Yes folks, behind this rustic facade, music and perhaps even history is being made. Good old fun loving Hot Tuna is sequestered here to make it’s first studio CD in twenty years. Our good friend Larry Campbell is ramrodding this session and there’s some mighty fine stuff being recorded.

We’ve been putting in twelve hours days and it sure has been worth staying up past my bed time. We’re going to break for a couple of days to do our annual Beacon Theater gig with us returning to Levon’s place to start recording again by noon on Sunday the Fifth.

We’re gettin’ if done for sure!

On this grand American Holiday, I wish all my friends worldwide a most happy Thanksgiving. I have so much to be grateful for not the least of which is having my son, Zachary, here for the holidays.

When all is said and done, what could be more important than family. We’re heading to Columbus for a turkey dinner or the like. Smiles all around… have a good one folks!

Onward…

Yesterday we completed eight songs for the new Hot Tuna project… eight more things to be thankful for this Thanksgiving and I already have lots to be thankful for. We’re breaking for couple of days so we can all go home for the holidays. I’ve been missing the family but I’ll be on my way in an hour or so. At times like these ‘good’ and ‘hectic’ seem synonymous… so I guess it’s all good.

All you folks out there who are traveling this Thanksgiving holiday, be safe as I will try to be.

The open road Calls.

Some of the greatest music and musicians in the world pass through these doors… Thanks Levon!

Last night the Hot Tuna gang were invited to partake of the festivities at Levon Helm’s Midnight Ramble. Originally it was just supposed to be me, but since Jack Casady and Barry Mitterhoff were there we figured, what the heck. We appeared incognito as Secret Squirrel and here is our set list:

Hot Tuna 30, 2010
Secret Squirrel Appearance with
Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady & Barry Mitterhoff
With Larry Campbell
Levon Helm’s Midnight Ramble
Saturday, November 20, 2010

1. I See The Light
2. River Of Time with Larry
3. I Know You Rider with Larry
4. Things That Might Have Been with Larry
5. That’ll Never Happen No More with Larry
6. Izze’s Lullaby with Larry
7. Hesitation Blues with Larry

You might think it doesn’t get much better than that, but you’d be wrong. Barry sat in with the Ramble gang, then Jack and I went out for Trouble In Mind and Walking Blues… well, let’s put it this way, I could get used to having a horn section. We all came out for the finale and I got to sing the first verse of The Weight… Yeah, now we’re talking.

Back in the studio today even after the late night… we have six tracks done and five have vocals. We’re moving on for sure. Tomorrow we hope to get two more songs.

…and now to bed!

Yes folks, Hot Tuna is recording it’s first studio project in 20 years. We’re working at the Levon Helm Studio in good old Woodstock and our buddy Larry Campbell is producing the project. We’re in the same room where Levon and the boys do the Midnight Ramble and where Barry Mitterhoff and I recorded my last CD, River Of Time Here Larry and Jack are having what looks like a serious talk about what is undoubtedly a very complicated arrangement! You mean I have to remember new stuff? Hmmmm…..

Mr. Barry Mitterhoff, undaunted by the task at hand, catches up on some email between licks. Can it get any better than this?

More will be revealed.

This is our closing weekend at the Fur Peace Ranch for the grand year 2010… the end of our thirteenth year and what a year it was. The weather couldn’t have been nicer and when I drove up to ‘work’ on Friday I was greeted by a new piece of art work by our good friend Kevin Morgan

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Could this really be me? Who knows… in any case, I love it. Anyway, that was the start of the weekend. In addition to Jack Casady and myself, we were graced by the presence of the great Steve Kimock as a teacher as well as a member of the Tuna All Stars. We only thought we were having fun until the show began last night… and then the fun really began! Here is our set list:

Hot Tuna 29, 2010
Hot Tuna All Stars At
The Fur Peace Ranch
Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady
Barry Mitterhoff, Skoota Warner
And Steve Kimock
The Fur Peace Station
Darwin, Ohio
Saturday, November 13, 2010

First Set:
1. I See The Light
2. That’ll Never Happen No More
3. Ode To Billy Dean
4. I Wish You Would
5. Steve Kimock’s song Soul Roach
6. Corners Without Exits
7. 99 Year Blues
8. Can’t Get Satisfied
9. Bowlegged Woman
10. Baby What You Want Me To Do?
Second Set:
1. I Know You Rider
2. Serpent Of Dreams
3. Talkin’ Bout You
4. Rock Me Baby
5. If This Is Love I Want My Money Back
6. Funky #7
7. Encore: Come Back Baby

I can’t remember the name of the song Steve did in the first set… but he was simply stellar as he always is! This man is really deep, and a lot of fun to hang and play with as well. It was a late night for all of us… over three hours of music… I’ve got a class coming up in twenty minutes so I have to run. As always, life is really good!

