Jerry Garcia at the Matrix, 1968

By October of 1968 the Grateful Dead had already played around 83 shows that year (by the time the year was over Garcia would have played more than 100 shows). They had played shows in Oregon, Washington, and the entire length of California, the New York area twice, and St. Louis, Philadelphia, and Miami. In October there was a break in the action and they were in the studio, but true to form Garcia kept playing live gigs. In October of 1968 Garcia played the Matrix on Fillmore Street in San Francisco under the names of Garcia and Friends (spelled Garrceeah on the posters) and Mickey and The Hartbeats and he also sat in on other gigs. Garcia also played some Matrix shows in December of 1968. These Matrix shows had special guests and lineups that were missing Bob Weir and Pigpen(thus not being under the name Grateful Dead).Some people say that Jack Casady of Jefferson Airplane is the bass player on these shows but I don't know for sure, and he may be for just parts. The shows were loose and had lots of jams and instrumentals. So here is a good sample of that material.

This first one has an unknown harmonica player on some cuts. Many of the tunes are just instrumental versions.

Jerry Garcia And Friends (Also billed as Mickey And The Hartbeats)
The Matrix
San Francisco, CA
10/10/68
Soundboard

Disc 1:
01 Jam [28:49]
02 It's A Sin [9:01]
03 Next Time You See Me Jam [9:24]
04 The Rub Jam [6:39]
05 Look On Yonder Wall [4:13]

Disc 2:
01 Jam [24:56] >
02 Turn On Your Lovelight Jam [15:19] >
03 Drums [6:24] >
04 Jam [20:59] >
05 Death Don't Have No Mercy [9:57]

Disc 3:
01 Dark Star Jam [15:30] >
02 The Eleven Jam [5:56] >
03 The Seven [9:59]

Mp3/vbr
Download links
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=UWZ1YLOV Garcia and friends 68-10-10 one.rar
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=I7154A81 Garcia and friends 68-10-10 two.rar
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=UL7ELMLI Garcia and friends 68-10-10 three.rar


This second one I had a tape of for years. Again instrumental versions. This one has Elvin Bishop as a special guest on some songs.

Mickey & the Hartbeats
The Matrix
San Francisco, CA
10-30-1968
Soundboard

Disk 1
1. Tuning 0:52
2. Dark Star Jam > 17:24
3. Death Letter Blues 8:47
4. "Fate Music" talk 2:23
5. The Other One Jam // 16:14
Total time: 45:42

Disk 2:
1. Tuning 0:29
2. St. Stephen Jam // 1:36
3. . . . Jam (Other One esque) > 1:38
4. Turn On Your Lovelight Jam 9:23
5. Jam* > 5:34
6. Jam cont. > 13:46
7. The Eleven Jam > 9:50
8. Death Don't Have No Mercy > Jam 8:32
9. Prisoner Blues** 17:28
Total time: 68:21

Disk 3:

1. Blues Jam** 6:16
2. Baby Please Come Back 11:38
to Me** (?) >
3. Jam 9:30
4. Talking, tuning 7:10
5. Dark Star Jam 19:47
Total time: 54:23

* Contains Clementine hints.
** With Elvin Bishop

Mp3/vbr
Download links
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=HDYYC37X Mickey and The Heartbeats10-30-68one.rar
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=9CDDHER4 Mickey and The Heartbeats10-30-68two.rar
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=XENZQQOS Mickey and The Heartbeats10-30-68three.rar



This third one is just some long Jams. Just two long tracks! This one has Jack Casady on bass. Special guest also include Spencer Dryden, David getz, and Harvy Mandel.


The Matrix
San Francisco, CA
12-16-1968
Soundboard

Disc 1:
01 Jam
Disc 2:
01 Jam > Jam
gotta love this setlist.

Mp3/vbr
Download links
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=T4P3ETBE Mickey and The Heartbeats 12-16-68.rar



This last one is Billed as Harvy Mandel and Friends. It is also from December and again has Mickey Hart and Jerry Garcia, and Elvin Bishop, and even Steve Miller.

Harvey Mandel And Friends
1968-12-24
The Matrix
San Francisco

01. Jam
02. You Got To Feel It
03. 3 O Clock In The Morning (around m. 5:26 sound fades out for half second)
04. She's A Mojo Worker
05. Jam (cut)

Harvey Mandel
Elvin Bishop
Steve Miller
Gordon Chambers
Mickey Hart
Jerry Garcia

Mp3/320k
Download links
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=875990R9 HMF681224SF.part3.rar
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=C5B3Q6G8 HMF681224SF.part2.rar
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=VSAY167W HMF681224SF.part1.rar