Folks in Darwin for Arts And Minds

We hopped in my big red truck and left Kentucky for Darwin and the 2014 Arts And Minds Festival at the Fur Peace Ranch.The day was beautiful… so far. At the Ranch, things were hopping… until… about forty minutes before the show when a big lightning storm rushed through and knocked out the power to the whole area. (I wanted to say ‘neighborhood, but that doesn’t exactly fit out here in the country.) Well, we had a sold out show… and the show had to go on. Out came the little generator, some antique lamps and the Fishman Loud Boxes. Voila… live music!

The view from the back of the station

Foto by Phil Jacobs

Yep, Never a dull moment. Live music is a death defying act!

Here is our set list:

Hot Tuna 60, 2014
The Acoustic Duo
Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady
Fur Peace Station
Darwin, Ohio
Saturday, July 26, 2014

First Set:
1. True Religion
2. Hesitation Blues
3. Been So Long with Zachary Kearse
4. Full Go Round
5. Children Of Zion
6. Second Chances
7. Barbeque King
8. River Of Time
9. Nobody Knows You When You’re Down & Out
10. That’ll Never Happen No More
Second Set:
1. I See The Light
2. Things That Might Have Been
3. Whining Boy Blues
4. Death Don’t Have No Mercy
5. Let Us Get Together Right Down Here
6. Come Back Baby
7. Bar Room Crystal Ball
8. Water Song
9. Good Shepherd
10. I Know You Rider
11. Encore: How Long Blues

My son Zach, joined Jack and myself for Been So Long.

On stage during the storm...

Foto by Rusty Smith

To be able to play music with family is a blessed experience, to say the least. Zach and I are working on a new song together… more shall be revealed.

The auction for the Barbeque King Jacket ( my high school graduation jacket) is pulling into the final stretch. Here Phil Jacobs models aid garment:

Hold your applause...

OK… gotta finish breakfast for the kids and get back over to the Ranch. Jack is on his way home and it’s a beautiful day, again, here in Meigs County.

Osseo, Wisconsin

So we beat feet out of the Twin Cities and headed south to Pomeroy, Ohio for a night at home. On the way, we stopped at the fabled Norske, Nook in Osseo, Wisconsin.

Yummy... meatballs

It’s not exactly health food, but it sure was good.

Thinking about this for a summer home

We left the North Country behind and headed to Pomeroy for a night at home and then off to Northern Kentucky for a great gig at Greaves Hall at Northern Kentucky University.

Scene of the crime

Foto by Phil Jacobs

An almost sold out show… more than six hundred people. We love you guys!

Here is our set list:

Hot Tuna 59, 2014
The Acoustic Trio
Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady
& Barry Mitterhoff
Greaves Hall,
Northern Kentucky University
Highland Heights, Kentucky
Friday, July 25, 2014

First Set:
1. True Religion
2. Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out
3. I See The Light
4. Children Of Zion
5. Come Back Baby
6. Hesitation Blues
7. Vicksburg Stomp
8. Second Chances
9. Prohibition Blues
10. Keep Your Lamps Trimmed And Burning
Second Set:
11. Things That Might Have Been
1. The Terrible Operation
2. Let Us Get Together Right Down Here
3. River Of Time
4. Walkin’ Blues
5. I’ll Let You Know Before I Leave
6. How Long Blues
7. Bar Room Crystal Ball
8. Water Song
9. Good Shepherd
10. San Francisco Bay Blues
11. I Know You Rider
12. Encore: Embryonic Journey

What a great evening for… and this close to home too! We can hardly wait to come back. Thanks to WKNU for bringing us here!

Beautiful Hall

Foto by Phil Jacobs

Now we’re headed back north the the Fur Peace Ranch and a weekend and the 2014 Arts & Minds Festival. Tonight, Jack and I will play… I’ll be out at the gazebo tomorrow, weather permitting and tomorrow night a concert with It’s A Beautiful Day.

That’s about it… gotta load the truck. we let the bus go.

Onward!

Zach and I wait for the bus in Iowa City

After the great gig in Iowa City, we burned it on up to the Twin Cities for two nights and four shows at the Dakota in Minneapolis.

A yummy meal at Jerusalem

We wandered down Nicelolett street and stumbled across the Jerusalem eatery where we had… well a really great dinner!

Nick... from Time For Three

On our way out of the hotel to the Dakota, we ran into Nick from Time For Three. The guys played the night before us and are on their way to the East Coast for the Ram’s Head in Annapolis and the Birchmere in Arlington. Cool guys… cool music!

