FPR View from the sky

Foto by Jorma Kaukonen

After the weekend at the Ranch with Spencer Bohren and Tim Reynolds I got ready to head for Salt Lake City… but first I must note a great solo show by Tim!

Jorma & Tim backstage at the Station

Tim is an amazing player and a great guy. Big shout out to Fluffy too!

Here’s our class picture from the air.

Teachers and students by the Psylodelic Museum

Foto by Jorma Kaukonen

Saying adieu to another great weekend at the Fur Peace Ranch Jack, Myron, Phil and I flew out to Salt Lake City for a three day residency at the Egyptian Theater in Park City.

The Boys in Park City

Foto by Phil Jacobs

I took a nasty cold with me from Ohio so I laid low in the hotel except for going to the gigs.

The first night at the Egyptian:

Hot Tuna 14, 2017
The Acoustic Duo
Jorma Kaukonen & Jack Casady
The Egyptian Theater
Park City, Utah
Thursday, May 18, 2017

First Set:
1. Dime For Beer
2. Re-Enlistment Blues
3. I See The Light
4. Barbeque King
5. That’ll Never Happen No More
6. Ain’t In No Hurry
7. Death Don’t Have No Mercy
8. How Long Blues
9. Sleep Song
10. Watch The North Wind Rise
11. Living In The Moment
12. San Francisco Bay Blues

Second Set:
1. True Religion
2. Serpent Of Dreams
3. Waiting For A train
4. Hesitation Blues
5. Come Back Baby
6. I’ll Be Alright Someday
7. Candy Man Blues
8. In My Dreams
9. Keep Your Lamps Trimmed And Burning
10. Trial By Fire
11. Sea Child
12. Good Shepherd
13. I Know You Rider
14. Encore: Embryonic Journey

Nicely restored old theater

Foto by Jorma Kaukonen

This is a great little theater run by great folks ith terrific sound!

Second night:

Hot Tuna 15, 2017
The Acoustic Duo
Jorma Kaukonen & Jack Casady
The Egyptian Theater
Park City, Utah
Friday, May 19, 2017

First Set:
1. Ain’t In No Hurry
2. I See The Light
3. Things That Might Have Been
4. The Terrible Operation
5. Come Back Baby
6. Let Us Get Together
7. How Long Blues
8. Nobody Knows You When you’re Down & Out
9. Sea Child
10. Watch The North Wind Rise
11. Whining Boy Blues
12. That’ll Never Happen No More
Second Set:
1. Too Many Years
2. Hesitation Blues
3. Missing tune… Myron got locked out
4. Brother Can You Spare A Dime
5. Keep On Trucking Mama
6. Been So Long
7. Barbeque King
8. I Am The Light Of This World
9. Heart Temporary
10. Death Don’t Have No Mercy
11. Sleep Song
12. Good Shepherd
13. Keep Your Lamps Trimmed & Burning
14. Encore: Genesis

Our name in lights

Foto by Phil Jacobs

Third night:

Hot Tuna 16, 2017
The Acoustic Duo
Jorma Kaukonen & Jack Casady
The Egyptian Theater
Park City, Utah
Saturday, May 20, 2017

First Set:

1. Ain’t In No Hurry
2. Second Chances
3. Hesitation Blues
4. How Long Blues
5. Let Us Get Together Right Down Here
6. Barbeque King
7. I See The Light
8. Full Go Round
9. Living In The Moment
10. New Song For The Morning
11. Candy Man
12. That’ll Never Happen No More

Second Set:

1. True Religion
2. Serpent Of Dreams
3. Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out
4. What Are They Doing In Heaven Today
5. Whining Boy Blues
6. Come Back Baby
7. River Of Time
8. Sea Child
9. Watch The North Wind Rise
10. Good Shepherd
11. Trouble In My Mind
12. I Know You Rider
13. Encore: Nine Pound Hammer

Then it was off to Phoenix where we play at the Musical Instrument Museum tonight.

I'm not in Kansas anymore

Foto by Myron Hart

My cold is gone and I’m sure looking forward to the show tonight!

Remember... it's dry heat!

Foto by Jorma Kaukonen

Onward!

