The Deepest End

Album Review

Given all the live documents Gov't Mule issued since the premature death of bassist Allen Woody, The Deepest End is easily the most satisfying. Recorded and filmed during the 2003 Jazz and Heritage Festival in New Orleans, the show features the most astonishing array of guest bassists yet, and so many other guests the date was like a festival unto itself. Among the bassists preset for a night of music that began at 10:10 p.m. and ended at 3:35 a.m. were Jack Casady, Les Claypool, Roger Glover, Will Lee, Jason Newsted, Rob Wasserman, Victor Wooten, George Porter, Jr., Conrad Lozano, and a half-dozen others. Other musicians participating in the festivities — many of whom who had gigs in the Crescent City at the same time — include David Hidalgo, Bernie Worrell, Fred Wesley, Karl Denson, Sonny Landreth, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band horns, Béla Fleck, and Ivan Neville. There are two CDs, packed to the gills with music from that evening. The mixture of covers and Gov't Mule originals is, to say the very least, captivating: from the opener "Bad Little Doggie" (given its definitive on-tape version here) and "Lay of the Sunflower" to "Goin' Down" and "John the Revelator." The sound is warm and the mix very fluid, very live. The performance is completely inspired and jaw-droppingly sophisticated despite its spontaneity. There are 20 tracks over the pair of CDs, accounting for two hours and 34 minutes total playing time, and the DVD features 20 more and lasts over three hours. There are some major differences in tracks between the CDs and DVDs, making it pretty much essential for Mule fans: covers of "Wasted Time," "Sweet Leaf," "Politician," "Voodoo Chile," and a heft dose of Mule originals. All told, this and Rush's stellar In Rio triple disc are easily the live recorded events of 2003.