Regardless of people's individual opinions about which shows are the most pleasing to them in terms of song choice, flow, the band's chemistry that evening etc… Phil Lesh and Jerry played at their very best on many of the songs that evening, as did the rest of the band (but those are the standouts in my mind).
The intro bass line to Scarlet Begonias is the grooviest thing I have ever heard from the band and it seems to tie the rhythm section together perfectly. As a result, the melodic possibilities are endless because Jerry does not have to worry about holding down the groove because one of the other members is having a bad night. This made Jerry free to play beautiful melodies without having to worry about picking up the slack-anyone who has played with a band knows that everyone has a bad night and if that happens to be the drummer or bass player - often times the singers, the lead guitar player, etc…, whose primary roles are more about melody and harmony, must also almost take on a percussive role to make sure the house of cards created by the shaky rhythm section does not result in a musical disaster.
On this night, my theory is that the rhythm section was having a perfect night which allowed a healthy, yet musically mature Jerry who was playing at the height of his craft during the mid to late seventies, to really open up the melodically, yet he did not hit a bad note and in addition to being melodically brilliant, he also played with a sense of timing and dynamics that could only be inspired by the flawless rhythm section that evening. It also allowed Bob Weir to play very interesting chordal voicings and inversions that I have never heard him play before or since. It created a perfect canvas for Jerry to play at a very high level, it was as if he was listening to the band very carefully, yet responding without conscious decision or through and the results were astounding. He was lost in that transcendental place that all great musicians know about but that is also very elusive to even the best musicians. The kind of place that Miles Davis, Albert King, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Joe Pass and other players seem to stumble into night after night where most other musicians who are very good seem to wind up there only occasionally and many never find that special place on or off stage. It is that place that keeps great musicians playing-they have either experienced it and are chasing the dragon, or have come close and are hungry to get there. Other musicians simply do not get it and are mere craftsmen and not true artists-in other words finding the realm of limitless self-expression is not something that they really think about. Money, identity, validation and other things whose value is derived externally and not from within is why most people who become artists, scientists, doctors, lawyers, athletes etc… The greats would do it whether or not they attained any fame, fortune, recognition from the masses etc…
After that long winded explanation, my point is that on this night-more than any other night that I have ever heard-Jerry's tone, touch, note choice, feel and overall confidence and presence were all perfect. The result is a series of solos, each of which are played without ego or self-indulgence, that are not only great for the song but are also like miniature musical statements (it is as if he was writing the perfect symphony on the fly without sounding contrived or preconceived) each of which also tells a story of the perfection that the band achieved that evening. No matter who you are, you will probably be able to sing the general melody of each solo after hearing it the first time. This is what true improvisational genius is all about-everything developed organically and Jerry did not force his vision of the song on the rest of the band. It was as if Jerry's melody was a gift from the musical gods who were smiling on the band that night. That solo is infinite (it has always been there and always will be). Jerry happened to be the conduit through which the beauty of music and art flowed through during that performance of Scarlet/Fire. I have friends, who for some reason cannot simply accept that this show was a very special one for the band. I suppose they want to prove to everyone that they are the ultimate fans by finding a better version of the songs that multitudes of fans would be hard pressed to find better recordings of-not just for sound quality but the brilliance of the music itself. The thing is that every time one of them finds the so-called version of Scarlet/Fire that is better, it is never even close. Scarlet/Fire, China Cat/I know you Rider, Help, Slip, Franklins are examples of nearly perfect tunes to play together (like this great show in 77 people will always find some night where the Dead experiment with two songs that are in different keys, no common underlying notes or melodies that could be played over each song-and therefore, unless the Dead play one of the songs in a different key and/or with a perfect transition -one that would be painstaking to come up with and a disaster if attempted on the fly-the songs do not work well together-did you hear that version of West LA Fadeaway/Ripple? No and I am sure it was absolutely terrible would likely be the only reasonable response. This is my perspective on the naysayers of this show. There is never a good reason for people to dislike this show-other than the juvenile reasons-it is too popular, I cannot be the one who turned my group of buddies on to this show, it's overplayed (as if every time you watch television or listen to the radio you are inundated with songs from the Cornell 77 show. I think it seems overplayed because the minute this show gets mentioned it's brilliant melodies instantly pop into your head and you can almost sing Jerry's solos note for note after only a few listens.