Jack, his Diana bass... and Jorma at the Fillmore

Foto: I don’t know who… when I get info I’ll post it.

The day after the Fillmore, Jack and Myron and Phil and I jumped into cars and headed up to Grass Valley, California for a sold out gig at the Performing Arts Center there. Grass Valley has a lot of good memories for me. I had some dear friends who lived there back in the day… and I bought a nice 1940 Buick four door sedan there. My Dad,had his 1970 Mercedes Roadster restored in Auburn, my Mom lived in North Shore Tahoe and we used to go swimming in the American River. Good times indeed.

This wasn't there back in the 60's

When I got out of the van, the air was redolent with the smell of redwoods in the brisk night air… it brought me back… a long time.

Here is our set list:

Hot Tuna 2, 2015
The Acoustic Duo
Jorma Kaukonen & Jack Casady
Center For The Performing Arts
Grass Valley, California
Sunday, January 4, 2015

First Set:
1. True Religion
2. Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out
3. Children Of Zion
4. Things That Might Have Been
5. Hesitation Blues
6. Barbeque King
7. Mama Let Me Lay It On You
8. Death Don’t Have No Mercy
9. The Terrible Operation
10. I Know You Rider
Second Set:
1. I See The Light
2. Search My Heart
3. Whining Boy Blues
4. Good Shepherd
5. Full Go Round
6. Bar Room Crystal Ball
7. Water Song
8. Come Back Baby
9. That’ll Never Happen No More
10. I Am The Light Of This World
11. Keep Your Lamps Trimmed & Burning
12. Encore: Living In The Moment

Two words we love to see...

We drove to a hotel near the Sacramento airport and yesterday morning we grabbed a plane to Dallas. IN Dallas, we found out that our flight to Columbus had been cancelled… who knows why? We got out on a later flight and flew into the storm that was hitting the Ohio River Valley. My 4×4 Nissan Titan was waiting for us in the garage in Columbus. We filled up with gas ($1.64 a gallon) and drove south in the storm. Three and a half hours later, I was home and in bed. (the trip usually takes an hour forty five)

We had a fabulous little New Year’s run to the Golden State. 71 gigs for Hot Tuna in 2014. We’ll see what happens in 2015. That’s about it for now… gotta walk Maverick and hit the sack.

The entrance to the Fillmore

Foto by Phil Jacobs

Well, much has changed over the years… but not the entrance to the Fillmore Auditorium. It looks the same today as it did in 1963… before… well, it all happened.

Paul Kantner stops by... and we take a selfie...

Our old band mate Paul Kantner stopped by for sound check, and we took this opportunity to take a selfie in the dressing room we all shared so long ago!

The view from the stage... sound check

The view from the stage is a little fancier than it was back then… but, in many ways, still the same.

Our trip to the Fillmore hooked us up with Joe Purdy

Joe and Jorma

This was the first time we shared the stage with Joe, but not the last, we hope.

Wavy Gravy brings Tuna onstage at the Fillmore

One of our dearest friends, Wavy Gravy made the trek to welcome us to the Bay Area, and he introduced our set! Thanks Wavy… you’re the best!

And by the bye… here is our set:

Hot Tuna 1, 2015
The Acoustic Duo
Jorma Kaukonen & Jack Casady
The First Show Of 2015
The Fillmore Auditorium
San Francisco, California
Saturday, January 3, 2015

1. Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out
2. Children Of Zion
3. Second Chances
4. Hesitation Blues
5. Come Back Baby
6. Let Us Get Together Right Down Here
7. Brother Can You Spare A Dime
8. Sea Child
9. Good Shepherd
10. Barbeque King
11. I’ll be All Right Some Day
12. Bar Room Crystal Ball
13. Water Song
14. In My Dreams
15. That’ll Never Happen No More
16. How Long Blues
17. I Am The Light Of This World
18. Keep Your Lamps Trimmed & Burning
19. First Encore: I Know You Rider
20. Second Encore: Embryonic Journey

Jack and I did a two hour show… the time flew by! A magic night for us, that’s for sure.

Wavy stops by after the show...

Foto by Phil Jacobs

Well… that’s about it for now. What a grand trip to S.F.! Now we’re off to the Center For The Arts in Grass Valley. I bought a 1940 Buick four door in Grass Valley back in the 60’s.

Wow… where does it all go?

Onward!

Our name in lights...