Me on my new scoot

Foto by Vanessa Kaukonen

That’s how my week started on Tuesday… New Bike! What’s not to like.

Got a couple of rides in and then it was time to pick Jack, Justin and Phil up at the airport and head to the Dark Star Jubilee… Could it get better?

Justin, setting up... ready to rock!

Weather beautiful… good friends abound!

Jack and Myron

They said it might rain… but it was holding off.

Me and the real Big Dog!

Foto by Suzy Perler

What a great Festival this is and what an honor to be here!

Yummy

Hot Tuna 7, 2016
The Electric Trio
Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady
& Justin Guip
Dark Star Jubilee
Legend Valley
Thornville, Ohio
Saturday, May 28, 2016

1. That’ll Never Happen No More
2. Candy Man
3. Ode To Billy Dean
4. A Little Faster
5. Sea Child
6. I See The Light
7. Bowlegged Woman
8. Rock Me Baby
9. Watch The North Wind Rise
10. 99 Year Blues
11. Hesitation Blues
12. Can’t Get Satisfied
13. Funky # 7
14. Hit Single #1

That'll Never Happen No More

Foto by Phil Jacobs

Confab on stage

Foto by Phil Jacobs

After our set, the Dark Star folks graciously invited us to play White Rabbit with them…

Thanks y’all!

Goodnight Dark Star... and goodnight moon...

The more things change...

The more they stay the same… Fall comes with its change in the season, and yet we feel so completely at home with that change. It is a welcome shift in viewpoint. The seasonal shift was one of the things that I always missed during my years in California. I am truly an East Coaster at heart.

Anyhow… into Woodstock and the Woodstock Theater we came.

Then there was that time...

Sure I remember George Bernard Shaw… who doesn’t? The actors and actresses are lost in antiquity and yeat the poster lives on.

My set from the Woodstock Playhouse… part of the Invitational Luthier’s weekend…

Jorma Kaukonen 43, 2015
Solo
Woodstock Playhouse
Woodstock, New York
Saturday, October 24, 2015

1. Ain’t In No Hurry
2. True Religion
3. Nobody Knows You When You’re Down & Out
4. Come Back Baby
5. River Of Time
6. Sea Child
7. Good Shepherd
8. Brother Can You Spare A Dime
9. The Terrible Operation
10. Death Don’t Have No Mercy
11. San Francisco Bay Blues
12. Bar Room Crystal Ball
13. Water Song
14. In My Dreams
15. Keep Your Lamps Trimmed & Burning
16. Encore: Genesis

Harvey Citron, Cindy Cashdollar & Jorma

It was nice to see so many old friends up here on Rt. 212. Cindy Cashdollar has returned to Woodstock from Austin. It was also great to see Harvey Citron. He sure is building some nice instruments these days.

Then it was an early rise and off to Pittsburgh and a gig with my old friend Ernie Hawkins.

This gig was on campus in the Carnegie Museum building.

A night at the museum indeed...

Here is my set list:

Jorma Kaukonen 44, 2015
Solo
Carnegie Lecture Hall
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Sunday, October 25, 2015

1. Dime For Beer
2. Ain’t In No Hurry
3. Hesitation Blues
4. Where There’s Two There’s Trouble
5. Nobody Knows You When You’re Down & Out
6. Come Back Baby
7. How Long Blues
8. Sea Child
9. Full Go Round
10. I See The Light
11. River Of Time
12. In My Dreams
13. San Francisco Bay Blues
14. Bar Room Crystal Ball
15. Water Song
16. Keep Your Lamps Trimmed & Burning
17. Encore: Good Shepherd
Ernie’s set was brilliant… and I sure had a great time with mine.

Old friends at the Carnegie Lecture Hall

I was up at 0500 yesterday morning so I missed the meet and greet after the show. Sorry I had to do that, but a man’s gotta rest…

Now it’s time to wake up the guys and head back to Meigs County and our new home.

