The China Camp Family Band is a brand-new group of well-known players in the Grateful Dead-Jerry Garcia Band wing of the jamband world who fell together and decided to make their own band. As co-founder Scott Guberman put it, “As much as we enjoy all the music we get to play individually with everyone in various lineups, we were missing having a “band” to be in.”
When three of the four found themselves living on a property at China Camp in San Rafael, north of San Francisco, it became obvious that things were meant to be. Brilliant players all, they banded together to explore the improvisational magic of the Grateful Dead world. Their gifts allow them to create new and spectacular versions of familiar songs, much in the manner of the original Dead. Homage is one thing; imitation is not allowed!
Garrett Deloian (guitar, Jerry’s Middle Finger). Garrett grew up in Denver, found a guitar in the basement at age eight, and has never stopped playing. He fell into the Los Angeles blues scene and worked for several years with Janiva Magness, including on her Grammy-nominated album Love Wins Again. Having played with the drummer Rodney Newman in Colorado, they resumed when they met again in Los Angeles, and formed Jerry’s Middle Finger.
Scott Guberman (keyboards, Phil Lesh & Friends among many bands). A vocalist, songwriter, and multi-keyboardist, Scott came from the East Coast to the Bay Area around 2000 and, after playing with former Dead pianists Tom Constanten and Vince Welnick, settled into Phil Lesh’s Terrapin Crossroads scene and proceeded to play with everybody.
Jerry Saracini (drums, Forgotten Space) Growing up in St. Louis, Jerry found the Dead’s music in his teens and quickly grasped the subtleties involved. “You had to dig to get to it. You had to put yourself into it to get something out.” He’s been getting a great deal out of his drums and the music ever since. After relocating to Dallas, he helped form Forgotten Space and they hit the road in 2012. He connected with Stu Allen and Mars Hotel the same year, which eventually lead him to finally settle in the Bay Area in 2025
John Paul McLean (bass and vocals, Melvin Seals and JGB) is from Los Angeles. After he graduated from Berklee College of Music in 2002 with a degree in Contemporary Writing and Production, he switched from guitar to bass, and has since played with many notable musicians in the Bay Area and across the country. He is also an accomplished sound engineer who served as Mickey Hart’s house engineer for several years, working extensively on the Grammy-winning album Global Drum Project. Legendary recordist and engineer Betty Cantor, assisted by Darrell Thomas, handles the sound for the China Camp Family Band.
The “Family” part of China Camp Family Band is important. They mostly live together and approach their music with the spirit of community that is an essential part of who they are and what the Dead’s music is about. Their work has a quality of infectious joy that you will quickly feel when you listen.
