‘Well-Matched’ LP cover art

Garcia Family Provisions has announced the May 1 release of GarciaLive Volume 22: September 25th, 1971, Lion’s Share, which traces the musical happenings of Jerry Garcia and Merl Saunders’ initial partnership, just one year out from their first on-stage introduction. The forthcoming deliverable highlights the events of their early and late concerts at San Anselmo, Calif.’s intimate Lion’s Share nightclub. 

Originally recorded to 1/4″ analog reel by Betty Cantor Jackson and Bob Matthews, the two show presentation emphasizes the instrumental union between Garcia and Saunders, underscored by a high-caliber rhythm section, comprised of Grateful Dead backbeat Bill Kreutzmann, bassist John Kahn, and guitarist Tom Fogerty–fresh off his stint with Credence Clearwater Revival. 

The elite quintet emphasizes a union of exploratory grooves and intentional pockets for extemporization, propelled by Garcia’s respected lead when coupled with Saunders’ spread across the keys. The batch of material that comprised the group’s concerts and the subsequent two-piece CD set is brimming with rarities; John Lennon’s “Imagine,” 1950s bred R&B heaters “Annie Had a Baby” and “W-P-L-J,” in addition to Jesse Winchester’s “Biloxi.”

The final piece of the night, “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down,” did not survive on the original tape; instead, the collection lingers on mystic repartee between Garcia’s guitar and Saunders’ glide across blacks and whites. 

Pre-order the impending live collection now. Please note that orders will ship on or around April 28, 2026.

Learn more about GarciaLive Volume 22: September 25th, 1971, Lion’s Share.

Track listing:

EARLY SHOW

  • BAND INTRODUCTIONS
  • SAVE MOTHER EARTH>
  • IMAGINE
  • ONE KIND FAVOR
  • I WAS MADE TO LOVE HER
  • BABY WHAT YOU WANT ME TO DO?
  • BILOXI

LATE SHOW

  • HI-HEEL SNEAKERS
  • MAN-CHILD>
  • SUMMERTIME
  • THAT’S A TOUCH I LIKE
  • ANNIE HAD A BABY>
  • W-P-L-J