The mighty Dakota

Foto by Phil Jacobs

Here are our set lists from the two nights… and four show:

Hot Tuna 57, 2014
The Acoustic Trio
Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady
& Barry Mitterhoff
The Dakota
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Monday, July 201, 2014

First Show:
1. True Religion
2. Nobody Knows You When You’re Down & Out
3. Death Don’t Have No Mercy
4. Hesitation Blues
5. Second Chances
6. More Than My Old Guitar
7. How Long Blues
8. Goodbye To The Blues
9. Sea Child
10. Full Go Round
11. Let Us Get Together Right Down Here
12. Come Back Baby
13. I Know You Rider
Second Show:
1. Too Many Years
2. I See The Light
3. Heart Temporary
4. Children Of Zion
5. BBQ King
6. Bar Room Crystal Ball
7. Water Song
8. Good Shepherd
9. I Am The Light Of The World
10. Keep On Trucking Mama
11. Keep Your Lamps Trimmed And Burning
12. Encore: Embryonic Journey

Men at work

Foto by Phil Jacobs

Hot Tuna 58, 2014
The Acoustic Trio
Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady
& Barry Mitterhoff
The Dakota
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Tuesday, July 22, 2014

First Show:
1. Re-Enlistment Blues
2. River Of Time
3. Serpent Of Dreams
4. The Terrible Operation
5. Come Back Baby
6. I’ll Let You Know Before I Leave
7. How Long Blues
8. Hesitation Blues
9. Things That Might Have Been
10. Mama Let Me Lay It On You
11. Goodbye To The Blues
12. Good Shepherd
13. I’ll Be All Right Someday
14. Keep Your Lamps Trimmed And Burnings
Second Show:
1. I See The Light
2. Second Chances
3. Search My Heart
4. Prohibition Blues
5. BBQ King
6. Death Don’t Have No Mercy
7. Vicksburg Stomp
8. Bar Room Crystal Ball
9. Water Song
10. Let Us Get Together Right Down Here
11. Walking Blues
12. True Religion
13. Nine Pound hammer
14. Encore: Genesis

Faces on the wall

Good times in the Twin Cities… left early this morning. Sleeping in Hammond, Indiana tonight and home for a night tomorrow, then off to Kentucky to Greaves Hall, Northern Kentucky University. Then Jack and I are back at the Fur Peace Station on Saturday for show and I will be performing Sunday during the day at the Arts And Minds Festival… free folks… at the good old Fur Peace Ranch

That’s all folks… badea badea badea (Looney Tunes)!

Cool building in Milwaukee

So we pulled into Milwaukee on a ‘day off,’ aka ‘travel day,’ and had time for some good food and a nice walk.

View from the bridge near the hotel

We were here to play the extremely cool Pabst Theater.

The plaque says it all

The Pabst is one of those extremely cool beautifully restored and maintained historic theaters that dot this great country of ours.

Not bad eh?

Not only was it a great place to play, but the catering was out of this world. Now we need to thank Chef Lou Lou and her gang for the unbelievable and classy feed they fixed for us. Check this desert out.

Not bad eh?

And check this menu out:

The plain menu

The artistic menu

OK… we came… we ate… and we played. Here is our set list:

Hot Tuna 55, 2014
The Acoustic Trio
Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady
& Barry Mitterhoff
The Pabst Theater
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Friday, July 18, 2014

First Set:
1. True Religion
2. Hesitation Blues
3. Been So Long with Zach Kearse
4. The Terrible Operation
5. I See The Light
6. Sea Child
7. Second Chances
8. Barbeque King
9. Children Of Zion
10. I Know You Rider
Second Set:
1. Serpent Of Dreams
2. Candy Man
3. I’ll Let You Know Before I Leave
4. How Long Blues
5. Let Us Get Together Right Down Here
6. Vicksburg Stomp
7. Bar Room Crystal Ball
8. Water Song
9. Walkin’ Blues
10. Keep On Trucking Mama
11. Keep Your Lamps Trimmed & Burning
12. Encore: Come Back Baby

My son Zach joined us for Been So Long… cool beans.

Zach joins the boys on stage at the Pabst!

Foto by Phil Jacobs

The scene of the crime in Milwaukee

Then it was off to Iowa City and the Englert Theater.

The lovely Englert Marquee

Foto by Phil Jacobs

In Iowa City we were greeted by a myriad of old friends… and it is always good to see old friends.

