Melvin Seals learned to play organ in church, where his father directed the choir, and you can hear that formation in everything he does behind the Hammond B3, even after more than 45 years of playing Jerry Garcia’s music. Garcia recognized something essential in it early. He kept Seals in the Jerry Garcia Band from 1981 until his death in 1995, and he introduced him from the stage as “the master of the universe.”
About the Show
Melvin Seals and JGB bring that legacy to the William & Ruth Whiting Theater at the Center for the Arts of Homer on Sunday, October 18, the second night of a nine-date Northeast run. Seals came to Garcia having already worked behind Chuck Berry, Buddy Miles, and Elvin Bishop, a gospel and R&B foundation that shaped what the Jerry Garcia Band sounded like once Seals joined in 1981. When Garcia died in 1995 and bassist John Kahn followed in 1996, Seals assumed leadership, rebranding the group as “Melvin Seals and JGB” to make clear this was a legacy ensemble, not a replacement. The early years drew criticism from some corners of Garcia’s fan base, but Seals has spoken openly about pushing through it — and the decades of sustained touring since have made the case on their own terms.
The current lineup (Seals on Hammond B3, John Kadlecik on guitar, John-Paul McLean on bass, and Jeremy Hoenig on drums) bills itself as “Keepers of the flame.” Kadlecik’s guitar work is central to how the band maintains that connection; Seals has called him the most authentic Garcia-style player he’s worked alongside, one who “even makes the same mistakes that Jerry made.” In 2025, the band performed sold-out shows at the Grateful Dead’s 60th anniversary celebration in San Francisco, and August 2025 brought the release of “Live at the Warfield,” a live album recorded at the San Francisco venue Seals has described as “home for us in the Bay Area.” The set draws from Garcia’s catalog alongside the Motown covers that were part of the original JGB’s repertoire, played, as Seals has put it, for “the vibe and feel” rather than technical precision.
Venue & Logistics
The Center for the Arts of Homer hosts national music concerts in its 400-seat William & Ruth Whiting Theater in the village of Homer, in New York’s southern tier. The venue describes itself as “a community of artists, art lovers, music makers, and creators.” The show begins at 8:00 p.m.
Tickets
This show is sold out per the Center for the Arts of Homer’s official listing. No ticket price was available from sources at the time of publication. Resale options may be available through the link below. Buy tickets