PS Emelin setlisetw from Jason… thanks

Here’s the 10/23 setlists:
Set 1
Dime for Beer
Ain’t No Hurry
Down and Out
BBQ King
Full Go Round
Hesitation Blues
River of Time
How Long
Candy Man
Death
In My Dreams
SF

Set 2
True Religion
Two There’s Trouble
Terrible Operation
Come Back Baby
Lamps
Re-Enlistment Blues
Sheperd
Sea Child
Bar Room
Water Song
Rider
encore: Genesis

Our name in lights

First night at the Beacon Theater was indeed all I expected and more. Tomorrow when I get home to Hillside Farm, I’m going to do a more complete blog with some detailed thanks to all the wonderful friends who helped make this weekend happen. Many, many thanks are in order. For now, let me thank last night’s players: Of course our band… Jack Casady, Barry Mitterhoff and Skoota Warner… Larry Campbell, Teresa Williams, Steve Kimock, Bill Kirchen, G.E. Smith, Cindy Cashdollar and Lincoln Schleifer. Thanks guys… you are all the best and you will all have hypertext links tomorrow.

Classic, or what?

Yeah… what a night, from the rehearsal to the gig:

Steve Kimock examines the toys...

Here is our set list from last night:

Hot Tuna 52, 2012
The Beacon Theater
New York City
November 30, 2012

First Set:
1. Jack comes out and welcomes the audience with a solo
2. Candy Man with Jorma, Barry and Larry
3. Can’t Get Satisfied with Jorma, Jack, Barry and Skoota
4. Children Of Zion with the Tuna core adding Larry and
5. Serpent Of Dreams Tuna core Steve & G.E.
6. Long Gone From Kentucky with G.E.Smith
7. Bowlegged Woman Tuna Plus G.E. and Bill Kirchen and Lincoln Schleifer
8. Sugaree core Tuna with Larry And Teresa
9. Come Back Baby Tuna core with GE, Steve, Cindy et al
10. Easy Now Revisited Tuna + Larry
11. Hit Single #1 Tuna + G.E.
Second Set:
1. I See The Light with Tuna core G.E. & Steve
2. Living In The Moment with Tuna core and Cindy
3. Mama Let Me Lay It On You with Tuna, G.E. Larry & Cindy
4. Many Rivers To Cross with Steve Kimock & GE
5. Barbeque King with Tuna, Steve Kimock & Cyndy & Larry
6. Time’s They Are A Changin’ Tuna core with Bill Kirchen & GE
7. Mourning Interrupted with Tuna core and Larry
8. 99 Year Blues with Lincoln and Cyndy
9. Bar Room Crystal Ball Core Tuna with Larry and Teresa
10. Funky #7 Lincoln, Jack, Bill, GE, Steve, Barry, Cindy, Skoota, Jorma
11. Encore: Baby What You Want me To Do? With Larry, GE, Cindy

Ah... the stage... the stage

OK, lots of preparations to do for tonight’s gig… I love this life…

New York, just like I remembered it...

More anon

...and they will rest in peace, for a very long time...

Here in Los Angeles there are angels… and I visited them today at the Inglewood Cemetery. My Grandparents, Ida and Jaako, my Mother and Father, Beatrice and Jorma, and my Uncle Pentti all rest here together, not far from the airport. My Uncle Tarmo is in a military cemetery and I have never had the honor to pay my respects… perhaps next time. The last time I was here was right around the time Barry Mitterhoff’s Dad, Murray, passed. How the time flies. My Father has now been gone fifteen years, my Mother fourteen… and I still miss them. I never knew Tarmo, he died in the service in WW II. Pentti was my friend though and he passed way too young. I miss them all.

Gone, but not forgotten...

It is a shame that our children will never meet these wonderful people and hear their stories from their mouths, but that is just the way it is.

…and you too, Uncle Pen!”]

Stones for their spirits

It is just the way it is… but I miss them all… and Grandma Ida… thanks for River Of Time. I’ll take another song from you any time.

My heart is full!