Zach sets up the stage with Myron

Here is our set list from the Englert last night:

Hot Tuna 56, 2014
The Acoustic Trio
Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady
& Barry Mitterhoff
The Englert Theater
Iowa City, Iowa
Saturday, July 19, 2014

First Set:
1. Too Many Years
2. Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out
3. I’ll Let You Know Before I Leave
4. More Than My Old Guitar
5. Hesitation Blues
6. Things That Might Have Been
7. Mama Let Me Lay It On You
8. In My Dreams
9. Barbeque King
10. Let us Get Together Right Down Here
11. Follow The Drinking Gourd
12. I See The Light
Second Set:
1. Re-Enlistment Blues
2. Vicksburg Stomp
3. Second Chances
4. Children Of Zion
5. Prohibition Blues
6. Bar Room Crystal Ball
7. Water Song
8. Good Shepherd
9. I Am The Light Of This World
10. I Know You Rider
11. Encore: Death Don’t Have No Mercy

Years roll by… but old friends will always be old friends.

Downstairs at the Englert

Foto by Phil Jacobs

Speaking of memories... check these names...

That’s about it for now… off to the Twin Cities and the Dakota for two nights… four shows.

Who could it be now?

Foto by Phil Jacobs… self portrait… sort of…

Onward!

Firstly, I would like to sadly note the passing of Johnny Winters in Switzerland last night. At 70 for Johnny, I consider that way, way too young. Rest in peace brother… your fiery fingers are in that heavenly band now.

As for me and the Tuna Gang, we soldier on… and here is our set list from last night.

Hot Tuna 54, 2014
The Acoustic Trio
Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady
& Barry Mitterhoff
Space II
Evanston, Illinois
Wednesday, July 16, 2014

First Set:
1. True Religion
2. Heart Temporary
3. Hesitation Blues
4. I’ll Let You Know Before I Leave
5. More Than My Old Guitar
6. Mama Let Me Lay It On You
7. Second Chances
8. Prohibition Blues
9. River Of Time
10. Uncle Sam Blues
11. Keep Your Lamps Trimmed & Burning
Second Set:
1. Been So Long
2. Children Of Zion
3. Izze’s Lullaby
4. Keep On Trucking Mama
5. Sea Child
6. Full Go Round
7. Walking Blues
8. Death Don’t Have No Mercy
9. 99 Year Blues
10. I Am The Light Of This World
11. That’ll Never Happen No More
12. Encore: Water Song

Another really great night at Space… we look forward to coming back.

On to Milwaukee…

On the road again...

Yep… on the road again and en route to Chicago.

Skyline from the bus

We breezed into Evanston sans traffic… what a concept. Evanston is a lovely little community that evokes a modrn European town… nice.

Street art near the hotel

Everything is walking distance here in Evanston… what a concept.

Live music tonight

Foto by Phil Jacobs

Here is our set list from last night:

Hot Tuna 53, 2014
The Acoustic Trio
Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady
& Barry Mitterhoff
Space
Evanston, Illinois
July 15, 2014

First Set:
1. Too Many Years
2. Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out
3. I See The Light
4. Come Back Baby
5. Hesitation Blues
6. How Long Blues
7. Children of Zion
8. In My Dreams
9. I Know You Rider
Second Set:
1. Serpent Of Dreams
2. Living In The Moment
3. Big River Blues
4. The Terrible Operation
5. Barbeque King
6. Things That Might Have Been
7. Let Us Get Together Right Down Here
8. Bar Room Crystal Ball
9. Water Song
10. Good Shepherd
11. Nine Pound Hammer
12. Encore: Genesis

We had a swell time… we love this place since we’re going to be there again tonight. Working on the set list after I finish this entry. Gotta mix stuff up a bit.

Barry an the Buckeye on the bus

We sure are enjoying our little stay up here by the shores of Lake Michigan. Good times!

A happy Jack getting ready to leave Baltimore for Common Ground

We headed out from Ohio, got to Baltimore, picked Jack Casady and Phil Jacobs up and met Barry Mitterhoff over in Westminster at Common Ground. Before our set I got a chance to catch Mary Flower’s set.

