sax, flute and percussion; drummer Alex Koford; and harpist Mikaela Davis were Lesh’s band this time out. Davis was mostly inaudible until the octet dissolved into a “Space” segment between “China” and “Rider,” but there was still an abundance of cooks.
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Neville sung “Aiko” and while the groove was deep, there was some toe-stepping where solos belonged. Denson shined on flute and intruded on tambourine.
The namesake bassist took the mic for “Cold Rain and Snow,” a ramshackle version with vocal flubs and traffic jams on stage.
“China Cat” fared better, with Koford on lead vocals and the players having found their spots. The segue was going in interesting directions before it morphed to “Space” and cracked into “Rider.”
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The latter had rough harmony singing and relatively smooth playing.
Lesh, 82, has eight more shows with a revolving cast of players scheduled at the Capitol Theatre through Oct. 31. And that’s the most-important thing here.
Grade card: Phil Lesh & Friends - “Aiko Aiko,” “Cold Rain and Snow” and “China Cat Sunflower” -> “I Know You Rider” (Live - 10/14/22) - B+/C/B/B-
10/15/22
