tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5268955857828486331.post8540775041199772902..comments2024-03-28T02:11:12.904-07:00Comments on Hooterollin' Around: Gaylord Birch-DrumsCorry342http://www.blogger.com/profile/08049035074121231425noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5268955857828486331.post-59961183042880462472023-07-09T21:15:46.819-07:002023-07-09T21:15:46.819-07:00Gaylord Birch did definitely perk things up at a t...Gaylord Birch did definitely perk things up at a time when they needed perking during his brief Jerry Band tenure in ale 85 - early 86.<br /><br />Jim PowellAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5268955857828486331.post-81850044989920390842020-03-29T20:01:51.753-07:002020-03-29T20:01:51.753-07:00God Bless you Mrs. Birch. Your husband was a grea...God Bless you Mrs. Birch. Your husband was a great musician and, obviously, a great person.Grateful Jeffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12366725587875912800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5268955857828486331.post-80645416914594413652020-03-29T19:59:56.887-07:002020-03-29T19:59:56.887-07:00Nice to see some recognition and honors given to a...Nice to see some recognition and honors given to a world class level drummer who, sadly, left us way too soon. When I started checking out a bunch of live RECONSTRUCTION recordings, I was immediately very impressed with how strong the drumming was and became a big fan of Mr. Birch's drumming. He also is heard on a lot of the recordings talking to the audience and introducing band members and came across as a man with a great personality and very articulate. Hopefully, he is reunited with Garcia, Merl Saunders and John Kahn playing some great gigs in the sky.Grateful Jeffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12366725587875912800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5268955857828486331.post-15117383971683675112017-04-18T07:26:11.898-07:002017-04-18T07:26:11.898-07:00I continue to be thrilled, moved and grooved by yo...I continue to be thrilled, moved and grooved by your late husband's work. His spirit and talent make my life better. Thank you.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5268955857828486331.post-72540084852976133422016-08-06T15:09:51.705-07:002016-08-06T15:09:51.705-07:00On 7/27/75, Joel Selvin reported that GB had left ...On 7/27/75, Joel Selvin reported that GB had left Pointer Sisters and joined Graham Central Station.<br /><br />Selvin, Joel. 19750727. Wee Hours With the Stones. San Francisco Sunday Examiner and Chronicle Datebook, July 27, 1975, p. 31.Fate Musichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05648291938690043423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5268955857828486331.post-28239405350276292852016-04-25T09:02:34.209-07:002016-04-25T09:02:34.209-07:00I was working there from in 1985, probably summer ...I was working there from in 1985, probably summer until the end of the year or so..I know he was the leader of the after hours house band and that happened in the fall/winter from what I remember.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03604068332355051491noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5268955857828486331.post-40114285011382597832014-03-10T15:51:27.188-07:002014-03-10T15:51:27.188-07:00Andrew, thank you very much for the interesting pe...Andrew, thank you very much for the interesting perspective and personal memories. What years was Gaylord the drummer at Pearl's?<br /><br />It is an irony that while we respect people who do not namedrop, every now and again we run into a situation where we think "wow, I wish he'd have mentioned that..."<br />Corry342https://www.blogger.com/profile/08049035074121231425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5268955857828486331.post-62040165333969374472014-03-10T15:06:22.724-07:002014-03-10T15:06:22.724-07:00I got to know Gaylord when he was essentially the ...I got to know Gaylord when he was essentially the house drummer at Jazz at Pearls, a funky jazz club in SF, in the basement of a Chinese restaurant in Chinatown. He was such a gentlemen, kind and following his muse to be the jazz drummer that he could. And he was simply amazing, his timing, chops, and soul, I was so blessed to be able to watch him up close for set after set as I was the bartender in that small club. For awhile, Pearls had an after hours club where he played from 1am til 5am, and I'd pour him Baileys and Coffee under the table to keep him going. A lot of great musicians would stop by during those after hour jams, and he was always up for it. He never really name dropped and I didn't find out til later of his history with Jerry, and I was a deadhead! He was a really giving musician, he even sat in with our quartet of college age musicians when our drummer couldn't make the gig, and that's a memory I'll always treasure. He was one of those musicians who made everyone around him better. Andrewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13314796894970077579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5268955857828486331.post-4809900769455223412013-12-11T01:33:55.490-08:002013-12-11T01:33:55.490-08:00Gaylord Birch also is the drummer with Graham Cent...Gaylord Birch also is the drummer with Graham Central Station in this concert, recorded in 1992 in Japan. There's little-to-nothing on the Internet about him performing with GCS, but it's a good show, definitely worth a look if you're a fan of Birch, GCS, or 1970s funk in general: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c26hyxOMPSUDean Mindermanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13849119270850790787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5268955857828486331.post-3103996039856129692013-11-08T17:37:39.376-08:002013-11-08T17:37:39.376-08:00Gaylord Birch was not on Santana III, but he was t...Gaylord Birch was not on Santana III, but he was the drummer on the Santana album Festival from 1976. Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00990086340167506155noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5268955857828486331.post-12288980008350589812013-08-18T20:03:06.218-07:002013-08-18T20:03:06.218-07:00Mary, thank you for the insight into your late hus...Mary, thank you for the insight into your late husband. When I saw him play with Reconstruction, he indeed lit up the room. It was only later that I realized I had heard him play on many records without realizing it. I look forward to hearing your son play.Corry342https://www.blogger.com/profile/08049035074121231425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5268955857828486331.post-88406218651955611622013-08-18T13:51:09.274-07:002013-08-18T13:51:09.274-07:00My late husband was not only a world class drummer...My late husband was not only a world class drummer, but a wonderful person. He lit up the stage with his smile and never missed a beat.<br />As the great Hal Stein once told me, "Check him out,he might teach ya some new rhythms." Watch out our son Eddie Birch is up and coming!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17352171006375322937noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5268955857828486331.post-30708635129404943612012-07-28T05:35:57.423-07:002012-07-28T05:35:57.423-07:00In fact Gaylord Birch appeared on the third Santan...In fact Gaylord Birch appeared on the third Santana album commonly called 'Santana III'. I think this album must have been around 1973/4 at a guess. A wonderful drummer greatly missed.British Republican Bloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02139940786804270047noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5268955857828486331.post-26486002485921536222012-02-13T17:54:03.047-08:002012-02-13T17:54:03.047-08:00Nick, no offense taken! If it wasn't for music...Nick, no offense taken! If it wasn't for music nerds, no one would read me at all.Corry342https://www.blogger.com/profile/08049035074121231425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5268955857828486331.post-69252048622154471312012-02-13T17:46:43.686-08:002012-02-13T17:46:43.686-08:00I wasn't not trying to take the wind out of yo...I wasn't not trying to take the wind out of your sails -- the music nerd in me just couldn't resist making the correction. I doublechecked both Steven Pond's book Head Hunters and Mike Clark's own liner notes to the cd reissue of Hancock's Thrust album, and still couldn't find anything definite about when he started with the group and why he wasn't on the original album (you'd think such a big album would have more clear information about its creation!). Your point about Jerry's connection (via Merl, at least) to the street level funk of Oakland was well made and important to keep in mind!Nickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11628132999021385676noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5268955857828486331.post-41880071213116361282012-02-13T15:41:44.878-08:002012-02-13T15:41:44.878-08:00Nick, thanks for the kind words. I believe there a...Nick, thanks for the kind words. I believe there are a number of 74/75 JG-MS tapes that we aren't certain exactly who played, so maybe if we listen a little more carefully we can hear Mr. Birch on the traps.<br /><br />You're right about my simplification of the Headhunters story. My understanding was that Paul Jackson was the bassist, and Mike Clark was his roommmate, and when Hancock called for Jackson, Clark and Herbie would yak it up. That's how Clark got in the band, and I'm glad he did. I was trying to focus on the "Oakland Funk" side of the story, and how it intersected in different ways with Garcia's music. David Garibaldi of Tower Of Power, the other guy Clark namechecks, was good friends with Mickey Hart and played with him on various projects, so there's another secret Oaktown side to the Dead.Corry342https://www.blogger.com/profile/08049035074121231425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5268955857828486331.post-16718113074546621352012-02-13T14:50:33.791-08:002012-02-13T14:50:33.791-08:00Great post! I never knew Gaylord Birch played beh...Great post! I never knew Gaylord Birch played behind the Pointer Sisters. Those are some monster tunes, though. I never knew how much I already liked the guy! fwiw (and this is a tiny nit to pick), Mike Clark wasn't actually on the first Headhunters album -- that was Harvey Mason, though Clark was the band's live drummer from the start, I think.<br /><br />The idea of Birch playing with Merl & Jerry in 74-75 is something too good to hope for. Maybe someday...Nickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11628132999021385676noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5268955857828486331.post-1226060152436224022012-02-04T22:14:18.736-08:002012-02-04T22:14:18.736-08:00Thank you for this. Now I want to listen to some c...Thank you for this. Now I want to listen to some classic Pointer Sisters!<br /><br />In email, Tony Saunders confirmed that Gaylord Birch and Jerry Garcia shared a stage ca. 1974-1975, with Merl and Tony (Saunders-Garcia or Aunt Monk or whatever it might have been called).Fate Musichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05648291938690043423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5268955857828486331.post-75514809071237743022012-02-04T09:26:30.921-08:002012-02-04T09:26:30.921-08:00A good read! Thanks.A good read! Thanks.Lukehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13395381646281731203noreply@blogger.com