September 1, and still plenty of summer left for some more outdoor music. And it was a lovely night to sit out on the CMAC lawn under the night sky and relax with the dulcet sounds of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. No wait, actually it was a great night to twist and turn to a solid band stretching out on some classic Jerry Garcia tunes. Even better, why not both?
The CMAC stage was packed to the gills as the RPO set up behind a sextet of Garcia-adjacent musicians amid short run of shows for the 2026 edition of the Jerry Garcia Symphonic Celebration. In front of the symphony were Tom Hamilton on guitar, Grahame Lesh, manning the bass position held by his father, John Kimock on drums, Kanika Moore on vocals, and Melvin Seals and Jacklyn LaBranch from the Jerry Garcia Band on keys and vocals respectively.
Behind the sound-buffering glass, a large group of musicians trained to follow the script impeccably. In front, a ragtag bunch hellbent on bucking the script, coloring outside the lines. It was a study in contrast. Where both groups managed to meet in the middle, magic was lurking.
Across two near-hour sets, the musicians explored some of Garcia’s most memorable material. Hamilton was the de facto leader, carrying the Garcia torch with lead vocal and guitar duties. Kimock meanwhile was single-handedly laying the rhythm down for all on stage. Conductor Chris Dragon managed the RPO side of things, with gusto, keeping an eye on Hamilton and Kimock to ensure proper synchronization with entrances, changes, and closings.
Things got started with a short instrumental, heavily symphonic, version of Dark Star that blazed a path for the ensuing “Shakedown Street.” The polite symphony atmosphere immediately came crumbling down with the psychedelic disco sounds, Hamilton and Lesh taking the reins flipping fully into jam mode, while the well-dressed musicians sat in their seats in wait.
Hints of greatness shone through on “Cats Down Under the Stars,” Moore and LaBranch adding dimension with backing vocals, Seals punching through with some swirling Hammond organ, and the orchestra putting in the finishing touches onto a tune that welcomed their flourishes with open arms.
The gentle and quieter “Here Comes Sunshine” likewise left plenty of space for the philharmonic to bleed through, finding equal ground with the fronting band. The string and wind sections both took turns punctuating melodies, embellishing around the edges of the music. After a short guitar solo, Dragon and Kimock synced up to create a closing crescendo.
“China Cat Sunflower” reduced the symphony’s role to almost indiscernible background noise until the band hit the classic key change to make the jump to “I Know You Rider.” In a surprise move, the band then dropped out, leaving the orchestra to wander along an interesting coda section, much to the delight of the crowd.
That led immediately into what would be the highlight of the night, when it all just came together in the most perfect way. Again, the sparseness of “Morning Dew” gave the orchestra plenty of room to move. There was an almost cinematic air to their addition, grand strokes of full color sound. Hamilton’s vocals were properly building to an emotive peak, lifted further by the power of a massive string section. Unlike most of the preceding, the symphony played straight through Hamilton’s guitar solo, raising the bar of every note. When they eventually did drop out, Hamilton played a restrained and moaning slide solo, Seals adding in wonderful swells of organ. Just as the jam was reaching for its peak, Dragon conducted his crew back perfectly, pushing the “Dew” into the stratosphere and a fulfilling finish.
The symphony bowed out 50 minutes into the set, but the band stayed on for a few more. A pair of Jerry Garcia Band classics, “That’s What Love Will Make You Do,” and “Don’t Let Go,” gave Seals, LaBranch, and Moore time to strut their stuff. Moore in particular was wow-worthy as she scatted her way through the latter, showcasing what has made her a much sought after asset on the jam scene.
Jerry Garcia wrote some of the greatest songs in the rich American songbook, so getting the orchestral treatment is only natural. Add in a solid band of musicians who love and have lived the music, and that’s a formula for a great summer evening under the stars.
Jerry Garcia Symphonic Celebration – CMAC, Canadaigua, NY – Tuesday, September 1
Set 1: Dark Star, Shakedown Street, Reuben and Cerise, Bird Song, Cats Down Under the Stars, Crazy Fingers, Deal
Set 2: Touch of Grey, Here Comes Sunshine, West LA Fadeaway, China Cat Sunflower, Morning Dew, Run For the Roses, Terrapin Station, Ripple, That’s What Love Will Do*, Don’t Let Go*, Scarlet Begonias*
*without RPO
All photos by Thomas G. Smith
Bluesky Discussion
View on BlueskyAwesome show. The interplay between Chris Dragon and Tommy Hamilton was so fun to watch. I would love to know how long they worked on endings before the show!
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