Eyes on the prize… always!

I knew today was Veteran’s Day. The kids are out of school on this beautiful Thursday… and well, I just knew it. I had to go to Athens this morning for an appointment and I thought I’d stop by one of my favorite neighborhood cemeteries high on the hill. I found myself leaving the house late and figured, ‘Well, I’ll just stop by later.’

This is what I saw as I headed down the driveway. Indeed we are fortunate here. Relatively speaking, we live in Heaven.

In town after my appointment, I was going to meet my buddy Jack for breakfast and uptown in Athens the streets were blocked off. It was time for the annual Athens, Ohio Veteran’s Day Parade and I fortuitously was there to see it!

Small town America and the brave ones who served as well as those at home who appreciate that service. People might ask me, ‘What about you?’ In the Sixties when I came of age, unlike many of my friends, serving was not my path and that’s just the way it was. I do, however, have profound love and respect for those who have chosen to put their lives on the line to protect our way of life here at home. I do not find this open to discussion.

This is certainly an American moment and I must say that it put a lump in my throat and a tear on my cheek. A moment in time as sacred as rain. I really love this!

These gentlemen would have been younger than my Father were he still alive, but they knew the same world, fought for the same ideals. Thank you gentlemen, for your service!

Boy, I’ll tell you what, these ladies had the spirit. I wouldn’t have missed this for anything. What a moment! Now, when I was on Facebook, I would have been criticized for being patriotic. I consider that to be a compliment. There is nothing wrong with one loving one’s country whateverr country that might be.

This was a moment with generations riding together… sharing this time as it slides into history. I just marveled that I should have been here without planning for it.

Well, this certainly says it all for me!

We’ve got our final weekend of the Ranch coming up and Jack and I need to do some rehearsing. You know, living in a country like ours that allows us to shoot our mouths off and play the music we like just can’t beat. Out in our little Cafe here at the Fur Peace Ranch there is a framed copy of the Stars And Stripes from 1945 noting the ending of WWII. My Father saved, and now Vanessa and I pass it on.

Thanks Brothers and Sister! Thanks!

Well… Eastern Standard Time came in this morning and I wish I could have taken advantage of it with an extra hour’s sleep but it was not to be. I woke up when I always do… early. Oh well, it was a beautiful morning here in Southeast Ohio so why waste it. There was some winterizing yard work to be done so I took my four and a half year old daughter Izze out with me and we did it together. She even sat on my lap and helped me drive the tractor. ‘Keep it between the lines girl,’ and if there were lines in the field, she would have done just that.

I’m out to the studio to work on some more stuff for the upcoming Hot Tuna project. All things considered… a perfect day so far.

Hey, a brisk Saturday morning with My friend Myron doing some pre-production stuff for the upcoming Tuna album.

Myron was ready to rock as you can see.

… and so was I!

Not bad if we do say so ourselves… Well it’s off to town to see a matinee 3D movie with the family. My work here is done!

It was 24 degrees here this morning, but it is just so beautiful. I’ll be enjoying this until the ‘wintry mix’ shows up!

Barry Mitterhoff, Myron and myself came to Cleveland yesterday to do some press and to play a show with Los Lobos at the Cleveland Masonic Hall.

How’s his grab you for an entrance hall. Yikes… some class!

Barry and I did a 75 minute set. We haven’t had a chance to do this for a while and I really had a great time.

Jorma Kaukonen & Barry Mitterhoff 12, 2010
With Los Lobos At The Masonic Hall
Cleveland, Ohio
Thursday, November 4, 2010

1. Blue Railroad Train
2. Been So Long
3. Hesitation Blues
4. Come Back Baby
5. River Of Time
6. Izze’s Lullaby
7. I Know You Rider
8. Vicksburg Stomp
9. Things That Might Have Been
10. How Long Blues
11. More Than My Old Guitar
12. That’ll Never Happen No More
13. 99 Year Blues
14. I Am The Light Of This World
15. Just Because

I mean, check this hall out. What a place, what a sound.

David Hidalgo from Los Lobos asked me to sit in on a song which I did. Good thing I brought my Les Paul LP 295. What a Blast that was!

Well tomorrow morning, Barry goes back to New Jersey and Myron and I go home via Columbus so we can pick up some cases at Cabbage Cases.

Onward!