It would be good to have input from others on this. I've read a couple other people who believe it was Constanten; but I agree with you that the playing is very clumsy and non-TC-like. I figured it was because it was an early rehearsal & he was unfamiliar with the tunes (and his instrument), but that calls the date into question.
I think we can agree that it's not Pigpen. Just possibly, it's ANOTHER keyboardist the Dead were trying out. We know they were complaining about Pigpen in mid-68 and sometimes played without him (esp in the studio). Lemieux played a bit of a 9/21/68 studio jam on the Taper's Section where Garcia & Lesh are playing with an unknown guitarist who's not Weir. It's just possible they briefly tried out another keyboardist for studio recording before TC became available in November. I am pretty certain the Stephen is from later in the year. I don't think we have a Stephen>Eleven until the August shows; and I think this studio Stephen is clearly more 'mature' (in the slow pace & guitar phrasing) than the Stephens we hear from June, which have a different structure. Compare the various Stephens, and I don't think there's any way this is a May/June Stephen. Hope other listeners will chime in!