Foto by Phil Jacobs

So… we made it to Portland all right, but you all knew that. The Aladdin has been a home away from home for us for some years now, and to be able to play a New Years show there was a welcome treat. Considering the fact that we haven’t done a New Years show in over a decade… it was a big deal for us. The ample crowd there made us feel more than welcome and Jack and dove into our show with great heart!

Hot Tuna 71, 2014
The Acoustic Duo
Jorma Kaukonen & Jack Casady
New Year’s Eve
The Aladdin Theater
Portland, Oregon
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
First Set:
1. True Religion
2. Nobody Knows You When You’re Down & Out
3. Second Chances
4. I See The Light
5. Brother Can You Spare A Dime
6. Sea Child
7. Trial By Fire
8. In My Dreams
9. Come Back Baby
10. Let Us Get Together Right Down Here
11. Candy Man
12. I Know You Rider
Second Set:
1. Serpent Of Dreams
2. Hesitation Blues
3. I’ll Be All Right Some Day
4. That’ll Never Happen No More
5. Good Shepherd
6. Full Go Round
7. Happy New Year… 2015… Phil Jacobs counted down and blew the sacred silly whistle!
8. Bar Room Crystal Ball
9. Water Song
10. Search My Heart
11. Barbeque King
12. S.F. Bay Blues
13. I Am The Light Of This World
14. Keep Your Lamps Trimmed & Burningq
15. Encore: Embryonic Journey

Mmmmm.... good!

Wow… 2015… what a concept! How did we get this far? How it come to this? I’m probably going to ruminate more on this over the next couple of days, but for now… Happy New Year everybody! May you all be blessed in the coming year!

Day after tomorrow we play the Fillmore Auditorium in good old San Francisco!

Mt. Hood from the window of the plane...

Up yesterday morning at 0300… got to the airport… flight scheduled for 0730… delayed… equipment problems… flew equipment in from Pittsburgh, plane took off… missed connection in Phoenix… waited standby… got on flight… got to Portland and the hotel about seventeen hours later, just in time for dinner.

Living the dream… always.

Tonight: Hot Tuna rings in the New Year at the Aladdin Theater here in Portland. Be there, or… well, you know.

More will be revealed…

Four words we lov to see... Hot Tuna... and Sold Out

The anticipation for this year’s Beacon show… the theme of which was Jack’s 70th birthday has been building for some time. A sold out show… tickets were at a premium and even we couldn’t get more. We were so blessed on this run to have a two weeks of dates before the the Big One… so we were primed by the time we pulled into Manhattan. Indeed, we truly were, ‘Ready to rock!’

We were specially thrilled to have Marty Balin and his cohorts as special guests for this great show. We had been looking forward to this since we hosted Marty and his guys for a concert at our Fur Peace Ranch. Also on board for this show was our dear friend G.E. Smith who is always welcome when we hit the boards… you never really know what he is going to bring to the mix, but it’s always great.

The Beacon... a helluva place!

Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams have become as integral a part of Tuna as it is possible to be. We wish they could be with us everywhere we go… but we’ll take what we can get and be grateful! Justin Guip has taken over that most important seat behind the drums… and he is certainly the last part of the cat over the fence! I could never say too much about my musical mate Barry Mitterhoff. He and I have been picking together since 2002 or thereabouts and it’s been a swell dance…

Ceilings... we're painting ceilings...

Needless to say… Jack and I have been friends who have played music together for more years than many couples stay married. What a concept! Check this set list out:

Zach and I sit stage right as Jack casady opens the show...

Beacon Show
Dec. 13, 2015

First Set:
1. Jack plays as only he can… and we…
2. Segue into Hesitation Blues
3. I See The Light… enter Justin, Larry, Barry and G.E.
4. Children Of Zion… same gang with Teresa
5. Hit Single # 1… same gang
6. Three Fifths Of A Mile with Marty Balin… The gang and Teresa
7. Plastic Fantastic Lover with Marty Balin… The gang and Teresa
8. Wade In The Water with Teresa
9. Somebody To Love with Teresa
10. Rock Me Baby… The gang
11. A Little Faster… Same gang
Second Set:
1. Marty Trio
2. Marty Trio
3. Marty Trio
4. Blues with Marty Balin… and the gang
5. White Rabbit with Teresa Williams
6. Sugaree with Teresa Williams
7. Bar Room Crystal Ball… with Teresa and Larry on pedal steel…
8. Water Song… Larry on mandolin… Barry on octave mandolin
9. Long Gone From Kentucky with G.E. Smith
10. Big River with Larry Campbell
11. Bowlegged Woman
12. Candy Man… you know the deal (Larry on fiddle)
13. Deep Ellum Blues with Larry and Teresa
14. Funky # 7 … usual crew
15. Encore: Volunteers with Marty Balin and everyone
16. Encore 2: Keep Your Lamps Trimmed & Burning with Larry & Teresa

Thanks to Jerry Sullivan for my cool tux jacket...

