How Sweet It Is (To Get To Speak To You)  A Conversation with Melvin Seals

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How Sweet It Is (To Get To Speak To You) A Conversation with Melvin Seals

by Ali Kaufman

Ihad the good fortune to speak with Melvin

Seals right after he returned from his 5th sailing on Jam Cruise. If you have ever been to one of his shows, you are most likely already smiling, just thinking about him joyfully playing the Hammond B-3. Melvin is one of those rare human beings who is as well known for his light and love as he is for his chosen career. He has worked with many giants in the industry, but is probably best known for the 18 years he spent with the Jerry Garcia Band. In the last 22

sign of slowing down. I love how Melvin refers to this demographic as “Jerry’s kids,” and seems tickled that the long strange trip just keeps rolling on.

His journey did not start with the music of the Dead; it was Elvin Bishop that he was with when Jerry first saw Melvin. That festival in San Diego included both of them on the bill, and truth be told,

the Oasis fame. Maria’s then-boyfriend was John Kahn, bassist with Jerry for over 20 years outside of his work with the Dead. So in knowing Maria, a friendship between John and Melvin developed, leading to a phone call to see if Melvin might be available to work on something together. “As a musician, you take opportunities that come to you, so I accepted,” Melvin quipped. We can all be glad that he did, because he showed up, and that was the beginning of his relationship with the Jerry Garcia Band.

Fans might be surprised to learn that classical, jazz, blues, gospel and opera are all part of Mr. Seals repertoire as well. Some years back, he put out an album with John Kadlecik exploring other sounds, but at the time the

or so years, Melvin has kept the flame alive touring as Melvin Seals and JGB. Young audiences, now the children of the Dead Heads, seem to be just as enamored with the connection to Jerry as we were back in the day, maybe even more so. The jam scene has continued to explode in popularity and shows no

Melvin didn’t even know who Garcia was! In a very uncharacteristic move, Jerry came out from the hospitality area to check out their set. Merle Saunders was playing with Jerry at the time and friends with both artists, so that put Melvin on Jerry’s radar. Melvin next started working with Maria Muldaur of Midnight at

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record company seemed at a loss on how to market such a diverse offering; so with no strong direction, it fell by the wayside. Fast forward to today, and I am thrilled to share that Melvin is working on a new jazz album for release this year. I also must mention the cuts he played on one of my favorite albums of 2018, Grateful Dub: A Reggae Infused Tribute to the Grateful Dead by the Roots Of Creation. So good!!!

note to readers in the East, the Capitol Theater in Port Chester, New York on March 9th is one the band, venue, and fans look forward to. The Narrows in Fall River, Massachusetts will have them on March 14th, and looking ahead to the festival season, you can catch them at Branch Fest in Newport, Maine May 30 -June 2.

Visit Melvinsealsandjgb.com for more information

I caught a live show late last year and asked about the current personnel which blew me away, especially the guitarist, Zach Nugent.“I’ve had studio musicians that were capable of electrifying you with their musicality,

but to take the music to another level, you need more. You need to live it, not dial it in.” Melvin went on to share how important connecting with the audience is to him and the experience he wants to offer. Of Zach he said, “This young man lives and breathes the essence of Jerry and what we do.” He had high praise for his singers Sunshine Becker, Lady Chi, and other members; Peter Davis Lavezzoli on drums and John Paul McLean on bass as well.

The tour continues with shows all over the map. Of particular