“There and Back Again” (Columbia) – Phil Lesh and Friends

Phil Lesh has some pretty good friends.

That much is evident in “There and Back Again,” the studio debut CD from the Grateful Dead veteran’s uber-ensemble. On this outing, friends Warren Haynes (of Allman Brothers Band and Gov’t Mule fame) and Jimmy Herring on guitars, John Molo on drums and Rob Barraco on keyboards join the world’s most famous jam-bassist (and notable modern classical composer) to create a smart, polished and melodic package of 11 songs that would appeal to listeners far beyond the Dead set.

The influences are there, to be sure. The CD opens with “Celebration,” a predictably Dead-esque, feel-good song, and “Leave Me Out of This” has the feel of “Samson and Delilah.” But don’t be fooled into thinking the whole CD will follow suit. All players but Molo contribute in the writing department, and the diversity of lyrical, musical and vocal styles makes the album stand on its own.

An impressive Haynes offering is “Patchwork Quilt,” a beautifully written but not too maudlin tribute to Dead founder Jerry Garcia. “Leave Me Out of This,” co-written by Barraco and longtime Dead lyricist Robert Hunter (who lends a pen on most of the album), is catchy, jazzy and jammy all at once. Where the reggae-style “Welcome to the Underground” is gritty and surly, “Rock-n-Roll Blues,” featuring Lesh on vocals, counters with toe-tapping fun a la country jukebox. The liltingly funky “No More Do I” by Lesh and Hunter packs a punch with incredibly tight multiple-harmony vocals throughout and great guitar noodling by Herring that smacks of Carlos Santana and Mark Knopfler.

But for pure lyrical and musical quality, my vote for The Song That Perked My Ears goes to the Herring-Hunter ballad “Again and Again” for its wonderfully executed weaving of three vocal layers, intelligent chord progression and modulation, and Haynes’ classic mournful slide fills.

The runner-up is “Night of a Thousand Stars,” a quick-paced, driving and introspective tune written by Lesh, Haynes and Hunter, sporting an early guitar lead that could have been sampled from one of Jerry’s particularly hot nights on stage.

Lesh is solid as ever on bass, and his vocals are surprisingly capable. Haynes’ slide riffs and standard leads are quintessentially flawless, and his gospel-choir-rooted vocals shift on the fly from angelic to grungy.

Jam-band stalwart Herring brings piquant, fluid lead and rhythm guitar chops to the mix, along with a nice voice reminiscent of countless ’70s singer-songwriters.

Barraco’s keyboard work serves its purpose to the hilt – bringing both fullness and detail to the whole. Molo’s drumming is right on the mark at all times, a refreshing change from the fun but sometimes sloppy Kreutzmann-Hart juggernaut of Dead days.

And let’s not forget the producers and mixers.

They earned their stripes on this CD, as it is sharp, clean and well-balanced, save for one song where a Haynes lead seemed soft.

Deadhead or not, it’s well worth it to become friends with this Lesh album.