Nothing like being home after a long road trip folks… driving our daughter to school… picking her up… taking out the trash, picking up the guitar… eating at home instead of going out… our own bed… the six year old climbing into our bed at 0300… ‘I accidentally woke up Mommy…’

All that stuff… better than good…

Yikes… perhaps I should have shown restraint of tongue and pen. Hey everybody… I sure appreciate your inestimable support vis a vis the last blog entry. However, one of the Constitutional rights we Americans enjoy (First Amendment I believe) is the right to speak our mind. You guys that know me know how dearly I hold our First Ten Amendments… the Bill Of Rights as it were. I did not consider Kenny’s post an ad hominem assault on me personally… merely an opinion. I have have heard this comment before so I thought I would address it here. No big deal from this old picker.

Life’s metaphors present different emotional attachments to all of us. Like one of my down home neighbors says to me… relentlessly, ‘Jorma, if we wuz all the same, what a boring world it would be!’ Amen brother… amen.

By the bye, the two ‘dope related verses’ were not Julius Daniels… I wrote those. I chose not to take any publishing credit… it’s Julius’ song with an update from Jorma. The folk process in action indeed.

More anon…

A hearty Hello from Madison!

Well… a quick wrap up from what was quite a long, but enjoyable tour… first with Barry Mitterhoff and then with the addition of the wonderful jack Casady. Before I jump into this, I am going to take two seconds to comment on Kenny The Red’s comment with on the ‘What A Night At The Barrymore’ post. Kenny was talking about the lyrics to 99 Year Blues… when i sing the line, ‘Going to shoot everybody i don’t like all,’ there is usually some scatological response from the audience and with my usual good humor, I might way, ‘Behave yourselves,’ or ‘It’s just a song,’ or, ‘This is a song about a man with issues,’ or some such nonsense. I do not think this cuts too close to the bone in any way shape or form, today… or any day. Kenny goes on to comment about the lyric that says, ‘Going to find a connection and take some kind of dope, and get high if you can.’ Kenny, you’re ascribing to many intellectual attributes to the way I phrase this these days. I like to blur the first part of the ‘connection’ line in a guttural old timey blues way and spit out the ‘Get high if you can,’ part. Whether I do or don’t do drugs, whether I do or don’t believe in the Second Amendment has nothing to do with how I perform this song. My politics are my own private business. My songs are for everyone who finds something they can hold onto in them. No artist can script how people are going to respond to their art. It is enough for me that the people who like my work, like my work.

This is not the first time someone has brought this song up in this way. As I’m won’t to say… ‘It’s just a song and a darn good one at that.’

Nuff said… driving on here…

The madcap life of the open road

The last two shows at the Old Town School were delightful as they always are, even though two full shows tiring by the end of the evening… We loved it anyway! The OTS was the holy grail of folk music when I was at Antioch College in 1959. It still is:

Here are our set lists:

Hot Tuna 12, 2013
Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady
And Barry Mitterhoff
The Old Town School Of Folk Music
Chicago, Illinois
Saturday, February 23, 2013

First Show:
1. True Religion
2. Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out
3. Children Of Zion
4. Hesitation Blues
5. Heart Temporary
6. Serpent Of Dreams
7. Barbeque King
8. I’ll Let You Know Before I Leave
9. How Long Blues
10. Mama Let Me Lay It On You
11. Whining Boy Blues
12. 99 Year Blues
13. I’ll Be All Right Some Day
14. Keep Your Lamps Trimmed And Burning
15. Encore: Uncle Sam Bllues
Second Show:
1. I See The Light
2. Too Many Years
3. Waiting For A Train
4. Full Go Round
5. The Terrible Operation
6. Come Back Baby
7. Let Us Get Together Right Down Here
8. Things That Might Have Been
9. Goodbye To The Blues
10. Dime For Beer
11. Vicksburg Stomps
12. Good Shepherd
13. Candy Man
14. Genesis
15. I Am The Light Of This World
16. Nine Pound Hammer
17. Encore: Embryonic Journey

Well home I am.. and it’s darn good to be here. My amazing daughter sold seven hundred boxes of Girl Scout Cookies. SEVEN HUNDRED BOXES…. That’s my enterprising girl.

After the six weeks I was just away from home, I am not quite as excited to be leaving again next week for Jamaica… but you know, it’s a tough job and someone’s got to do it… might as well be me and it sure won’t be snowing down there!

For now… onward!

Goodbye to Moe and the Big Bus!

