DJ, producer, and multi-instrumentalist LP Giobbi offers new danceified interpretations of staples from the Grateful Dead songbook on Garcia (Remixed). Produced in celebration of the 50th anniversary of Jerry Garcia‘s debut solo album, Garcia, the eight-track collection hosts radically reimagined dance mixes of songs that became mainstays in the Grateful Dead’s live repertoire including “Deal”, “Bird Song”, “Sugaree”, “Loser”, “The Wheel”, and more. The album also features a psychedlic reinterpretation of the album’s original cover art by graphic artist Young & Sick.
Just the idea of remixing Jerry Garcia songs might sound sacrilegious to some Deadheads, but Giobbi honors the spirit of the original recordings far better than your average Grateful Dead cover band by sampling Jerry’s voice and guitar and constructing deep house grooves around them. Jerry’s singing in particular shines like never before in the context of Giobbi’s stripped-down arrangements, and her keyboard playing—she graduated from UC Berkeley in 2009 with a degree in jazz piano performance—provides a supportive harmonic foundation while adding a layer of sophisticated musicianship not typically associated with electronic dance music.
“Getting to remix Jerry Garcia’s entire first album is one of the coolest things I will ever be a part of,” said Giobbi. “Being raised by Deadheads, Jerry felt like a part of my family growing up. I’ve known his voice intimately since the womb and to this day his voice is synonymous with home. Getting to sit in the studio and listen to his creations and pull them apart and appreciate every part of them in a new way was beyond a dream come true. I felt so connected to my family, where I came from and where I’m going through this process.”
Born and raised by Deadhead parents in Eugene, OR, Giobbi began her music career as a pianist before stumbling upon the world of electronic music. When she began playing DJ sets in her parents’ vintage Grateful Dead tees, she was surprised to discover a significant overlap between the EDM and Deadhead communities. A friend then gave her some stems—i.e., individuated instrument and vocal tracks—from Grateful Dead recordings, which she began incorporating into mixes during her popular Dead House livestreams on Twitch. She was encouraged by Bob Weir‘s manager when the two were both booked to play a livestream benefit for Backline, and she was ultimately invited to play a DJ set at Dead and Company‘s Playing in the Sand destination event in 2022. Though the event was canceled at the last minute, Giobbi had prepared a set of Grateful Dead dance mixes, and when she was asked to remix Garcia in honor of the album’s 50th anniversary, she was ready and eager to take on the project.
“[Marc Allan at Red Light, who works with Trixie Garcia on the Garcia Estate], was like, ‘It’s going be the 50th anniversary of Garcia, and we’re going to rerelease the vinyl. Would you be interested in remixing some of the tracks?’” Giobbi recounted in a recent interview with Relix. “That was the craziest day of my life. I told him that, of course, I would. Then I said, ‘I’m sorry, can I call you right back?’ So I immediately hung up and called my parents. They were like, ‘Shut up!’ [Laughs.]”
In addition to being a musician and producer, Giobbi is the North American Music Director for W Hotels, co-owner of Animal Talk (a hybrid publishing company, record label, and artist collective), and founder of FEMME HOUSE, an educational platform, community, and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to addressing the lack of representation and equity in electronic music by empowering women and non-binary people in the technical areas of music. She recently performed at Dead and Company’s Playing in the Sand, where she threw down an electrifying set featuring selections from Garcia (Remixed). Check out video clips from the set below.
Garcia (Remixed) is available now on all streaming platforms. Listen via Bandcamp in the player below.
LP Giobbi, Jerry Garcia – Garcia (Remixed)
Garcia (Remixed) by Jerry Garcia, LP Giobbi
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The post Dance Of The Dead: LP Giobbi Brings New Life To Grateful Dead Staples With ‘Garcia (Remixed)’ [Listen] appeared first on L4LM.
