Photo Credit: Marc Millman

“Nothing can go wrong when it’s all cosmically right,” – Phil Lesh. 

Phil Lesh has shared the fifth installment of his lauded Clubhouse Sessions. The latest addition to the established YouTube jam series features the Grateful Dead bassist, alongside son Grahame Lesh and fellow collaborators Stu Allen, Holly Bowling, Alex Koford, and, for the first time, special guest Greensky Bluegrass’ Dave Bruzza. Fraying from its typical presentation, the new chapter focuses on Grateful Dead musical traditions, song sequencing, and more. 

“I’ve been fascinated by the history and evolution of the songs and the sequences that Grateful Dead did back in the day. These songs have changed keys, changed the tempo, changed–sometimes even–the groove,” Lesh explains navigating the crux of the session intent. “I want to kind of explore that and basically start at the beginning and retrace the evolution of these songs and these sequences through time, at least part way, you know?” 

Focusing their initial efforts on sister tunes “China Cat Sunflower” > “I Know You Rider,” Lesh reveals that prior to the [aforementioned] glorified pairing, the Dead had different intentions in the late ‘60s, merging “China Cat” into “The Eleven.” The latter piece would later become a part of its very own sequence: “St. Stephen” > “William Tell Bridge” > “The Eleven.” Lesh notes that in January 1968, the band performed at The Carousel Ballroom, initially delivering “China Cat” in the key of E. In time, it was deemed too low for Jerry Garcia’s voice, and they raised it to G while leaving the bridge as it was initially conceived–and serving as the reasoning behind the band’s switch from “China Cat” > “The Eleven,” to “China Cat” > “Rider.” 

In the same vein, the group of jammers led by the 84-year-old genuine break down another sequence, “New Potato Caboose” > “Born Cross Eyed,” discussing it around the table before taking it to the studio. An upbeat “Going Down the Road Feeling Bad” beckons Bruzza’s arrival. From the favored lines, the band births a jam that unfolds into a [mostly] acapella, “And We Bid You Goodnight,” with a flutter of final instrumentation, not unlike renditions performed by the Dead.  

Scroll down to watch The Clubhouse Sessions: Episode 5 – ft. Dave Bruzza, and listen to the Grateful Dead’s referenced Jan. 17, 1968, performance of “Dark Star” > “China Cat Sunflower” > “The Eleven.”