Death and dying are themes that have always gone hand in hand with the Grateful Dead.
But it never gets easier.
Let me get to the point, there is a day-time celebration of life for John B. Wolfe at Tuttle’s in Hopkins Sunday afternoon from 3 to 6 p.m. The Jones Gang, Tangled Up In Dylan and other special guests will perform.
Wolfe was the keyboardist for The Jones Gang, Minneapolis’ original Grateful Dead cover band, which early on featured guitarist Stu Allen. Wolfe died somewhat unexpectedly in late January. Here is Wolfe’s obituary.
Very shortly after Wolfe died, The Jones Gang had an excruciating decision to make because they had a gig planned, along with TWINE, at The Hook and Ladder Theater that weekend, which was also supposed to be a 50th birthday party for a devoted fan.
I’m sure everyone would have understood regardless of the decision they made, but they chose to play and let the music help do its healing thing.
Wookiefoot keyboardist Marcus Schmid gracefully filled in on the keys.
TWINE saxophonist Brian “Snowman” Powers sat in for a couple of songs, including an incredible “Eyes of the World,” which reminded everybody of one of the all-time performances of the song at Nassau Coliseum featuring Branford Marsalis.
The band played an emotional set. You could hear, feel and see the emotion with which they played.
I had the occasion of taking long-time Jones Gang member, friend and neighbor of Wolfe, Jim “Jimbo Jones” Hinkley to see Chicago Dead cover band Terrapin Flyer to the Turf Club the following evening. It was a very good show, and we were both pleased that word had reached Terrapin guitarist Doug Hagman, who dedicated the show to Wolfe.
Here are some pictures from The Jones Gang’s show January 24.
