Once again these guys grace us with their presence as they treat us with their own brand of Grateful Dead music, this time brining along a couple of friends from the Grateful Dead family to spice things up a bit. The band, consisiting of Tom Circosta on guitar and vocals, Klyph Black on bass and vocals, Freeman White on keys, Dave Diamond on drums and Mike Mizwinski (Miz) on some outstanding lead guitar and vocals. As a band, Jam Stampede can hold their own on on any given night but tonight’s special guest, both members of the extended Grateful Dead family, seriously helped to bring it home.

First, Mark Karan, who has played with a number of different artists throughout his career, Dave Mason, Huey Lewis, Paul Carrack, Delaney Bramlett, Sophie B. Hawkins, The Rembrandts, The Other Ones, Mickey Hart’s Planet Drum, Phil Lesh & Friends and is still playing with RatDog. Also on saxophone was Kenny Brooks, an outstanding player with an impressive resume. He has played with the Peck Allmond Group, Kotoja, Joe Henderson, Charlie Hunter, Mike Clark, Ohio Players, Steve Smith, Les Claypool, MMW, String Cheese Incident, Josh Roseman, Chuck MacKinnon, 41Funk Jam Band, RatDog and is co-founder of the hip/hop-jazz band called Alphabet Soup.

The Brooklyn Bowl, known for it’s Blue Ribbon food (the fried chicken is to die for) is a unique combination bar & grill, bowling alley and concert venue that creates an atmosphere that is just right for partying and getting down to live music. Oftentimes you can hear bowling balls barreling down lanes and knocking down pins in between songs as the bands play. This evening it was apparent that Dead-heads were in force as they came from near and far to hear what these boys were putting down and from the start it was apparent that they were ready to do just that.

Kenny Brooks came on stage first and played throughout the entire show with the members of Jam Stampede in tow. And the show was off with a rocking Jam > Mississippi Half Step > Big River > West LA Fadeaway segue that had the crowd dancing and moving as they got into the grove of things. Not much longer into the set Mark Karan and Jason Crosby on keys (a multi-talented New York area musician who sat in with so many bands too numerous to count, i.e. God Street Wine and Academy of Dust to name just a couple) came out on rocking version of Tennessee Jed and that is when things really started to get hot. Songs of note during the second set were Ballad of a Thin Man and a bluesy version of Death Don’t Have No Mercy as Mark Karan tore into the lyrics and laid down some serious riffs and still a funky version of Turn On Your Lovelight with Kenny Brooks adding flavor to this classic Grateful Dead favorite. The icing on the cake was the encore, a sweet version of Sugaree with Mark Karan on vocals. Throughout the night there were some seriously magical moments and some highs that everyone in attendance knew they were experiencing. This is not this reviewers first time seeing this band and if I have my way it will not be my last.

Set List:
SET 1 Jam> Mississippi Half Step> Big River>West LA Fadeaway, Hard To Handle, *+ Tennessee Jed, *+ Cassidy, *+ The Wheel> *+ Brown Eyed Woman, *+ Goin Down The Road Feelin Bad

SET 2 * Shakedown Street> * It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train to Cry, * Other One> * Death Don’t Have No Mercy, * Ballad Of A Thin Man> * Don’t Let Go> * Wharf Rat> * Morning Dew> * Turn On Your Lovelight E: * Sugaree
* with Mark Karan, + with Jason Crosby, Kenny Brooks all songs

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