Terrapin Flyer began in 1999 as the house band for the Sunday Grateful Dead Jam at the Boulevard Cafe in Chicago. Through the many associations developed there and many that have continued since, the Jam concept has overridingly become the staple of the band’s history and influence. The band draws from the vibrant Chicago music scene utilizing members from a variety of local bands. Terrapin Flyer also performs with legends of the music world such as Grateful Dead keyboardists Tom Constanten, Bob Bralove and Vince Welnick (RIP). They also toured with Jerry Garcia Band organist Melvin Seals and have done one off shows with guest musicians such as grammy award winning blues harpist Sugar Blue, guitar prodigy Davy Knowles and musician, songwriter and music journalist David Gans.
From the band's humble beginnings sprang forth an ever growing network of musicians from the Chicago area. From a loosely associated group of musicians at a jam night, a band began to develop. The original band came into fruition when they were asked to perform with Grateful Dead keyboardist (1990-1995) Vince Welnick on a cable access television show and festival in Madison, WI. At that time a core band was formed that began performing to larger and larger crowds at the weekly Sunday night jam. The band consisted of two members of what was to be the current line up of Chicago's progressive bluegrass band Cornmeal. With Kris Nowak on lead guitar and "Wavy" Dave Burlingame on bass, the band was ready to move on to its next potent association.
An 8 day tour was planned in 2004 with Melvin Seals the consummate B3 organist of the Jerry Garcia Band for 15 years. The tour was enough fun for Melvin to recognize that this band could perform under the name JGB on its next tour and performed to packed houses under the JGB name on another short tour a bit later in the year. From there several shows were performed with that band as Melvin Seals and Friends. The partnership with Melvin Seals and Terrapin Flyer continues today and features the band digging deeply into the JGB catalog.
It was also around this time that Cornmeal began to become a commanding music force throughout the nation and Kris, JP and Wavy could not commit as much time to Terrapin Flyer. A new core band was put together and toured with Vince Welnick as Vince Welnick and Friends. This band featured the masterful Jerry Garcia-like guitar stylings of former Cornmeal guitarist Erik Smith. Rounding out the new lineup on bass was former Dark Star Orchestra bassist Mike Hazdra. Vince Welnick & Friends toured up until his untimely passing on June 2, 2006.
After Vince Welnick passed a tour was set up with him and Terrapin Flyer that was in jeopardy of being cancelled. A quick call was made to another former Grateful Dead keyboardist Tom Constanten and the Vince Welnick Memorial Tour was planned to celebrate his memory. The association with Constanten produced several additional tours including performing as Tom Constanten and Friends on occasion. The pairing of Terrapin Flyer and Constanten continues presently and interprets the era that he performed in the Grateful Dead from 1968 - 1970.
In addition, Terrapin Flyer also has performed with Grateful Dead midi-wizard Bob Bralove. Bralove who produced and co-wrote songs on the Grateful Dead's Infrared Roses album was the proverbial man behind the curtain of the Grateful Dead's legendary drums and space segments. During this part of the Grateful Dead shows from 1987-1995, Bralove was playing sampled strange and beautiful sounds on a keyboard behind the stage. After the demise of the Grateful Dead, Bralove joined Tom Constanten to perform tours and record several albums as the band Dose Hermanos. Terrapin Flyer has explored deepest space with Bob Bralove on keyboards as well as performing shows with both members of Dose Hermanos together on stage.
Today Terrapin Flyer performs with a lineup that continues to bring in new guest musicians, nationally recognized artists and mix up various members from its history to create new and intriguing musical dynamics to each show performed. From a jam night to a nationally performing headlining band, through time the resume of the band Terrapin Flyer has indeed become impressive. The band has headlined such prominent festivals as The Dunegrass Festival in Empire, MI, The Nelson Ledges Quarry Park in Ohio and the Field Trip Festival in South Elgin, IL. Additionally, the band has headlined major venues as the House of Blues Chicago, Martyrs', The Traverse City Opera House in Michigan, The Kinetic Playground, The Royal Oak Theater in Michigan, The Rave in Milwaukee, Shank Hall in Milwaukee, SPACE in Evanston, Founder's Brewing in Grand Rapids and the Lucas School House in St Louis.
So what or who is Terrapin Flyer? As you have likely surmised that is not simple to define. What is at the core of fundamentals of the band is the idea that the Grateful Dead and Jerry Garcia's music still has plenty of life in it and that the music being so improvisational in nature can and should go to new places in each performance. No two Terrapin Flyer shows will ever be the same and you never know who might show up to jam at a show, but you can always count on a great time with some of the most recognized artists in the music community.