And of course, since this was a birthday party… we needed a cake… and what a cake!

Very, very... nice... and tasty too!

Well… this morning with the festivities over, we breakfasted at the Viand Cafe with the family and then Vanessa and I took Zach down to Penn Station to catch the bus back to Virginia… school tomorrow.

The boys, waiting for the bus

That’s about it for now. What a grand time! Tomorrow, onward and home!

Good times...

Night before last we descended upon that Historic Synagogue at 6th and I in D.C. for our first show there. What a beautiful place for a gig.

Ceilings...

Thanks for the Dressing Room Leah...

Here is our set list:

Hot Tuna 68, 2014
The Electric Sextet
Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady
Larry Campbell, Teresa Williams
Barry Mitterhoff & Justin Guip
Sixth and Ist. Historic Synagogue
Washington, D.C.
December 10, 2014

First Set:
1. True Religion
2. Hesitation Blues
3. Ode To Billy Dean
4. Can’t Get Satisfied
5. I See The Light
6. Children Of Zion with Teresa Williams
7. Wade In The Water ditto
8. Big River with Larry Campbell
9. Somebody To Love
10. A Little Faster
Second Set:
1. Good Shepherd
2. Trial By Fire
3. Rock Me Baby
4. Mourning Interrupted
5. Bar Room Crystal Ball
6. Deep Ellum
7. White Rabbit
8. Sugaree
9. Funky #7
10. Encore: Keep Your Lamps Trimmed & Burning

Love this place!

The facade...

Foto by Phil Jacobs

Then on a chilly snowy morn it was off to Collingswood, N.J.

Life in the tropics...

Last night we were at the Scottish Rites Auditorium.

Preparing for the show

What a cool building this was as well.

More ceilings

Here is our set list from last night:

Hot Tuna 69, 2014
The Electric Sextet
Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady
Larry Campbell, Teresa Williams
Barry Mitterhoff & Justin Guip
Scottish Rite Auditorium
Collingswood, New Jersey
Thursday, December 11, 2014

First Set:
1. Search My Heart
2. Hesitation Blues
3. Ode To Billy Dean
4. A Little Faster
5. Children Of Zion
6. Good Shepherd
7. Wade In The Water
8. Somebody To Love
9. Bowlegged Woman
10. Hit Single # 1
Second Set:
1. Trial By Fire
2. Big River
3. Rock Me Baby
4. I See The Light
5. Bar Room Crystal Ball
6. Water Song
7. Deep Ellum
8. White Rabbit
9. Sugaree
10. Funky # 7
11. Encore: Keep Your Lamps Trimmed & Burning

The mystery of it all

Now we’re off to New York with a day off before the Big Beacon Show & Jack’s 70th Celebration!

Gotta get some breakfast…

The first gig at the State Theater in Ithaca...

After Jack and I finished up at the Highline Ballroom in good old Manhattan, we bopped up to Red Hook for some rehearsal with Larry Campbell, Teresa Williams, Barry Mitterhoff & Justin Guip. After that it was up to Ithaca and the State Theater.

Tuna onstage at the State

Foto by Phil Jacobs

Here is our set list:

Hot Tuna 65, 2014
The Electric Sextet
Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady
Larry Campbell, Teresa Williams
Barry Mitterhoff & Justin Guip
State Theater
Ithaca, New York
December 5, 2014

1. True Religion
2. Hesitation Blues
3. Ode To Billy Dean
4. Can’t Get Satisfied
5. I See The Light
6. Children Of Zion
7. Wade In The Water
8. Bowlegged Woman
9. Bar Room Crystal Ball
10. Water Song
11. Deep Ellum
12. Sugaree
13. Funky # 7

A darned good first show, if I do say so myself… From Ithaca we took off to the great white north and Jay Peak up in Vermont by the Canadian border.

The view from my window up in Jay, Vermont

Yeah, it might have been cold outside… but it was smokin’ inside the Foeger Ballroom.

