American guitar player J.P. Reali delivers a real gem with his EP “Grateful Blues”, a six-track tribute that revisits the vast catalog of the iconic Grateful Dead through the perspective of traditional blues and roots rock. With this release, the veteran Delaware musician proves that, beneath the mythical band’s sprawling psychedelic rhythms, there was always beating a heart soaked in pure blues.

Backed by a tight lineup featuring Jim Larson on drums, Rich Budesa on keyboards and Monty Cullum on bass, Reali leaves aside studio arrangements to drive the album songs into an intimate atmosphere. The EP kicks off with a vibrant rendition of “Easy Wind” and masterfully goes on reinterpreting genre-rooted classics like “Mr. Charlie” alongside with fan favorites like “Loose Lucy” and “Tennessee Jed”.

The album’s brilliance lies in how the guitar player exudes the rhythmic essence of the songs, in simple arrangements like in “I Need A Miracle,” where Reali swaps the expansive rock framework to a deeply syncopated acoustic and electric groove. Also, the dense, urban atmosphere of “West L.A. Fade Away” finds its perfect place here, spotlighting the artist’s brilliant guitar work and vocal honesty.

Recorded at Turtle Studios in Philadelphia and mastered by engineer Andy Kravitz, the rendering of “Grateful Blues” is crisp and warm. This is not a mere six-track cover EP, it is a musical love letter from an artist who gobbled up dozens of Dead shows back in the 80’s.

J.P. Reali has achieved a flawless crossover of styles, totally attractive for both old-school blues purists and ‘deadheads’ who are willing to rediscover their favorite tracks under a completely new light.