If you want to hear jazzy Dead, listen to the stuff with Branford Marsalis sitting in (Bird Song, Eyes of the World).

Wolf:
 
As I recall, I listened to it live while I was on the east coast visiting family.  I always wished I could have been there.  You lucky dawg!
 
Bill, tgo

Bill .  it was really cool_____ There were  huge  quantities of living Crickets brought in to the basement that were set up with microphones for part of the live performance. I have more stories to tell about this experience,     LOL !!!

I don't know if it's been mentioned here, but archive.org will stream most of the shows that the Dead ever played. If you want to hear the evolution of songs from 1968 to 1995, it's all there.
 
Nick, as far as I know, Alphonso played a Modulus. I saw Jazz is Dead a few times as I used to hang with Jimmy Herring a bit. It was great to meet those guys. Al and Billy Cobham were really nice guys and Vassar Clements played one of the show as  well. I have some nice soundboards on DAT somewhere in my basement. Their take on the material was pretty interesting, although a lot of the details got left behind, mostly things you'd notice if you'd played it yourself. I'd don't know if I'd call it jazz per se, but it was a nice idea. I would like to hear Jimmy play in a more straight ahead setting.
 
I have never seen Al play an Alembic, but anything's possible! At one of the shows, Jimmy had a prototype of the Paul Reed Smith hollow body guitar that sounded great.

I tend to like whole live discs rather than particular tunes - personal faves are the first of the From the Vault series, Europe '72 and Live Dead.  The acoustic Reckoning is pretty sweet as well.  But it's pretty hard to go wrong with anything recommended in this thread.

RIP Jerry and Marmaduke.  
 
(Message edited by CRobbins on May 01, 2010)

The Live Dead and Dicks Picks are great. I have a number or new bass lines to learn.
 
Vann-Di

Regarding Phil Lesh's bass lines, before becoming a bass player Phil was studying avant-garde classical composition.

And playing the trumpet.

I would like to add  the release called      Grateful Dead 2/11/69   to the list ;   Live @ Fillmore East _______
 
 Just _ Superb !

What do you get when you give a classically trained trumpet player acid?
 
 
Phil Lesh of course!!

Unbroken Chain

NEW POTATO CABOOSE  
 
or worst case senario, WAVE TO THE WIND!!!!

Pride of Cucamonga!
 
Bill, tgo

Sea Stones