Jazz Is Dead

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Jazz is Dead is a Grateful Dead cover-band composed of Jimmy Herring (guitar), Bobby Lee Rodgers (bass), and Jeff Sipe (drums) that interprets classic Dead songs with jazzy influences instrumentally. Formerly, keyboardist T Lavitz and drummer Rod Morgenstein, both members of the Dixie Dregs, were members of the band along with Jeff Pevar for a few shows in the Northeast.

Three years after the legendary Grateful Dead front-man Jerry Garcia passed away, Jazz is Dead released their first album, Blue Light Rain, which is in fact the first lyrical line from the song Unbroken Chain. The players on this album were Jimmy Herring (guitar), T Lavitz (keyboards, synths), Alphonso Johnson (bass), and Billy Cobham (drums). This album features Crazy Fingers, Scarlet Begonias, Red Baron by Billy Cobham, the Phil Lesh classic Unbroken Chain, and the Blues for Allah tunes King Solomon's Marbles and the epic Help on the Way>Slipknot!>Franklin's Tower medley.

Their second album was the entire Wake of the Flood album. This classic Dead album featured Mississippi Halfstep Uptown Toodleoo, Row Jimmy, Stella Blue, Eyes of the World and Bob Weir's masterpiece, Weather Report Suite.

Great Sky River, the band's latest live release, includes China Cat Sunflower, Estimated Prophet, St. Stephen>The Eleven, Blues for Allah jam, Terrapin Station, Dark Star, Morning Dew and even "drumz".

Currently, Jazz is Dead has no plans for further album releases or tours.