Last May, as the final serene measures of the “Dona nobis pacem” sounded in St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Evanston, the music also served to sunset Bach Week, the annual festival celebrating J.S. Bach. After a 50-year run, the fest would be no more, felled by dwindling grants and volunteers.

The venue honors the lead guitarist, vocalist and co-founder of the Grateful Dead’s eclectic artistry and heritage, drawing from his Spanish roots and Northern Californian upbringing, as well as his deep connections to jazz,