These jams are getting increasingly hard to put in any logical order, but the bottom line is that here we are with ten more very strong pieces of improv from 2012—and Friday I’ll lay down ten more.
30. “Sand -> Nellie Kane” 6/8 II, Worcester, MA
An experiment in fusing robo-funk with bluegrass results in some very melodic groove interplay that evokes the feeling of late-’70s Grateful Dead dance jams.
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29. “Carini” 8/31 I, Denver, CO
This was the first sign that IT was going down at Dick’s.
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28. “Tweezer” 8/17 II, San Francisco, CA
The underrated “Tweezer” of the year moves from hard groove into filthy, storage-esque ambience.
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27. “Ghost” 12/31 II, MSG, NY
Overshadowed by the golf gag, this “Ghost” is actually quite gorgeous.
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26. “Golden Age” 7/3 II, Wantagh, NY
Jones Beach’s “Golden Age” migrates into a final passage of downtempo, psych rock.
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25. “Simple” 8/18 II, San Francisco, CA
An abstract and melodic excursion in Bay Area psychedelia; a severely underrated jam.
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24. “Wolfman’s Brother > LDB > Wolfman’s” 12.28 I, MSG, NY
Unconventional dance grooves merge with “Little Drummer Boy” tightly woven into pocket.
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23. “Tweezer” 8.22 II, Kansas City, MO
A cathartic second set opener in the Heartland with quite the peak.
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22. “Piper” 7/8 II, Saratoga Springs, NY
This locked in version reprises the “Light” jam from earlier in the set.
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21. “Runaway Jim” 8/31 II, Denver, CO
Though not the most focused jam in the world, this “Jim” certainly hits some sweet spots along the way.
