Acoustic Disc

Listening to The Pizza Tapes opens an intimate window into the Jerry Garcia/David Grisman recording process: a laid-back as possible jam session. Packed with multiple takes, run-throughs and an unedited dialogue throughout, this expanded re-release is worth a long look. Although they originally recorded it in 1993, the aforementioned duo teamed up with guitarist Tony Rice for this improvised acoustic session released as a single disc in 2000. The story behind the name of the album is that a pizza delivery guy who stole the recording from Garcia’s kitchen initially bootlegged this stuff. The expanded three-disc set includes some classic sound bites, such as Jerry stopping in the middle of playing, pronouncing: “I done fucked it up already,” and makes for great entertainment. As far as the playing goes, well there’s plenty of that too. “Shady Grove,” “Man of Constant Sorrow” and “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” are highlights, but it’s the entire package that makes this edition totally worthwhile. It’s truly off-thecuff stuff here; in fact, by the time that the trio gets around to trying “House of the Rising Sun” on for size, they aren’t even sure what chord to start it in. Talk about getting the chance to be a fly on the wall.