#john kadlecik

[gratefulfrog]

[blackrockandrollmusic-blog]

Oteil Burbridge Summons Water in the Desert

With obligations to the Allman Brothers Band and Dead & Company plus reunion dates with Col. Bruce Hampton & the Aquarium Rescue Unit, guest spots on albums, a variety of collaborative performances and a newborn, it’s not surprising that the next solo album by bassist extraordinaire Oteil Burbridge took awhile.

The recently released Water in the Desert began 10 years ago when Oteil started the writing process. Produced by David Ryan Harris (who also sings on the album), Burbridge is joined by his brother Kofi Burbridge on keyboards, Dave Yoke on guitar, Lil’ John Roberts and Sean O’Rourke on drums, Miguel Atwood Ferguson on strings and Alfreda Gerald and Mark Rivers on vocals.  

With the songs incorporating elements of R&B, Jazz, Gospel, Funk, Blues and Rock, the album reflects his listening background and inspirations.

In the press release announcing the album Burbridge said, “They are all songs about love in some way,” he said, “finding out how to love yourself, hoping that another loved one will love you just as you are, believing in someone when they find it hard to believe in themselves, love gone wrong, or finally finding the “perfect fit.” I feel like every problem we have on earth in some way comes back to the lack of love. That’s really what this record is about.”

Burbridge hits the road for a week of dates in support of the “Water in the Desert.” Oteil & Friends includes Melvin Seals, Eric Krasno, John Kadlecik, Jay Lane, Weedie Braimah, and Alfreda Gerald. Seals will not be performing on the Nov. 6 date.

With a barely a moment to catch his breath, he reunites with the members of Dead & Company for that band’s fall tour. [Read More]

[gratefulfrog]

[gratefulfrog]

[krispyweiss]

Song Review: The Latin Dead - “Shakedown Street”

Following stints with Dark Star Orchestra, Furthur, Melvin Seals & JGB and Furhurmore, guitarist John Kadlecik has formed … another Grateful Dead tribute band.

The Latin Dead announced its debut album, Eyes of the World, with their cover of “Shakedown Street,” on which the 10-piece ensemble basically pairs Robert Hunter’s words with the theme song of “Sex and the City” and horn charts. Add Andy Vargas’ high vocals to the mix and this is something even Kadlecik - who fronts a Furthur tribute band - might regret.

Besides the title track and the lead single, Eyes of the World is to include “Help on the Way,” “Franklin’s Tower,” “Looks Like Rain,” “One More Saturday Night,” “The Golden Road (To Unlimited Devotion)” and four other Grateful Dead originals. It’s due Feb. 14.

Grade card: The Latin Dead - “Shakedown Street” - D-

2/3/23

[krispyweiss]

“No. 1 in That Seat of Simulation,” John Kadlecik Joins Melvin Seals & JGB Full-time

In some regards, John Kadlecik’s long trip has been even stranger than Jerry Garcia’s.

And it just got weirder, as Kadlecik joins Melvin Seals & JGB as a full-time member.

First, a quick recap:

In 2009, Kadlecik gave up his spot in the Garcia role with Dark Star Orchestra to step into the Garcia role with Furthur, which splintered in 2014. In 2019, after a half-decade of playing solo, with the Golden Gate Wingmen and occasionallly with Phil Lesh & Friends, Kadlecik steps into the JG role with Seals’ second-generation Jerry Garcia Band.

“I am very honored,” Kadlecik said in a post on his Facebook page.

In a not-so-simple twist of fate, Kadlecik will find himself opening for his former DSO bandmates - and his replacement, Jeff Mattson - when Seals & JGB perform at the former’s Jam in the Sand in January in Jamaica.

“John is No. 1 at sitting in that seat of simulation,” Seals said in a statement announcing Kadlecik’s hiring and dissing Mattson and all the other guitar players in JGB’s past lineups.

“Many players have licks that sound like Garcia, but John is full force with a sense of originality.”

12/10/19

[krispyweiss]

Album Review: John Kadlecik - On the Road

After years of imitating Jerry Garcia - most notably with Dark Star Orchestra and Furthur - John Kadlecik strikes out on his own with On the Road.

And the man who some fans derisively call “Fake Jerry” obviously has a sense of self-deprecating humor, as he opens his first proper solo album with an instrumental titled “How Am I Not Myself,” on which he plays a lot like a certain former Grateful Dead frontman.

Kadlecik does much Garcia mimicry across On the Road. But despite covers of “Lazy River Road” and “So Many Roads,” the latter sounding like Garcia’s ghost on wax, this LP is more Jerry Garcia Band, Garcia and Merl Saunders and Legion of Mary than Grateful Dead.

With a core band that includes Bob Weir and RatDog’s rhythm section of Robin Sylvester (bass) and Jay Lane (drums), keyboardist Benjie Porecki and backing vocalists Mary Lankford and Jessica Lake, and including new numbers and reworked versions of tracks by Kadlecik’s pre-DSO band Hairball Willie, On the Road is a refreshing move toward originality for John K.

But, for better or worse, he just can’t help sounding a whole lot like Jerry G.

Grade card: John Kadlecik - On the Road - C+

1-3-19

[krispyweiss]

Song Reviews: Oteil & Friends - “That’s What Love Will Make You Do” and “I Know You Rider” (Live, Dec. 29, 2018)

Members of Dead & Company (Oteil Burbridge), the Jerry Garcia Band (Melvin Seals), Furthur (John Kadlecik), Bob Weir & Wolf Bros (Jay Lane), Phil Lesh and Friends (Eric Krasno) and the Trey Anastasio Band (Jennifer Hartswick) joined forces as Oteil & Friends for a series of year-end concerts and a celebration of music they love.

Accompanied by percussionist Weedie Braimah, the group covered cover songs that often found their way into Garcia Band and Grateful Dead sets, respectively, when they played “That’s What Love Will Make You Do” and “I Know You Rider” to open the second set Dec. 29 at the Capitol Theatre in New York. The songs represent the free portion of a paid webcast on the Relix Channel, where the band’s Dec. 30 and 31 shows will also be streamed.

Guitarist Kadlecik, as is is wont, plays as much like Garcia as he can, while Krasno, as is his, does not. Organist Seals handles lead vocals on “Love,” which is essentially a groove as excuse to solo. Kadlecik, Krasno and Seals take their turns - Seals being the standout as he leads the band to a climax and leaves the final verse to the audience - which doesn’t know the words - while Hartswick blows some ill-placed trumpet.

While this is tight, “Rider” is loose - too loose - as Kadlecik and Hartswick try to harmonize and derail on the “northbound train” verse, leaving Kadlecik and Krasno’s uncanny Garcia/Bob Weir guitar imitations as the highlight.

Grade card: Oteil & Friends - “That’s What Love Will Make You Do” and “I Know You Rider” (Live - 12/29/18) - B-/C

12/30/18