A broadblast from the Fur Peace Ranch… before I close out the tour:

Hi friends……we have met our goal and beyond for our Kickstarter project. Just thought I’d say there are only five days left in this campaign to be a part of this amazing project and still some great gifts left that we will retire if they are not spoken for. Check out the project and the special gifts for your support…. and thank you…

Jorma Kaukonen

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/psylodelic/the-psylodelic-gallery

Last night my buds and I showed up at the Barrymore Theater in Madison, Wisconsin… We have played this lovely venue off and on for… well, over two decades. I liked it then… i love it now! It’s chilly up here in the North Country… of course, it is still winter. That said, it was hot on stage as Jack and Barry and I had a simply wonderful night. I could go on with the superlatives, but I think I’ll just lay the set list on you:

Hot Tuna 11, 2013
Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady
And Barry Mitterhoff
The Barrymore Theater
Madison, Wisconsin
Friday, February 22, 2013

First Set:
1. Too Many Years
2. Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out
3. Children Of Zion
4. I’ll Let You Know Before I Leave
5. Waiting For A Train
6. The Terrible Operation
7. Let Us Get Together right Down Here
8. Sea Child
9. Come Back Baby
10. 99 Year Blues
11. Nine Pound Hammer
Second Set:
1. I See The Light
2. Re-Enlistment Blues
3. Second Chances
4. Goodbye To The Blues
5. Hesitation Blues
6. How Long Blues
7. Prohibition Blues
8. Good Shepherd
9. I Am The Light Of This World
10. Barbeque King
11. I Know You Rider
12. Encore: Death Don’t Have No Mercy

Tonight we are at the Old Town School Of Folk Music in Chicago. I notice in their blurb that they flatteringly refer to Jack and myself as ‘teenagers,’ when we were in the Jefferson Airplane. Yeah… it seems that way when you look back, but I was actually in my mid 20’s. Man, that was a long time ago.

And speaking of a long time ago… I have really been digging all the crosstalk spawned by my ‘I’m ready to go home’ blog. Good stuff all. We have all come so far together and our little time on this earth is so precious… and if I do say so myself… so special! As Pete Seeger would say, ‘Wasn’t that a time!’

Well… two shows in Chicago tonight at the Old Town… drop the guys off at the airport and then Myron and I drive home to Southeast Ohio. Like everyone else on this planet, my life has not been pain free… nor would I have it so. For today at least, I am able to accept blessings and hurdles with equanimity. We’ll see how long that lasts… anyway, I’ll take it.

Off to Chicago…

Tonight the gentlemen and myself played the Mill City Nights here in Minneapolis. This was our first time at the club and you know what, we enjoyed it thoroughly! Here is our set list:

Hot Tuna 10, 2013
Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady
And Barry Mitterhoff
Mill City Nights
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Thursday, February 21, 2013

First Set:
1. True Religion
2. Serpent Of Dreams
3. Things That Might Have been
4. Hesitation Blues
5. How Long Blues
6. I’ll Let You Know Before I Leave
7. Barbeque King
8. Children Of Zion
9. Prohibition Blues
10. Sea Child
11. Keep Your Lamps Trimmed And Burning
Second Set:
1. Been So Long
2. Heart Temporary
3. Search My Heart
4. Come Back Baby
5. River Of Time
6. Let Us Get Together Right Down Here
7. Living In The Moment
8. Good Shepherd
9. 99 Year Blues
10. I’ll Be All Right Some Day
11. I Know You Rider
12. Encore: Water Song

Yep, it was a really good night. Tomorrow we’ll be in Madison, Wisconsin at the Barrymore Theater. It’s been a while since we’ve been at the gold old Barrymore so this should be fun. We’re expecting that big storm coming from the West to effect our drive time so it’s going to be an early bus call… which means, it’s bed time.

Good night all…

Here I am in St. Paul having just driven in from Green Bay. Nice ride actually… yeah, it’s winter up here but that’s OK. At least it’s not muddy yet. Anyway, my lovely wife, Vanessa, called me when I was on the bus on the ride up here. ‘Are you OK?’ she asked. ‘Yeah,’ I said. ‘Why?’ ‘Well,’ she continued, ‘I was just reading your blog and I thought it seemed a little extreme.’ I thought for a moment. ‘Actually, I didn’t think it was extreme at all.’ I continued. ‘LIke everyone else, I have my flashpoints of recollection too.’ I wasn’t being critical of my online friends’ predilections… I was just pointing out that mine were different.’ She was quiet for a moment. ‘Do you know what I heard when I read that?’ she asked me. I waited. She continued. “I hear that you’re ready to come home.’

Was she ever right. I have now been out for over five weeks and I am ready to come home. By the time the bus pulls into the parking lot at the Fur Peace Ranch on Sunday we will have driven a little over fifteen thousand miles. While I’ve been gone my daughter has grown noticeably… she is more mature… more of a big kid. ‘Ive got plans for you Daddy,’ she proclaims. ‘You’re going to be spending a lot of time with me.’ I look forward to it sweetheart… I look forward to it.