Hot Tuna 66, 2014
The Electric Sextet
Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady
Larry Campbell, Teresa Williams
Barry Mitterhoff & Justin Guip
Jay Peak, Foeger Ballroom
Jay, Vermont
Saturday, December 6, 2014

1. Search My heart
2. I See The Light
3. I Wish You Would
4. Rock Me Baby
5. Hesitation Blues
6. Children Of Zion
7. Wade In The Water
8. Bowlegged Woman
9. Bar Room Crystal Ball
10. Water Song
11. Big River
12. Sugaree
13. Hit Single #1
14. Funky #7
15. Encore: Keep Your Lamps Trimmed & Burning

Jay, Vermont... where did we park that bus?

Up at 0500 again and back on the road for that long drive south to Albany and the Egg.

Yow... another frigid morning

This would be our last show with Donna The Buffalo… we loved sharing the bill with them and look forward to doing it again!

Hot Tuna 67, 2014
The Electric Sextet
Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady
Larry Campbell, Teresa Williams
Barry Mitterhoff & Justin Guip
The Egg
Albany, New York
December 7, 2014

1. True Religion
2. Mama Let Me Lay It On You
3. Ode To Billy Dean
4. Can’t Get Satisfied
5. Been So Long
6. Children Of Zion
7. Wade In The Water
8. Second Chances
9. White Rabbit
10. Mourning Interrupted
11. Deep Ellum
12. Bar Room Crystal Ball
13. Sugaree
14. Hit Single #1
15. Funky #7
16. Encore: Keep Your Lamps Trimmed & Burning

Albany, why not take... Albany

Foto by Phil Jacobs

We got to sleep in a little yesterday before the trek down to D.C. (Taxation without representation) and that was a blessing. Tomorrow we’ll be playing at the 6th & I Historic Synagogue in my hometown… Washington, D.C. Looking forward to this… and looking forward to a good pastrami sandwich too.

Sidebar editorial:

Since the term, ‘Covering a song,’ emerged, I have always had great distaste for it. I guess technically, if you didn’t write the song yourself, you’re ‘covering’ it. Does this mean that as an artist you cannot take responsibility and/or credit for performing an arrangement of a song you did not write yourself? Good question. As one who loves music steeped in historic authenticity I have never been shy about putting my versions out there… but I always give credit to the source and recommend heading up the river to the headwaters so you can grok the evolution of any piece. I have never considered myself either a ’singer/songwriter or a musical archivist. I just play songs I like, some of which I have written myself. What does this all mean? Probably not much. In a hundred years who’ll care anyway. I guess my struggle is to try to defy the convention in the music business that is much happier relegating everything to nicely defined categories. OK… I feel better now.

Nuff said… Onward!

The Music Box... Cleveland

Foto by Phil Jacobs

So we started out last Friday going up to Cleveland and on Saturday we played the Music Box Supper Club a great new venue and here is our set list:

Hot Tuna 62, 2014
Hot Tuna
The Acoustic Duo
Jorma Kaukonen & Jack Casady
The Music Box
Saturday, November 29, 2014

First Set:
1. True Religion
2. Nobody Knows You When You’re Down & Out
3. Barbeque King
4. Hesitation Blues
5. Second Chances
6. I See The Light
7. Barbeque King
8. Sea Child
9. Full Go Round
10. That’ll Never Happen No More
Second Set:
1. Serpent Of Dreams
2. Brother Can You Spare A Dime
3. Keep On Trucking Mama
4. Things That Might Have Been
5. How Long Blues
6. Mama Let Me Lay It On You
7. Good Shepherd
8. River Of Time
9. In My Dreams
10. I Am The Light Of This World
11. Keep Your Lamps Trimmed & Burning
12. I Know You Rider
13. Encore: Water Song

Right after the show we drove to New York City to play the High Line Ballroom on Sunday.

The High LIne...

