StealyourStats

Thomas Charles Constanten: concert pianist turned cosmic tinkerer. He and Phil Lesh were classmates under Luciano Berio in Oakland, and when the band needed a full-time keyboardist in late 1968 they called TC. His approach was nothing like Pigpen's blues-organ stomp: he brought tape-splice electronics, prepared piano (stuffing objects between the strings mid-song), and classical counterpoint into the mix. He left in early 1970, returning to his solo classical career and occasional Dead guest appearances. His playing can be heard all through Live/Dead and on much of Aoxomoxoa.