Now my Father was in government service and from WWII on, he was gone much of the time. Sometimes we traveled with him, sometimes not. I am often asked, ‘How do you keep doing this? It must be tough being on the road so much of the time.’ Sometimes if I know the person well enough I will say, ‘It must be tough for you to keep going to the same office every day. How do you do it?’ The answer for both of us is that it’s just what we do. Of course being on the road is how I support myself and my family. I don’t get paid for staying home and self employed people never have days off. A day off is a day of unemployment. Another interesting factor is that aside from paying bills and the like, if I want my playing to be maintained at a standard commensurate with my expectations, I need to work. Practice doesn’t do it for me and the skill disappears far more quickly than it comes.

Those of us in the performing business are always trying to up our game in some way. Some nights are better than others from our point of view. When some loving soul on the road asks me if I remember that gig at the Capitol Theater in Passaic, New Jersey back in 1972, the answer will probably be ‘No!’ if I’m being honest. I have played many gigs since I started playing them in the late Fifties, and although some are memorable, after a while they just sink into the sea of experience. Of course there is another reality for me as well… Being a musician and an entertainer is what I do, but it does not define who am, and that is as it should be. When I’m on the road… it’s all about the mission. If I’m in my studio at home preparing for a project, it’s about that. When I walk into the yard and close the door to the shop, it’s about home and that is as it should be.

I’m the luckiest guy in the world. I’ve been able to support myself and my family all my life doing exactly what I love to do. It truly gets no better than that. Well, actually, there’s more. You folks who show interest in what it is that I do are the frosting on the cake. You have always allowed my friends and I to do pretty much exactly what we want to do… to go where we need to go. Sometimes we are more successful that others… but we are always, always honest and true to our art. You all have allowed and indeed encouraged this and on behalf of my pals, I thank you all from the bottom of my heart.

Wow, what a tome this turned out to. Yeah, I’m ready to go home for a while. Taking out the trash is going to look pretty darned good. Of course, after a bit I’ll be looking forward to heading out on the road again and giving my girls a little peace. Yeah.

This piece was a lot more fun to write then the little addenda I wrote after the Christmas holidays taking the woman to task who was upset that I abbreviated Christmas to Xmas. Wow… first things first!

Thanks you guys out there. You’re the best!

Onwards….

View of the box seats from the stage of the Meyer

Tonight the boys and I played the Meyer Theater in Green Bay for the first time. The temperature was in single digits outside but inside, it was warm and inviting. This is a classy theater with great ambiance and great sound!

Jack sets up...

Here is our set list:

Hot Tuna 9, 2013
Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady
And Barry Mitterhoff
Meyer Theater
Green Bay, Wisconsin
Wednesday, February 20, 2013

First Set:
1. Too Many Years
2. Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out
3. Children Of Zion
4. Been So Long
5. Hesitation Blues
6. Second Chances
7. Come Back Baby
8. 99 Year Blues
9. River Of Time
10. Vicksburg Stomp
11. I Know You Rider
Second Set:
1. I See The Light
2. Heart Temporary
3. Candy Man
4. I’ll Let You Know Before I Leave
5. More Than My Old Guitar
6. Barbeque King
7. There’s A Bright Side Somewhere
8. Good Shepherd
9. The Terrible Operation
10. I’ll Be All right Some Day
11. Nine Pound Hammer
12. Encore: Genesis

Another lively night… this has really been a great tour. Tomorrow morning we leave early for Mill City Nights in Minneapolis. This will be another first for us and I’ll report on all this sometime tomorrow after the show.

An another subject, I’ve been following all the reminiscing in the comments section and I find it interesting on one level in that these are times we all shared when we were young and it is a part of our history. That said, for me all that is only interesting as a part of the history of life. I have no euphoric recall from those times whatsoever. I also have no regret… what’s the point. None of us would be the people we are to today without those experiences… plus, let’s face it, what’s done is done. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times… it was a tale of many cities… day after day, year after year. I would change nothing if I could… but I would not repeat any of it. For me the most interesting gig I ever played is the one I finished tonight… or tomorrow night… It’s all about building a construct of sagas… keeping the tell alive and ever growing. People often ask me why I choose not to play certain songs. Sometimes the answer is painfully simple… I have let them get away and rather than spend time reconstructing a time and a place I find it more productive to come up with something new. Sometimes it is even simpler than that. The content of some songs simply do not represent who I feel I am today. Yep… time to drive on. Sometimes though, even the most ancient of songs continue to tell my story. Interesting…

OK then… I think you all for your interest and excitement. I find it thought provoking. Perhaps someday I’ll write some stuff down and run it up the flagpole to see who salutes… who knows? Well… time to see if sleep will come…

More anon…

Barry gives the blessing...