Mary and me at Common Ground

After a bit I headed over to the Main Stage where Jack and I were the recipients of a great award… the Robert H. Chambers Award for Excellence in the Traditional Arts. Here are the previous recipients:

Doc Watson – 2000

Pete & Toshi Seeger – 2001

Odetta – 2002

Etta Baker – 2002

Roger McGuinn – 2003

Ramblin’ Jack Elliott – 2004

Joe Hickerson – 2005

Richie Havens – 2006

Jean Ritchie – 2007

Guy and Candi Carawan – 2008

Tom Paxton – 2008

Ralph Stanley – 2009

Hazel Dickens & Mike Seeger – 2010

Stanley Dural, Jr. “Buckwheat Zydeco” & Jesse McReynolds – 2011

John Hammond – 2012

What heady company and what an honor!

It doesn't get much better than this!

Foto by Phil Jacobs

WE received a beautiful hand made Native American flute while shall reside in honor at the Psylodelic Gallery in Darwin, Ohio.

As twilight wrapped us, we began our set, which was as followed:

Hot Tuna 52, 2014
The Acoustic Trio
Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady
& Barry Mitterhoff
Common Ground On The Hill Festival
Westminster, Maryland
Saturday, July 12, 2014

1. True Religion
2. Children Of Zion
3. Hesitation Blues
4. Heart Temporary
5. I See The Light
6. Barbeque King
7. Prohibition Blues
8. Death Don’t Have No Mercy
9. Let Us Get Together Right Down Here
10. Good Shepherd
11. Nobody Knows You When You’re Down An Out
12. I Know You Rider
13. Encore: Genesis

Now, we’re on our way to Evanston, Illinois to Space… for a gig on the 15th.

Had a great Mexican dinner… now… to bed!

Let's go boss... I'm ready!

On a nice early morning before heading out on the road, Maverick, Dog Of Destiny and I took our pre prandial perambulation.

The old school road in the morning

An old wagon road used to run through our little farm back in the 1800’s. This part is still left near where the old one room school house used to be. Maverick and I love this walk.

Welcome to the day

It looks like this every morning… and I love it!

The old donkey engine

As I have mentioned before, we have a natural gas well… and here is where it starts.

Yesterday Izze started her archery training and she’s a natural. Here she is shooting at the Fur Peace Ranch.

nice form

The arrow left that compound bow and hit the target with a resounding ‘Thwack!’

Izze 'Katniss' Kaukonen sends another one down range!

That’s my girl! NIce shot Izze!

Today we headed out to Maryland… my home time is over for a bit. Tomorrow we play The Common Ground On The Hill Festival as this little run begins.

I’ll miss the girls and home, but I gotta make a few bucks!

Onward!

ceilings, I'm painting ceilings...

It’s always better when I can do these blogs the same night… not the case here, so I’m just doing the best I can with nights… set lists and fading memory. I’ll write more about this little run when I get home. We’ve been having a heck of a time though…

The first night in Portchester...

Foto by Phil Jacobs

Justin and Pauly work on the kit

The view from the stage in Portchester

Larry and eight strings...

Here is our set list:

Hot Tuna 48, 2014
The Electric Quintet
Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady
Larry Campbell, Teresa Williams
& Justin Guip
The Capitol Theater
Portchester, New York
Wednesday, June 19, 2014

1. Second Chances
2. Children Of Zion with Teresa
3. Angel Of Darkness with Teresa
4. Can’t Get Satisfied
5. I See The Light
6. Bar Room Crystal Ball with Teresa
7. Water Song
8. Bowlegged Woman
9. Wade In The Water with Teresa
10. Rock Me Baby
11. Chauffer Blues with Teresa
12. Sugaree with Teresa
13. Funky # 7
14. Encore: Hit Single # 1

Jason documents the night...

Angel Of Darkness with the angel of light...

Then off to Westbury…

Pick it Jorm'

The set list from Westbury:

Hot Tuna 49, 2014
The Electric Quintet
Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady
Larry Campbell, Teresa Williams
& Justin Guip
Theater At Westbury
Westbury, New York
Friday, June 20, 2014

1. Hesitation Blues
2. Children Of Zion with Teresa Williams
3. Bar Room Crystal Ball
4. Water Song
5. Come Back Baby
6. A Little Faster with Teresa Williams
7. Angel Of Darkness with Teresa Williams
8. Wade In The Water with Teresa Williams
9. Hit Single # 1
10. Crazy Bout My Baby with Teresa Wlliams
11. Keep Your Lamps Trimmed & Burning with Teresa Williams
12. Funky #7

Teresa burns the place down!!!!!!

After the show… the gang relaxes on the bus!

Good times!