Foto by Zach Kearse

Here is our set list from Sunday night:

Hot Tuna 63, 2014
Hot Tuna
The Acoustic Duo
Jorma Kaukonen & Jack Casady
The High Line Ballroom
New York City, New York
Sunday, November 30, 2014

First Set:
1. Nobody Knows You when You’re Down And Out
2. Search My Heart
3. Hesitation Blues
4. Things That Might Have Been
5. Come Back Baby
6. I See The Light
7. How Long Blues
8. Sea Child
9. Trial By Fire
10. Keep Your Lamps Trimmed & Burning
Second Set:
1. That’ll Never Happen No More
2. Brother Can You Spare A Dime
3. Serpent Of Dreams
4. Second Chances
5. Candy Man
6. Bar Room Crystal Ball
7. Water Song
8. Good Shepherd
9. I’ll Be All Right Some Day
10. Keep On Trucking Mama
11. Nine Pound Hammer
12. Encore: Embryonic Journey

Da boyz

Foto by Phil Jacobs

Then there was Monday:
Hot Tuna 64, 2014
Hot Tuna
The Acoustic Duo
Jorma Kaukonen & Jack Casady
The High Line Ballroom
New York City, New York
Monday, December 1, 2014

First Set:
1. True Religion
2. Heart Temporary
3. Children Of Zion
4. Hesitation Blues
5. Second Chances
6. Barbeque King
7. Trial By Fire
8. Mama Let Me Lay it On You
9. River Of Time
10. Let Us Get Together Right Down Here
11. Re-Enlistment Blues
12. I Know You Rider
Second Set:
1. I See The Light
2. Brother Can You Spare A Dime
3. Death Don’t Have No Mercy
4. I Am The Light Of This World
5. Come Back Baby
6. San Francisco Bay Blues
7. Good Shepherd
8. Search My Heart
9. In My Dreams
10. Candy Man
11. Keep Your Lamps Trimmed & Burning
12. Encore: Watersong

Green Room at the Ballroom

New York Skyline

Today we drove up to Kingston to rehearse for the Electric Shows… and first of all… laundry.

End of a perfect day

Foto by Myron Hart

Onward…

‘Cause there’s changes in the ocean
And there’s changes in the sea
And there’s changes in my own true love
But there ain’t no change in me’

From ‘The Rose Of Aberdeen’

So we were rearranging some furniture in the house yesterday and today and I have to say that left to my own devices, I would rarely change anything. Yeah, boring I know. Anyway, moving this… moving that and all of a sudden, it’s like a new world. Izze, our delightful eight year old was completely upset by the repositioning of the dining room table… and I get it, believe me. Things are moving quickly in her young life and I can see it is sometimes hard to accept this. Things are changing more quickly in my life too. There was that period of time in my forties and fifties where I just really didn’t perceive change until after it had taken place. Now, change is with me every day. My Dad (may he rest in peace) used to talk about the fact that getting older was a series of successful adaptations. These adaptations occur more often these days and sometimes when I sit by myself I find myself thinking about the time I have left to accomplish the things I want to accomplish. Now I know that thoughts like these are a luxury and largely a waste of time.

With this in mind, I get up off my ass and get something done… finish writing a song, take Izze skating, practice the guitar, vacuum the bird room… whatever. I’ve got a tour with Tuna coming up… I look forward to that but I’ll miss home. After the first of the year my new CD, ‘Ain’t In No Hurry’ will be out and I’ll be touring to support that. I hope to get a little motorcycle trip in in the Spring… spend some vacation time with the family… maybe a little time with my seventeen year old son Zach before his young life calls him away for the Summer…

As always, my life is a embarrassment of riches and I am still confronted with a plethora of delightful choices. It is cold this morning as I sit here in the dining room… with the table in a new place. It’s like having a new room… sort of. Changes in the ocean, changes in the sea… there is no constant except change and there are changes in me too… and that has to be a good thing.

Now I’ll see if I can convince Izze, and myself… that this is true.

Onward!

Turn, turn, turn...

The seasons are turning again as seasons will… Halloween has come and gone… Thanksgiving is right around the corner and the final weekend of Season 17 at the Fur Peace Ranch is over. Almost two decades of music and fellowship… indeed where does the time go?

Saturday night G.E. Smith held sway on the Jackie Russell stage at the Fur Peace Station… Jack Casady played bass, John Sferra played drums, and yours truly got to wail a bit on my Jazzmaster. a heckuva good time was had by all.

Campers... last weekend, 2014

The open mike Sunday afternoon was as outstanding as it’s ever been… thanks everyone!

G.E. pays me a visit in the library...

Sunday night… G.E. joined Spencer Bohren for an impromptu show at the Station… opened by me doing about twenty minutes of tunes. Spenser is a national treasure… you gotta see and hear him! By the bye.. G.E. is a national treasure too!

Pick it boys!

Yeah, what a weekend of music.

This morning after the last class, me and the guys got together for a class picture…

Looking good boys!

A fitting end to a fine year… Until next year folks…

May the Good Lord take a liking to you…

(as Roy Rogers would say!)