Merl Saunders
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Merl Saunders (sometimes spelled Merle), born February 14, 1934 in San Mateo, California, is an American multi-genre musician who plays piano and keyboards, favoring the Hammond B3 organ.
[edit] Musical career
In the 1970s, Saunders began collaborating with Jerry Garcia, with the Grateful Dead and with Garcia's bands The Legion of Mary and Reconstruction.
He's led his own bands, as Merl Saunders and Friends, playing live dates with Garcia, as well as Mike Bloomfield, David Grisman, Tom Fogerty, Vassar Clements, Kenneth Nash, John Kahn and Sheila E.
In 1990 he released the world music and New Age classic album Blues From the Rainforest, a collaboration with Jerry Garcia and Muruga Booker. This led to the release of a video which chronicled Saunders' journey to the Amazon, and the subsequent album Fiesta Amazonica.
He has worked with musicians Paul Pena, Bonnie Raitt, Phish, Miles Davis, and B.B. King. Merl also recorded with The Dinosaurs, a "supergroup" of first-generation Bay Area rock musicians.
He has his own record label, Sumertone and has also recorded on Fantasy Records, Galaxy Records and Relix Records as well as the Grateful Dead and Jerry Garcia labels. He worked with the Grateful Dead on the theme music for the 1985 TV show The New Twilight Zone, and with Mickey Hart on the score for the show. His son Merl Saunders Jr. is a senior executive director of The Recording Academy.
Unfortunately, Merl suffered a stroke that paralized one side of his body that curtailed his musical career.
His projects have withstood the tests of time and are still worth looking for.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Main studio, live and compilation releases
- 1968 - Soul Grooving - Merl Saunders Trio and Big Band
- 1972 - Heavy Turbulence - with Tom Fogerty
- 1973 - Fire Up - with Tom Fogerty and Jerry Garcia
- 1973 - Live at the Keystone - with Jerry Garcia, John Kahn & Bill Vitt
- 1974 - Merl Saunders
- 1976 - You Can Leave Your Hat On - with Aunt Monk
- 1979 - Do I Move You
- 1982 - San Francisco After Dark
- 1988 - Meridien Dreams
- 1988 - Keystone Encores Vol. 1 - with Jerry Garcia, John Kahn & Bill Vitt
- 1988 - Keystone Encores Vol. 2 - with Jerry Garcia, John Kahn & Bill Vitt
- 1988 - Live at the Keystone Vol. 1 - with Jerry Garcia, John Kahn & Bill Vitt
- 1988 - Live at the Keystone Vol. 2 - with Jerry Garcia, John Kahn & Bill Vitt
- Feelings
- 1990 - Blues From The Rainforest: A Musical Suite - Featuring Muruga, Eddie Moore, Special Guest: Jerry Garcia
- 1991 - Save The Planet So We'll Have Someplace To Boogie
- 1992 - Fire Up Plus - with Jerry Garcia, John Kahn, Tom Fogerty and Ron Tutt
- 1993 - It's In The Air
- 1995 - Still Having Fun
- 1997 - Keepers - Merl Saunders and Friends
- 1998 - Fiesta Amazonica
- 1998 - The Twilight Zone (Vol. 1): Original Soundtrack from the TV series - Grateful Dead & Merl Saunders
- 1998 - Merl Saunders Live With His Funky Friends
- 2000 - Struggling Man - Merl Saunders & His Funky Friends
- 2004 - Still Groovin'
- 2004: Keystone Berkeley: September 1, 1974 with Jerry Garcia
- 2006: Well-Matched: The Best of Merl Saunders & Jerry Garcia (Fantasy)
[edit] Solo, group leader or co-leader - singles
- 1968 - I Pity The Fool / Tighten Up (Galaxy 747)
- 1969 - Soul Grooving / Up Up and Away (Galaxy 755)
- 1970 - Iron Horse / Little Bit of Righteousness - with Heavy Turbulence (Galaxy 776)
- Julia/Five More (Fantasy 620)
- Save Mother Earth 1 & 2 (Fantasy 668)
- 1981 - San Francisco After Dark/Come To Me (Summertone 214)
[edit] Various artist compilations that include previously unreleased Merl Saunders music