Rockin' the State in Salt Lake City

Yeah folks, night before last we were at the State theater in Salt Lake City, Utah. It was a sold out show… and well, of course we had a heck of a good time.

Yep... sold out...

Our set list follows:

Hot Tuna 7, 2013
Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady
And Barry Mitterhoff
The State Room
Salt Lake City, Utah
February 16, 2013

First Set:
1. Too Many Years
2. Children Of Zion
3. Been So Long
4. Heart Temporary
5. Hesitation Blues
6. Waiting For A Train
7. Barbeque King
8. Second Chances
9. 99 Year Blues
10. Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out
11. Nine Pound Hammer
Second Set:
1. I See The Light
2. I’ll Let You Know Before I Leave
3. How Long Blues
4. Let Us Get Together Right Down Here
5. Come Back Baby
6. The Terrible Operation
7. Goodbye To The Blues
8. Whinin’ Boy Blues
9. Good Shepherd
10. I Am The Light Of This World
11. I Know You Rider
12. Encore: Water Song

After the show no hotel… we packed up and started driving to Denver where we played the Oriental.

A lovely warm winter day in Denver

Denver… always fun for us with friends and family there. Here is our set list:

Hot Tuna 8, 2013
Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady
And Barry Mitterhoff
The Oriental Theater
Denver, Colorado
Sunday, February 17, 2013

First Set:
1. True Religion
2. Children Of Zion
3. Things That Might Have Been
4. Hesitation Blues
5. More Than My Old Guitar
6. Come Back BAby
7. Sea Child
8. 99 Year Blues
9. River Of Time
10. Keep Your Lamps Trimmed And Burning
Second Set:
1. Serpent Of Dreams
2. Second Chances
3. I’ll Be All Right Some Day
4. Barbeque King
5. Goodbye To The Blues
6. Vicksburg Stomp
7. How Long Blues
8. The Terrible Operation
9. Good Shepherd
10. Let Us Gt Together Right Down Here
11. Nine Pound Hammer
12. Encore: Death Don’t have No Mercy

Finally… a nice sleep in a hotel bed… up this morning and a fine long drive to Omaha, Nebraska… Tomorrow, it’s off to Green Bay, Wisconsin and a gig at the Meyer Theater. Onward…

The road to Omaha

Idaho beauty on the road

Well, night before last we played the Emerson Center For Arts And Culture in Bozeman. Our good friend Tom Garnsey and Vootie productions brought us in for the show. Needless to say we had a complete blast. Here is our set list:

Hot Tuna 5, 2013
Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady
And Barry Mitterhoff
Emerson Center For The Arts And Culture
Bozeman, Montana
Thursday, February 14, 2013

First Set:
1. Too Many Years
2. I See The Light
3. Children of Zion
4. Second Chances
5. Candy Man
6. Goodbye To The Blues
7. Come Back Baby
8. Hesitation Blues
9. Waiting For A Train
10. Prohibition Blues
11. I Know You Rider
Second Set:
1. Been So Long
2. Things That Might Have Been
3. Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out
4. Vicksburg Stomp
5. Barbeque King
6. Let Us Get Together Right Down Here
7. 99 Year Blues
8. The Terrible Operation
9. Good Shepherd
10. I Am The Light Of This World
11. Nine Pound Hammer
12. Encore: Water Song

Yep… good times were had…

Up early and off to Jackson Hole Wyoming where we play a new gig at the Pink Garter.

Around the corner from the Pink Garter in Jackson Hole

This was our first time at the Garter and we can’t wait to get back. What a great gig. Here is our set list:

Hot Tuna 6, 2013
Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady
And Barry Mitterhoff
Pink Garter Theater
Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Friday, February 15, 2013

First Set:
1. True Religion
2. I See The Light
3. Hesitation Blues
4. I’ll Let You Know Before I Leave
5. More Than My Old Guitar
6. Izze’s Lullaby
7. Goodbye To The Blues
8. 99 Year Blues
9. Come Back Baby
10. Prohibition Blues
11. Keep Your Lamps Trimmed And Burning
Second Set:
1. Serpent Of Dreams
2. The Terrible Operation
3. Second Chances
4. Sea Child
5. Let Us Get Together right Down Here
6. Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out
7. How Long Blues
8. River Of Time
9. Good Shepherd
10. Keep On Truckin’ Mama
11. I Know You Rider
12. Encore: Genesis

Backstage at the Pink Garter

A terrific show for great people. Now we’re off to Salt Lake City and the State Room.

More will be revealed… of course.