Barry and I played two sold out shows ate McCabe’s last night and here are our set lists:

Jorma Kaukonen And Barry Mitterhoff 1, 2012
McCabe’s Guitar Shop
Santa Monica, California
Friday, February 3, 2012

First Show:
1. True Religion
2. I’ll Let You Know Before I Leave
3. How Long Blues
4. Children Of Zion
5. Second Chances
6. I See The Light
7. Let Us Get Together Right Down Here
8. Barbeque King
9. Sea Child
10. Full Go Round
11. Goodbye To The Blues
12. 99 Year Blues
13. I Know You Rider
14. Encore: Embryonic Journey
Second Show:
1. Been So Long
2. Search My Heart
3. Hesitation Blues
4. Things That Might Have Been
5. Mama Let Me Lay It On You
6. Candy Man
7. Red River Blues
8. Come Back Baby
9. Vicksburg Stomp
10. 99 Year Blues
11. I Am The Light Of This World
12. Uncle Sam Blues
13. Parchman Farm
14. Keep Your Lamps Trimmed And Burning
15. Encore: Genesis

Life is a genesis… and so it goes.

One day it’s sunset on the Vineyard with family and then it’s back on the road. After my friend’s wedding Myron and I headed down to Vineyard Haven and hopped on the ferry to Wood’s Hole.

As we slid out of the slip we glided by this magnificent two master and headed out towards Woods Hole. Five hours later we drove into Tarrytown and turned in for some much needed sleep. At breakfast I heard that even though the Clearwater Festival was less than ten miles away, there was so much traffic that it could easily take more than an hour to get there and they were right.

On site, it was a stunning day and I was there in time for John Sebastian’s great set… and we got to talk a bit when he was done. Seconds later there was my old pal Chris Smither… it was like old home week.

Time moves in it’s own pace and before you know it, it was time for my set which is as follows:

Jorma Alone Again And Acoustic
At Clearwater
Croton On Hudson, New York
Sunday, June 19, 2011

1. What Are They Doing In Heaven Today?
2. Let Us Get Together Right Down Here
3. I Know You Rider
4. Second Chances
5. Come Back Baby
6. Hesitation Blues
7. That’ll Never Happen No More
8. Things That Might Have Been
9. Candy Man
10. Uncle Sam Blues
11. I Am The Light Of This World
12. 99 Year Blues
13. I See The Light

After my set I hung out for a while and talked to a bunch of friends by the fence. Just before we got ready to leave I saw Pete Seeger in one of the gold carts and I had to go over and introduce myself and take the moment to personally thank him for being one of the guiding lights of my life. My Father took me to see Pete when I was twelve of thirteen and it was a moment I remember well today. What a guy… long may he wave!

Here I am with Pete!

Well, day is drawing to a close here in Tarrytown. Today is Father’s Day. I was remembered by my son who called me from Virginia and my little daughter who Skyped me from Maine. It meant a lot to me and I found myself wondering how many Father’s Days I missed calling my own Dad. My father has been gone fifteen years now and I miss both him and Mom every day. They would have loved this bright day in Croton On Hudson… they would have loved the music, the spirit and well… seeing Pete Seeger.

It is quite a world we live in…

Indeed, good old Hot Tuna wended it’s way up to the Uptown Theater in Napa, California. It’s been a while since I’ve been here, but it’s a beautiful place… as is the venue. We played with Bill Kreutzman’s band, the 7 Walkers and they were outstanding. Here is me and Papa Mali:

What a great player and a great guy! I love this gig, and speaking of gigs… here is our set list:

Hot Tuna 22, 2010
Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady
Barry Mitterhoff And Skoota Warner
The Uptown Theater
Napa, California
Friday, October 1, 2010

1. I See The Light
2. True Religion
3. Can’t Get Satisfied
4. If This Is Love, I Want My Money Back
5. Living Just For You
6. 99 Year Blues
7. Bowlegged Woman
8. Rock Me Baby
9. Full Go Round
10. Corners Without Exits
11. Talkin’ Bout You
12. Funky # 7
13. Encore: Ode To Billy Dean

Yeah it’s all good… even having to get up at 0500 to go to Hardly Strictly tomorrow… How can I complain. More tomorrow… what a night!

Thursday, June 10, 2010 Scotch Plains, New Jersey

At this point in my life, the passage of time has come to mean many different things. On the one hand, our children grow and we share in the splendor of their discovery and on the other hand, the ones who brought us here complete their journey as their time comes and we are saddened by their loss and enriched for having known them. I think of a Robert Duvall line in one of the many great westerns he did.

