ABOUT | Englishtown Project

On September 3rd, 1977, The Grateful Dead headlined one of the largest and most musically successful concerts of all time at Raceway Park in Englishtown, NJ. In addition to the Grateful Dead, who had just completed its legendary Spring/Summer 1977 tour featuring a batch of new material from Terrapin Station, the show also featured the Dead family’s New Riders of the Purple Sage and the good-time, southern rock of The Marshall Tucker Band. This tribute extravaganza will feature selections from each band’s sets that day along with other deep cuts and original music inspired these three bands .

As Michael Falzarano tells the tale!

Everywhere I toured with The New Riders of the Purple Sage for the past 20 years someone would come up to me at almost every show and say “I saw you guys at Englishtown.” Long story short, it seemed like a good idea to put a band together and pay tribute to that legendary September 3, 1977 show. With that, The Englishtown Project was born. The intention was to play one show at The Brooklyn Bowl, NY and just have some fun with it. That one show has turned into upwards of 150 shows. Go figure!

The Mission!

The mission is to pay tribute to the music of all three iconic bands that played that day in 1977: The Grateful Dead, The Marshall Tucker Band and The New Riders of the Purple Sage. There were over 60 songs played that day, all of which are instantly recognizable. We play an ever-changing mix of the songs at every show along with some other songs not played that day and original songs inspired by the music of these three iconic bands. These bonus tunes are true to the history and legacy of the three bands. So if the spirit moves you and you have a request, shout it out. It just might get played.

The Englishtown Project

Michael Falzarano

Guitar/Vocals: After decades-long stints with Hot Tuna and The New Riders of the Purple Sage, Michael has earned nothing less than iconic status as one of the most authentic figures on the blues / jam band scene. Over the years, Michael’s evocative singing, intuitive guitar playing and songwriting skills have earned him a large and loyal following worldwide.

Tom Circosta (ZenTricksters)

Guitar/Vocals: Tom is one of the NY area’s most versatile guitarists and also happens to be a leading disciple of Bob Weir, arguably the best and most unique rhythm guitarist in rock history. In addition to Zen Tricksters, Tom also plays with the unique Dead On Live and Jam Stampede.

Kevin Griffin (Space Bandits)

Pedal Steel / Guitar / Vocals: Kevin has made a name for himself playing pedal steel and guitar around the Tri-State area for many years. When not on board with The Englishtown Project, Kevin can be seen with Space Bandits and The Electrix,

Klyph Black (Zen Tricksters)

Bass/Vocals: In Klyph, along with Tom and Dave, the Englishtown Project is fortunate to have 3/5ths of the classic lineup of Zen Tricksters, the best and longest running Grateful Dead-centric band in the Northeast. Not only is Klyph an outstanding bassist, he is also one of the most accomplished musicians on the Jam Band scene today.

Russell Stedman (Jeff Mattson Band/Zen Tricksters)

Drums: Fans of the Grateful Dead know what a great drummer Russell is. Having been on the Jam Band scene for quite a long time, he’s a much sought after drummer who has played in The Jeff Mattson Band and The Zen Tricksters. Now you can see him with The Englishtown Project.

When scheduling allows most shows include singers Clare Maloney or Annie Mac.

Clare Maloney

Vocals: New York City-based vocalist Clare Maloney has been hailed for her "golden voice of immense range and depth" and has delighted audiences around the world with her thoughtful artistry, polished singing and heartfelt performances. Raised on Rock & Roll and trained in Classical Music and Opera, Clare's musical knowledge and her skillful ability to move between genres have established her as a go-to musician. Her interpretation of the Grateful Dead’s music has earned her a steady following on the Jam Band scene.

Annie Mac

Vocals/flute/percussion

Annie is a New York–based multi-instrumentalist and vocalist with roots in classical flute and a deep love for rock, soul, and improvisational music. She’s known for her versatility and feel, bringing an expressive, dynamic energy to the stage—whether locking into a groove, layering textures, or taking the lead. A familiar face in the Dead scene, she’s played with bands like The Electrix and has brought her performance overseas, most recently to Japan.

The Englishtown Project has many master keyboard players at the ready when scheduling allows:

Mookie Siegel (Phil & Friends), Scott Guberman (Phil Lesh Family Band/Gilmore Project), Mike Katzman (Friends of the Brothers/The Electrix), Mark Mercier (Max Creek), Scott Chasolen (The Machine), Jordan Giangreco, (Zach Nugent/Mystic Dead), John Pittas (Dead on Live), Matt Iselin (Half Step) or Mike Borowski (Splintered Sunlight). To name a few.

When we’re doing double drums:

Dave Diamond (Zen Tricksters)

Drums: Most fans of the Grateful Dead are familiar with Dave’s drumming talents, but more and more are coming to realize that Dave is a multi-talented musician to be reckoned with. In addition to his long tenure with Zen Tricksters, Dave drums for the excellent alt-rock band Assembly of Dust and his own eclectic Dave Diamond Band.