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Starting out rather simply, as a jazz-rock trio in 1982, (electric bass, baritone saxophone and flute), by the time they released their album Terrapin, Joe Gallant & the Illuminati had grown to a 17-member big band. Bringing in as many influences as they did members, the group focused on reinterpreting the music of the Grateful Dead through the idioms of jazz, bluegrass, fusion and funk. Nearly simultaneously with the release of Terrapin were two Grateful Dead collections performed by the Illuminati issued on the Relix label. Terrapin, however, was one of the band's most ambitious projects, bringing together a host of guest musicians -- there were 73 musicians in all and stars like Bill Walton, Pat Boone, Ike Willis, Jorma Kaukonen, Patricia Barber and Buddy Cage all lent a hand. The result was not always recognizable as Grateful Dead material -- the songs had been stripped down and rebuilt by Gallant, but the nature of the album remained that of the respectful tribute and the influence of the Dead often shown through. ~ Stacia Proefrock, All Music Guide