Then off to Bergen.

The scene of the crime in Bergen

Light'em up Larry!

The set from Bergen:

Hot Tuna 50, 2014
The Electric Quintet
Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady
Larry Campbell, Teresa Williams
& Justin Guip
Bergen Performing Arts Center
Englewood, New Jersey
Saturday, June 21, 2014

1. I See The Light
2. Hesitation Blues
3. Bar Room Crystal Ball with Teresa Williams
4. Water Song
5. A Little Faster with Teresa Williams
6. Crazy Bout My Baby with Teresa William
7. Angel Of Darkness with Teresa Williams
8. Wade In The Water with Teresa Williams
9. Children Of Zion with Teresa Williams
10. Rock Me Baby
11. Sugaree
12. Funky # 7

OK… three great show… we’re more or less up to date. Off to the Pine Belt Arena in Toms River.

And here’s the Toms River Set:

Hot Tuna 51, 2014
The Electric Quintet
Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady
Larry Campbell, Teresa Williams
Pine Belt Arena
Toms River, New Jersey
Sunday, June 22, 2014

1. Hesitation Blues
2. Children Of Zion
3. Bar Room Crystal Ball
4. Water Song
5. Come Back Baby
6. A Little Faster
7. Wade In The Water
8. I See The Light
9. Angel Of Darkness
10. Bowlegged Woman
11. Big River
12. Keep Your Lamps Trimmed & Burning
13. Rock Me Baby
14. Funky #7
15. Encore: Hit Single # 1

Better late than never…

Old School... Silver Eagle

So we started out this tour a couple of days ago on this old Silver Eagle. Reminded me of the George Jones song, ‘Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes?’

You know the heart of country music
Still beats in Luke The Drifter
You can tell it when he sang I Saw the Light
Ole Marty Hank and Lefty
Why I can feel ‘em right here with me
On this silver eagle rolling through the night

Great song from 1985.

Anyway, we burned out of Pomeroy over to Wilmington, Delaware and the Grand Opera House.

The Grand Facade

foto by Phil Jacobs

The boys are back in town

foto by Phil Jacobs

The Grand is, well… Grand.

Now, this is an interior

Here is our set list from the Grand Opera House:

Hot Tuna 44, 2014
The Acoustic Trio
Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady
& Barry Mitterhoff
The Grand Opera House
Wilmington, Delaware
Friday, June 13, 2014

1. True Religion
2. Nobody Knows You When You’re Down & Out
3. Been So Long
4. Goodbye To The Blues
5. Hesitation Blues
6. How Long Blues
7. Good Shepherd
8. Children Of Zion
9. Let Us Get Together Right Down Here
10. Death Don’t Have No Mercy with David Bromberg
11. Barbeque King with David Bromberg
12. Nine Pound Hammer with David Bromberg

We were thrilled to have the great David Bromberg sit in with us… and then it was off to Stroudsberg, Pennsylvania and the Sherman Theater.

The Sherman, in Stroudsburg

foto by Phil Jacobs

Back alley Stroudsburg

Here is our set list:

Hot Tuna 45, 2014
The Acoustic Trio
Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady
& Barry Mitterhoff
The Sherman Theater
Stroudsberg, Pennsylvania

1. Re-Enlistment Blues
2. Genesis for Jackie & John 40th anniversary
3. I See The Light
4. I’ll Let You Know Before I Leave
5. How Long Blues
6. Vicksburg Stomp
7. Come Back Baby
8. In My Dreams
9. Keep On Trucking Mama
10. Keep Your Lamps Trimmed And Burning
11. Candy Man
12. Death Don’t Have No Mercy
13. I Know You Rider

Now this is real movie stuff...

Now we’re headed up to the Waterville Opera House in Waterville, Maine. Going to spend the rest of Father’s Day with my lovely wife and daughter who are at the beach in Maine and head up to Waterville, ensemble.

Last but not least, a comment popped up on my last entry… the one about my Mom… something about 3 track recording. I’m thinking, ‘Where the heck did this come from?’ Oh well… anyway… remember… there was mono recording… then, ‘wow,’ stereo… then three track so you could ping pong. Keep in mind, no noise reduction so you could only overdub twice… three times at the most before the sound degraded. Surrealistic Pillow was a four track recording. Wow… progress. No Dolby… you actually had to nail your parts… what a concept. Things are a lot easier now, that’s for sure.

OK… we’re swapping out the Eagle for a Prevost and we’re outta here.