Grateful Dead: Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir (vocals, guitar); Donna Jean Godchaux (vocals); Keith Godchaux (piano, keyboards); Phil Lesh (electric bass); Mickey Hart (drums, percussion).

Audio Remasterer: Jeffrey Norman.

Liner Note Author: Gary Lambert.

Long a prized bootleg, the final show of the Grateful Dead's Spring '77 tour finally saw an official release via the three disc TO TERRAPIN: HARTFORD '77 set. Capturing the band at the peak of the late '70s era--and just before the release of the disco-tinged experiment TERRAPIN STATION--the box focuses mostly on the hippie funk side of their formula as evidenced on the lively Chuck Berry cover "Promised Land" and future TERRAPIN cut "Samson and Delilah." Despite the uptempo groovers, the set wins on the strength of a 20-minute "Sugaree" and a particularly mournful "Row Jimmy," both of which foreground Jerry's languid leads and mastery of the slow jam.

Dirty Linen (p.56) - "Generally regarded as one of the best shows of the band's post-retirement peak year, the Hartford show also features a great opening medley of 'Bertha,' 'Good Lovin',' and 'Sugaree.'"

Record Collector (magazine) (p.87) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "[T]he sound is crystalline and quietly dynamic, capturing every subtle nuance through 21 tracks running nearly three hours."