Joe Russo's Almost Dead

Joe Russo’s Almost Dead brings a freewheeling, improvisational approach to the Grateful Dead songbook. The five-piece band—drummer Joe Russo, keyboardist Marco Benevento, bassist Dave Dreiwitz, and guitarists Tom Hamilton and Scott Metzger—reworks familiar material with room for unexpected turns and extended jams. “Scarlet Begonias,” “Shakedown Street” and “Terrapin Station” are among the Dead favorites in its wide-ranging repertoire, which also reaches beyond the band’s catalog. The appeal lies in hearing beloved songs loosen, stretch and take new paths in the hands of musicians who make improvisation central to the performance.