‘From the sweet grass to the packing house, from birth to death, we travel between the two eternities.’

The other day I got a note from my friend Chuck. His father in law Dave had just passed away. Chuck and Donna have been my friends for, well… a really long time. Sometimes I think we grazed on the sweet grass together, but that is another story. Anyway, I was up at Chuck and Donna’s recently in El Dorado County in California and in their lovely home was a little shrine to Dave. There was his flying gear from WWII. My Dad and my two uncles were WWII vets so I think I focused more on those items… but there was more… the trail of a lifetime.

Indeed there is more… his widow Toby has been an active friend of mine for some years. We email, she comes to shows occasionally and she and my wife, Vanessa, are buddies. She, and all of them are family to us too.

Dave had not been himself for some time so in some small way, there had been a long goodbye in progress. This does not make the final chapter any easier.

Still on the road of destiny his children, Michelle and Donna, a grandchild and Toby journey with eyes toward the future. The final chapter of his book has been written but it is there for us to re-read at any time.

Yesterday my friend Barry and I went out to Michelle’s place in Long Island to sit shiva with the family, pay respects and tell stories. We brought food… it was a cool rainy day… unusual for this time of year but a nice setting for reflection. There were somber moments, but also lots of laughter. That is all as it should be.

Dave was buried with full military honors in Long Island as he should have been. In his time he soared with eagles and perhaps back in the world he may have soared even higher as he raised a grand family. Toby shared her strength with us and I thank her for that.

An afternoon with friends in a moment of transition… a beautiful page from the book of life.
Fair winds and following seas Dave… Say hi to my Dad.

Friday, May 28, 2010 Sonora, California

I write this from the somewhat small town of Sonora, California. My pals and I are here for the Furthur Festival at the Calaveras County Fairgrounds. Myron and I came in late yesterday afternoon after an all day airport event starting in Columbus, Ohio. Yeah… living the dream. Being on East Coast time I was up at 0430 and couldn’t go back to sleep. Oh well… Anyway, Myron and I found a breakfast café in Jamestown which was only a couple of miles away from our hotel. Down home food at California prices. That’s OK. I’m in California.

When I came out of my room into the parking lot of the hotel, I was greeted by that forest mountain smell that you only find in the west coast of the United States. My Mom, may she rest in peace, used to live on Talmont up in North Shore Tahoe. It always smelled like that up at her house on the side of the mountain overlooking the lake.

The smell of these trees in the early morning transported me back decades. We would visit her up there, Vanessa and I, and drink in the surroundings of those ancient trees. It was a delightful taste I will never forget.

May 8th was the twelfth anniversary of my Mom’s journey beyond the stars. It slipped by me unnoticed this year. Sadly I notice that as time passes there are indeed more memories than a heart can predictably hold. I’m sure my memory will be just as fragile when my time comes, but that is as it should be. I miss Mom always. I miss her advice whether or not I chose to take it. That too is as it should be.

In the late eighties, Mom moved back down from the mountain to Mill Valley, California. The thin air of the High Sierras was too difficult for her aging lungs to negotiate. She loved these mountains with all her heart and when she moved back down to the Coast she said goodbye to what might have been the most serene twenty five years of her life. Even now twelve years after her passing and twenty one years after she gave up the house on Talmont , when I work in North Shore Tahoe someone is sure to say, I remember that name, Kaukonen. I think I saw it in a newspaper in the seventies or eighties. That would have been my Mom or Dad trying to fix some perceived wrong in the community. That would have been Bea or Jorma Sr.

On this morning up here in Calaveras County, for a brief moment she walked with me again as I breathed in the evergreen air of this magnificent California landscape. I smelled the mountains, and the trees and the wood smoke and I could hear her voice in a distant whisper of memory. When I would call her in the last years of her life, I would ask, ‘How are you Mom?’ and she would say, ‘I’m here Jerry, I’m still here.’

You know, in that corner of my heart where love always lives surrounded by the memories of my life, she still is… here.