John Kahn

John Kahn (1948 – 1996)

John Kahn was best known for his contributions to the solo work of Grateful Dead founder and leader Jerry Garcia. Kahn’s first mainstream work came in 1969 with his contributions to guitarist Mike Bloomfield, including albums such as The Live Adventures Of Mike Bloomfield And Al Kooper, It’s Not Killing Me and Live At Bill Graham’s Fillmore West. Kahn first linked with Garcia in 1970 as part of a collective of musicians based at San Francisco’s Keystone Korner. His first recorded undertaking with Garcia was 1972’s Hooteroll?, after which he worked on almost every Garcia solo and live project. This included Garcia’s multifarious groups with keyboard player Merl Saunders as well as the bluegrass group Old (playing double bass) and the Way, which featured Garcia on banjo. His skills were also in demand for many other artists working in the Bay Area, leading to collaborations with John Lee Hooker, Nick Gravenites and Maria Muldaur. On record, he appeared with Mississippi Fred McDowell, Otis Rush, Jackie DeShannon and Brewer And Shipley. Kahn was still working regularly with Garcia until his death in 1995. Kahn himself died only a year later, a demise attributed to a narcotic drug overdose.