Old friends... still the best!

Foto by Vanessa Kaukonen

Friends are always good… you can’t have too many of them. All that being said, there is that not so elusive quality that old friends share. They know where you come from and how you got where you are. You have shared moments of life and loss. Life evolves as it must for each of us in its own way, but at the end of the day… you are still friends. Here you see my dear friends Jerry, Chuck and myself. Fifty years ago when I was making my bones in the music world, they were both in Vietnam and yet here we are today breaking bread at Salaam in Athens, Ohio where the spice road cuisine is always good.

Golden moments indeed!

I love these guys…

Saturday Myron and I drove 590 miles from the Fur Peace Ranch to Ronkonkoma. We barely stopped for gas on that run, so hen se go to the hotel we were starving. Fortunately, right next to the hotel was this:

Tasted like there, but it was here!

Foto by Jorma Kaukonen

La Villetta was quite simply… awesome! What a way to end the drive up!

Sunday we checked out of the hotel and drove to the venue in Patchogue. As an honorary Long Islander, there were lots of old friends as well as new!

Chewing the fat with Devon Allman

Photographer unknown

I brought a box of the great Hot Tuna vinyl reissue of the first LP, and Jack and I signed them for the Company Store at the Fur Peace Ranch.

John Hancock time...

Foto by Jorma Kaukonen

It was a great hang. Got to hear my old pal Michael Falzarano as well as all the other great acts. We also got a little time to actually check our stuff out on stage before our set. Rare in a festival situation.

Eh?

Foto by Jorma Kaukonen

Then our moment came…

Lovely evening spot...

Foto by Phil Jacobs

Hot Tuna 20, 2018
The Electric Trio
Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady
& Justin Guip
The Great South Bay Music Festival
Patchogue, N.Y.
Sunday, July 15, 2018

1. Been So Long
2. Hesitation Blues
3. Ode To Billy Dean
4. I Wish You Would
5. Sleep Song
6. Trial By Fire
7. Bowlegged Woman
8. Come Back Baby

Dicky Betts and the guys were coming on after us but they had some setup problems and Myron and I had to leave before their set.

Life on the road

Foto by Myron Hart

Myron and I slept for some hours off of I-78 and then made it home. A fine surgical strike of music.

More anon!

Leaving for the Hot Tuna Show at the Great South Bay Music Festival at Shorefront Park on Sunday. We’re all sure looking forward to this. Yesterday I took Izze to meet her pals at Strouds Run and flew my drone a little bit.

Strouds Run Beach at the lake

Drone shot by Jorma Kaukonen

The girls are the little ants moving around down there.

Muddy from the rain... but still beautiful!

Drone shot by Jorma Kaukonen

Of course… the drone selfie…

A boy, his Jeep and his drone...

Drone shot by Jorma Kaukonen

Got the truck loaded, gonna grab some Z’s and head for the gig.

Onward indeed!

Me on the 1932 Rickebacker Tuxedo

Foto by Myron Hart

Last week I got to play on a tune for the great Joe Louis Walker for his upcoming project on Cleopatra Records out of L.A. Joe and I go way, way back to the early Fillmore days. It was such an honor that he asked me to do this!

On of the old covered bridges in Athens County

Foto by Vanessa Kaukonen

Izze had a sleepover in a remote pat of the county I had never been to before. Lovely.

A man and his Jeep

Foto by Vanessa Kaukonen

Lots of stuff to do this week. Driving up for the Hot Tuna show in Patchogue and heading home after our set. All things considered… it’s all good! Think I’ll go out to see what the pool is like right now…

Hmmmmmm….

Well, the Fourth Of July came and went. The heat wave was still in effect here in Southeast Ohio back then so we elected to have a family barbecue on the deck here at the house. The camp that Izze had selected turned turned out to be the farthest thing from what she had hoped it would be, so Vanessa drove another thousand miles to pick her up and bring her home. This is a whole other conversation that I’m not going to specifically address here. Suffice it to say that i am more than disappointed in what the reality of that camp was. All that being said, our girl is back and her summer is progressing in a much more positive way.

As for the Fourth… I love my country each and every day and even though the fellowship and fireworks is always gratifying, I don’t need a special moment to reaffirm my commitment. Nuff said.

It’s in the mid seventies this beautiful Sunday… just beautiful! We’re all just pottering around the house at the Ranch enjoying this rare moment of relative low stress. These are the moments that keep me going when things get hectic. I just did a cool guitar part for Joe Louis Walker’s new project. Thanks for thinking of me Joe. I remember when Joe was a teenager from the Western Addition where I was living in the early days of the Fillmore. Glad we’re still here bud!

Taking a day far from the madding crowd… TV never came on today, computer is going off… Maverick and I are going for a walk and then maybe a swim with the girls.

Have a great Sunday all!

Well, last night Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley came to our little corner of the universe and made a whole lot of people, including me and Vanessa very happy with their magnificent show. I got to briefly share the stage with Rob and Trey at the Folk Alliance in Kansas City, MO earlier this year. I’ve known Rob for some time now and have always admired his technical mastery of the dobro that was always deeply marinated with soul. Getting to know Trey both musically and personally was equally a treat! This gentleman’s guitar playing is stratospheric to say the least! That said, the song always comes first with him and never gets lost in the notes. I love these guys!

Rob and Trey bordered by my 1961 Fender Super

Foto by Jorma Kaukonen

Marginal foto I know, but I left my camera with the long lens in the house. What a show!

Me, Rob, Trey, Wally and Vanessa

Photographer lost in antiquity

Now to back up a little… I opened the show for the guys, and here is my set list.

Jorma Kaukonen 24
Jorma Solo
The Fur Peace Station
Darwin, Ohio
Saturday, June 30, 2018

1. Dime For Beer
2. Heart Temporary
3. Let Us Get Together Right Down Here
4. Barbeque King
5. Sleep Song
6. Watch The North Wind Rise
7. Death Don’t Have No Mercy
8. San Francisco Bay Blues
9. Bar Room Crystal Ball
10. Water Song
11. That’ll Never Happen No More

When Rob and Trey came out for their much deserved encore, they honored my by inviting me to share it with them and we did an outstanding (If I do say so myself) version of Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out.

The guys stayed over at the Fur Peace Ranch and while Nessa was fixing a yummy breakfast for everyone Maverick, the Big Dog, and I took a walk.

Early morning on the old road

Foto by Jorma Kaukonen

Nothing like a morning walk with one of your best pals!

The Big Guy

Foto by Jorma Kaukonen

Well, Rob and Trey are off to Maggie Valley, NC and I think I’ll go outside in with by the pool for a while before it gets too hot.

Onward!