(~);} Phil Lesh and Lebo and Friends “Eyes of the World > Mexicali Blues”

(~);}

SAN RAFAEL, CALIFORNIA: Phil Lesh joins Lebo and Friends Cinco de Mayo Bash | Grate Room Terrapin Crossroads 

Lebo and Friends played a super fun high energy Cinco de Mayo Bash at Terrapin Crossroads, and gave the festive audience a lot to move to, dance with, and enjoy. Lebo’s song choices were a creative dip into the Cinco de Mayo theme, including the encore choice of Marty Robbins classic (oft covered by Grateful Dead), “El Paso” (I fell in love with a Mexican girl…), layered in, out,and back into the classic “Cielito Lindo” (Ay yi yi yi song). He even referred to it a s a “little Peyote journey”  – (though a little layer of an RMFJ “El Paso” riff would’ve really added a twisted flavor; alas, I digress…)

Towards the end of the 1st set, Terrapin Crossroads proprietor, Grateful Dead bass player Phil Lesh, joined in on the 3 Grateful Dead songs, with Lebo taking lead vocals on all three. “Eyes of The World > Mexicali Blues”, and then a really fun “Shakedown Street” that several fans of ALO (Animal Liberation Orchestra, Lebo’s main band) thought had teases of ALO’s “I Love Music” in it.

(~);} “Shakedown Street”

Many of the songs were given extra Cinco de Mayo seasoning by The Combustible Horns, ft. Michael Mark Bello, and Dave Len Scott.  Plenty hot!

Lebo also  debuted a new song, “This Is Is What It Sounds Like To Be Alive” – he said this song was inspired by the community at Terrapin Crossroads, and the rich creative music scene happening in the bay area right now that the musicians and all of us are a part of.  He thinks TxR is the epicenter of all this good energy… and he wrote this song about it.  He shares the vocals with Lesley Grant on this one, enjoy the video from MarkoVision Films below.

World Debut of “This is What It Sounds like To Be Alive”

And the lovely Lesley Grant. She is great in combo with Lebo when they share songs, or she sings back up, though we wanted her turned up a bit more in the mix.  She took the lead on the bands’s tribute to our dearly departed Prince, “Kiss”, in a  powerful, fun, and loving tribute. And in the second set, she gave a very moving rendition of Bob Dylan’s “Forever Young”.

“Try > Kiss > Try”

“Forever Young”

Jay Lane was kick ass on drums,a s to be expected from the drummer of Primus and RatDog! Jay is also a memeber of the Doobie Decibel System along with Lebo and Jason Crosby. Jason was fantastic on the keys, with fun flourishes adding more flavor de Mayo, and he also sang  his own song “More To Lose”.   On bass was Garrett Sayers from the Motet, and he was just ripping on those 5 strings throughout the night!  Good good stuff, all around!

While the line up may change next time a Lebo and Friends show is billed – don’t miss it, Lebo has proven himself a talented band leader, taking fun chances with the songs, mixing styles and jams, and  putting together a great group of Friends to play it all, and playfully guiding us all intoa groovy musical space. Of course Lebo himself excelled at what he does, beautifully intense guitar leads that build into the motif of the song, taking it out and bringing it back while never losing the funk along the way. He’s a very valuable addition to the Terrapin Nation’s musical landscape, and it’s always a pleasure and honor to see Dan Lebowitz in action.

I see a lot of Lebo, clearly I am a major fan. But this one on Cinco de Mayo… extra spicy!

(~);}

SETLIST
Cinco de Mayo Bash w/ Lebo & Friends

Dan Lebo Lebowitz  – guitars and vocals
Jason Crosby – keyboards and vocals
Jay Lane – drums
Garrett Sayers – bass
Leslie Grant – vocals
and The Combustible Horns: ft. Michael Mark Bello, and Dave Len Scott
and extra special guest, our host:
Phil Lesh – bass ^

Grate Room
Terrapin Crossroads
San Rafael Califonia
May 5, 2016

SET 1
Do It Again >
Armando’s Rhumba >     (Chick Corea)
Do it Again
Try  >
Kiss >  lg (Prince)
Try
This Is What It Sounds Like To Be Alive (debut)
Eyes Of The World >  ^
Mexicali Blues   ^
Shakedown Street ^

SET 2
Oh My My
Listen To The River lg
More To Lose jc
Mission Street
Forever Young lg (Dylan)
Picture of You
I Wanna Feel It

Encore: %
El Paso > (Marty Robbins)
Cielito Lindo > (popular Mexican song)
El Paso >
Cielito Lindo

% additional vocals by Jay Lane’s beautiful daughter, Erica Lane

 

 

 

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