Merl Saunders

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February 14, 1934 - October 24, 2008 RIP

My favorite memory seeing Merl was at Buddy Guy's old joint 754 S. Wabash in Chicago.  I lived close and it was a short walk from the location and saw many shows.  The date was 5/9/96 so it was still pretty fresh as far as Garcia passing and GD related music.  The place was small.

 

 

Very cool. 

Rain Forest Band?

I only saw Merle once, as a member of the Dinosaurs in '85 or so.  John Cipollina was in the band that night.

 

JGB band Berkeley keystone I think it was the show where they recorded the live album

The harder they come the harder they fall

iconic performance.

I heard the China cats play at a weekend ago and it brought me back BTW they fucking crushed it

 

Long live the memory of Merle

I saw him in 96 too in a little club in Mission Beach.  Really nice aproachable dude.  Was kicking it with fans pre show.

Best Saunders show I saw was back in '91 at the old Mishawaka up the Poudre Canyon outside Ft. Collins.  We didn't have money for tickets, but climbed the hill across the road and watched the show from up in trees.  Sounded great.   There was a dude in a kayak who watched the show from the river paddling in place the whole time.

yes, Rainforest Band

Merl

no second e

I saw Merle back in '96 or so on Long Island opening for Jazz is Dead.  Great show.  he hung out between sets and got a signed picture of him with Jerry 

>>I saw him in 96 too in a little club in Mission Beach.  Really nice aproachable dude.  Was kicking it with fans pre show.

Yeah, similar vibe.  I have a signed magnet.

I saw the Rochester stop at the Penny Arcade on the '96 Rainforest Band tour. Also met him. Also found him quite congenial. I have a signed poster that I took right off the wall and handed to him. Fun night. 

Rest in peace, Merl. Keep your hat on.

How old were you, Timmy? Pretty young, I'd guess.

18 

>>>>got a signed picture of him with Jerry

Got one of those too when I saw him in Missoula in '96.

He autographed one of those shiny green rainforest hats for me. Such a nice guy. 

I got one of those pictures of him and Jerry signed too.  I used to have a drug dealer that had the same picture except Jerry signed his too.

...

Merl and Jerry.jpg

yup, that's the picture!  

Thanks Ken.  I think I know what box mine is in and was about to go rummage through the garage for it.  Now I don’t have to.

Did anyone else buy his solo piano cassette?

A hotel brunch kinda thing.  The Meridian, maybe?

 

No, but it sounds right up your alley in regard to your piano and keyboard work in the past!

Merl Saunders ‎- Meridien Dreams (Solo Piano Volume One) can be found on ebay.

GFY, Stalky.

I'm stalking a thread I started?  Wow, that's a first.  You just posted two minutes after me which seems stalky.

You don't have to participate here...ya know? 

That was uncalled for Brian d. Would you like admin to be notified? 

Don't be a narc, JR. Not a good look on a kind Merl reminiscence thread.

I share all those same fond memories of him being approachable, I have a rainforest magnet and signed photo, too.

About a week after the 1982 GD shows at the Greek, I was wandering around SF and stumbled upon an event called Peacequake 82.  It was a peace rally focusing on the UN disarmament talks that were coming up.  Merl was one of the musical acts performing and I just happened to have my taping gear in my backpack so I set up and recorded the Merl set. ( will have to get around to transfering that to digital one day)  Great day and great set from heartMerlheart

Here's the poster I have from the event:

peacequake82poster.jpg

 

Bumped into Merl one night, he kissed my girlfriend on the cheek, it was sweet...he was an older gentleman at the time, she was thrilled about it.

merl_4.jpg

 

By every account a very sweet man and a brilliant musician. I saw him over the years with various groups, and while his playing was always outstanding it was his pure-cool radiance that made me love him.

I've always loved this photo of him I was lucky enough to snap in San Mateo in late '81, when he was playing in Mickey Hart's short-lived group High Noon.

LONG LIVE GOOD PEOPLE!!!!!

You know I had a signed photo like the one Ken posted too.  Wonder where that went?  It was like an 8 x 10.

 

Looks pretty close, Lance!

 

 

Rainforest Band Muni Hartford 90 sumthin

We caught the Rainforest Band at the Cubby Bear in 1991 after the Soldier Field show.

Rumors of a Jerry sit in did not pan out. frown

RIP Merl

11/19/74 Tower Theater

Any LOM vids out there?

Saw him at Wetlands NYC with the Rainforest Band in 1991. That band included Steve Kimock & John Poppper.

Sugaree

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zroyajcDWOQ

Merl's pic with Rasta, had a dye (same style).  Also went missing!  Years later I saw my cousin Derek with it on in a pic.  WTF, dude?  He didn't have much to say.

Hey Ken, I was at that Missoula show as well. I had just moved there a few months ago and was so psyched with the amazing energy in the room that night. It's the only time I ever saw Merl but he certainly made us all boogey and his positive radiant personality shown throughout the place. Very cool memory!

43696248_310894013074898_5078539806632312832_n.jpg

 

Here is an early vid of Merle with Tom Fogerty...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqTGLZ5vhTA

I feel alright y'all
I feel like dynamite

My problems got problems