Europe '72 Grateful Dead Artist

{|The Grateful Dead|} commemorated their first extended European tour with an extravagant triple-LP set appropriately enough titled {|Europe '72|}. This collection is fashioned in much the same way as their previous release -- which had also been a live multi-disc affair. The band mixes a bevy of new material -- such as {|Ramble on Rose,|} {|Jack Straw,|} {|Tennessee Jed,|} {|Brown-Eyed Woman,|} and {|He's Gone|} -- with revisitations of back-catalog favorites. Among them are {|China Cat Sunflower|} -- which was now indelibly linked to the longtime {|Dead|} cover {|I Know You Rider|} -- as well as {|Cumberland Blues,|} {|Truckin',|} {|Sugar Magnolia,|} and {|Morning Dew.|} With the additional album the band was able to again incorporate some of their exceedingly stretched-out instrumental {|improvisations|} -- titled {|Epilogue|} and {|Prelude|} here. Since their last outing, the group had expanded to include the husband-and-wife team of {|Keith Godchaux|} (keyboards) and {|Donna Jean Godchaux|} (vocals). Sadly, this European jaunt would be the last of its kind to include the formidable talents and soul of founding member {|Ron Pigpen McKernan|} (organ/mouth harp/vocals), who was in increasingly fragile health. Although few in number, his contributions to {|Europe '72|} are among the most commanding not only of this release, but of his career. ~ Lindsay Planer