- 1972 - Black Girl (Soundtrack) - Various Artists
- 1972 - Fritz The Cat (Soundtrack) - Various Artists
- 1973 - Heavy Traffic (Soundtrack) - Various Artists
- 1997 - Fire On The Mountain: Reggae Celebrates The Grateful Dead Volume 2 - Various Artists
- 1999 - The Third Annual Gathering on the Mountain - Various Artists
- 2000 - Gathering On The Mountain: Live Part 2 - Various Artists
- 2000 - Gathering On The Mountain: Live Part 3 - Various Artists
- 2000 - Sharin' In The Groove - Various Artists
- 2001 - Into The Music: Jam Band Vol. 1 - Various Artists
[edit] Various artist compilations that include previously released Merl Saunders tracks
- 1992 - All Night Long They Play The Blues - Various Artists
- 1995 - Bad, Bad Whiskey (The Galaxy Masters) - Various Artists
- 1995 - Jazz Collective - Various Artists
- 1995 - Sense Of Direction - Various Artists
- 1996 - Televisions Greatest Hits Vol. 6: Remote Control - Various Artists
- 1996 - Fritz The Cat/Heavy Traffic (Soundtrack) - Various Artists
[edit] Playing contributions to other major albums with others
- 1971 - Grateful Dead (Skull & Roses) - Grateful Dead
- 1971 - Danny Cox - Dany Cox
- 1972 - Tom Fogerty - Tom Fogerty
- 1972 - Steelyard Blues (Soundtrack) - Various Artists
- 1972 - Give It Up - Bonnie Raitt
- 1972 - Europe '72 - Grateful Dead
- 1972 - Excalibur - Tom Fogerty
- 1973 - Ooh So Good 'N' Blues - Taj Mahal
- 1973 - Betty Davis - Betty Davis
- 1973 - Moses - Jerry Hahn
- 1973 - Brenda Patterson - Brenda Patterson
- 1974 - Garcia (Compliments of Garcia)
- 1974 - Mo' Roots - Taj Mahal
- 1975 - Is Having A Wonderful Time - Geoff Muldaur
- 1975 - Cesar 830 - Cesar Ascarrunz
- 1976 - David Soul - David Soul
- 1978 - Cats Under the Stars - Jerry Garcia Band
- 1982 - Run For The Roses - Jerry Garcia Band
- 1984 - Amagamalin Street - Robert Hunter
- 1988 - Dinosaurs - Dinosaurs
- 1988 - Nightfood - Brian Melvin
- 1994 - Free Flight - Palomino Duck
- 1996 - Life Is Like That - Jerry Miller
- 1997 - DAVA - DAVA And The Peace Army
- 1998 - Ticket To Fly - Mike Lawson
- 2000 - King Of The Highway - Norton Buffalo and The Knockouts
- 2000 - New Train - Paul Pena
- 2000 - Hoy Yen Ass'n - Tommy Guerrero and Gadget
- 2001 - The Golden Road (1965-1973) - Grateful Dead
- 2001 - Gifts From The Dead - Various Artists
- 2002 - Remedy - Jim Weider Band
- 2002 - Rare - Five Point Plan
[edit] Playing contributions to singles with others
- 1972 - Lady Of Fatima / Cast The First Stone - Tom Fogerty (Fantasy F680)
- 1972 - Faces Places People / Forty Years - Tom Fogerty (Fantasy F691)
- 1972 - Drive Again (Theme from Steelyard Blues) / My Bag (The Oysters) - Gravenites/Bloomfield and others
- 1989 - Underground (EP) - Mike Lawson (Psychotronic Records)
[edit] Playing contributions to compilations
- 1975 - Sampler For Deadheads (#1 of 3) - Jerry Garcia / Robert Hunter
- 1975 - Sampler For Deadheads (#2 of 3) - Old And In The Way / Keith And Donna
- 1977 - What A Long Strange Trip It's Been - Grateful Dead
- 1978 - Grateful Dead Sampler - Various Artists
- 1978 - Arista AOR Sampler - Various Artists
- 1985 - The Relix Sampler - Various Artists
- 1998 - Tom Fogerty/Excalibur - Tom Fogerty
- 1999 - The Very Best Of Tom Fogerty - Tom Fogerty
- 2000 - Furthur Most - Various Artists
- 2000 - The Best Of David Soul - David Soul
- 2000 - Anti Love: The Best Of Betty Davis - Betty Davis
[edit] Non-performing references on albums
- 1975 - Keith and Donna Godchaux - Keith and Donna Godchaux
- 1976 - For Dead Heads - Various Artists
- 1998 - Blue Light Rain - Jazz Is Dead
[edit] DVD/Videos
- 1999: Blues from the Rainforest: A Musical Suite (Mobile Fidelity)
