A part of Rock and Roll history will be coming to the intimate surroundings of Stanley’s Pub (323 Stanley Ave) in the Columbia-Tusculum area of Cincinnati as they welcome Grateful Dead keyboardist and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Tom Constanten with Terrapin Flyer on Thursday October 25th, 2012.
Constanten performed with the Grateful Dead during their most creative and prolific era 1968 – 1970 and was inducted with them into the presitigious Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. He and Grateful Dead bassist met while studying music at Berkeley College and the two of them became fast friends because of their mutual interest in Classical and Modern music.
When Lesh became a member of the Grateful Dead, Constanten had volunteered for military service and would use his leave time to visit the Grateful Dead. It was during this leave time that he performed on the ground breaking Grateful Dead album Anthem of the Sun. At this time “TC” performed prepared piano parts on the album which included such experimental techniques of putting coins in the piano strings to manipulate the sound of the instrument into something completely unique.
After his military service ended Constanten became a full member of the band in 1968 and played with the band whilst the band began rehearsing extensively and developing the new San Francisco sound that was to later be called Psychedelic Music. The sound was fueled by their experience as the house band for Ken Kesey’s Merry Pranksters at wild and chaotic events called Acid Tests.
From the early days of these smaller concerts came an entire movement that included most of the youth and solidified the anti-war movement, the human rights movement and a myriad of the social revolutionary philosophies that defined the 60’s. This movement peaked at the legendary Woodstock Music Festival which Constanten attended and performed at with the Grateful Dead.
Being a significant part of creating a new form of music and changing the landscape of American culture, Constanten is a truly unique individual in United States history who has an endless supply of memories and experiences to share both personally and musically. He will be performing Grateful Dead music with the Chicago band Terrapin Flyer. Terrapin Flyer has cut their teeth in the music scene over the past decade with Grateful Dead keyboardist Vince Welnick and Jerry Garcia Band organist Melvin Seals prior to begin performing with Constanten in 2005.
Terrapin Flyer is an evolving and ever-changing band that has included a wide variety of influential musicians including members of Cornmeal, The Dark Star Orchestra, and other well known nationally touring bands. The band spans generations of music makers and appreciators. On this tour the band will include members of Cornmeal, The Henhouse Prowlers and Jack Straw as well as Constanten.
