Why Tony Garnier is great

Garnier has done an amazing job on what has to be one of the toughest gigs in the music business.

Tony Garnier with his double bass

Tony Garnier happens to be a very experienced, very seasoned musician capable of playing in an amazing variety of styles — most far more difficult than Bob Dylan's blues and folk based tunes (and that's no slur on Dylan).

He also happens to be saddled with the most difficult task of leading a band for someone who out of a devilish playfulness, or sheer impulse, a desire for spontaneity and high-wire walking, or quite possibly plain insanity, likes to change keys, beats, songs (after they've started) and pull all sorts of other tricks to fuck up those playing with him, whether its his current band, The Band, Joan Baez, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, The Grateful Dead, studio musicians or anyone else. 

Given that, Garnier has done an amazing job on what has to be one of the toughest gigs in the music business. I mean if you're out there playing in front of a few thousand people, it helps to know what the song is you're going to play or if it's going to be…