Boris Garcia

Although technically part of the whole jam-band phenomenon that has come in the wake of the cult of the Grateful Dead, Philadelphia's Boris Garcia is a cut above most. This band learned early on that at its core, the Dead wrote great songs, without which the extended instrumental passages would have been completely superfluous. Similarly, the music of Boris Garcia is a surprisingly able and well-integrated blend of bluegrass, folk, jazz, soul and rock — all musical forms that lend themselves well to inspired improvisation. Having worked with Donna Jean Godchaux on its latest album, produced by Railroad Earth's Tim Carbone, this outfit has gone far beyond being yet another jamgrass cover band. With free-spirited and upbeat songs, Boris Garcia embodies the best aspects of a much-maligned style with skill and grace.