Foto by Jorma Kaukonen

I got home from the Hot Tuna tour to find the Shade River well over its banks and neighbor Donnie’s field under water. These things come and go around here. At least with floods, there are few surprises. It was nice to be back home with the family. The tour wasn’t that long, but somehow it seemed as if a minor eternity had passed. On Saturday the girls took me up to Columbus for a birthday Ramen lunch at Meshikou.

Foto by Jorma Kaukonen

By the time I got home from Milwaukee I had a pretty good cold going and the spice in the Ramen broth helped suppress some of the symptoms, at least till I got home. On December 19th I got an email from an old friend, Mike Slater. He sadly informed me that Steve Farzan had passed. I had not seen Steve for a number of years but back in the mid 80’s we were band mates in a most idiosyncratic band, There Goes The Neighborhood. Somehow I briefly hooked up with Jaco Pastorius who I met one night at a gig at My Father’s Place in Roslyn, LI. I don’t really know how this happened but synchronicity is an amazing thing. Through Jaco I met Steve Sacher who played bass and replaced jaco when he disappeared, Ben Prevo who played guitar and was Steve’s roommate at that infamous apartment at #1 Lispenard Street. Rasheid Ali a colorful free jazz drummer lived around the corner on Greene St. Thanks to Steve’s connection with Jaco and ‘Sheid he found his way into our company. Last but not least, Steve Farzan came out from San Francisco… and there went the neighborhood.

We literally crossed the country together in my 1977 half ton sport van… with no air conditioning. We shared rooms, got paid next to nothing and forged the kind of bond that only road dog musicians truly understand. As the eighties evolved, There Goes The Neighborhood was laid to rest, the ‘89 Airplane Reunion was thrust upon me and I met Vanessa and married she, who was and always will be, the light of my life in this world. History has shown that some of these events proved to be more durable than others.

I’m not much of a social butterfly anymore so I miss out on a lot of hang time with old friends. That said, as infrequently as I saw Steve over the years I’m sorry he has moved on.

My 90 year old mother in law asked me at dinner the other night, ‘Does it feel different to be 79?’ The simple answer is, ‘Yes,’ but I’m not quite sure how yet. Life is more fragile, time more precious and friends and family more important. The final vote is still out.

Sunday Nessa, Izze and I drove to town to see the latest Star Wars Movie.

Foto by Vanessa Kaukonen

The twilight thunder continued all the way to town!

Foto by Vanessa Kaukonen

So far so good…

Foto by Vanessa Kaukonen

It was a chilly night pulling into Kent, Ohio for our performance at the Kent Stages but the weather didn’t chill our spirits on stage.

Hot Tuna 56, 2019
The Original Acoustic Duo
Jorma Kaukonen & Jack Casady
Kent Stage
Kent, Ohio
Wednesday, December 11, 2019

1. True Religion
2. I See The Light
3. Hesitation Blues
4. Letter To The North Star
5. Third Week In The Chelsea
6. Barbeque King
7. Let Us Get Together Right Down Here
8. Death Don’t Have No Mercy
9. San Francisco Bay Blues
10. How Long Blues
11. Sea Child
12. Trial By Fire
13. Good Shepherd
14. That’ll Never Happen No More
15. I Know You Rider
16. Encore: Children Of Zion with Larry & Teresa
17. Encore 2: Bar Room Crystal Ball with Larry & Teresa

After the show we had a ‘day off’ to drive to Chicago for our show the next day at Park West.

Foto by Phil Jacobs

Hot Tuna 57, 2019
The Original Acoustic Duo
Jorma Kaukonen & Jack Casady
Park West
Chicago, Illinois
Friday, December 13, 2019

1. True Religion
2. I See The Light
3. Hesitation Blues
4. Barbeque King
5. Death Don’t Have No Mercy
6. Sleep Song
7. Trial By Fire
8. Watch The North Wind Rise
9. River Of Time
10. Trouble In Mind
11. Nobody Knows You When You’re Down & Out
12. Been So Long
13. Sea Child
14. Good Shepherd
15. San Francisco Bay Blues
16. Encore: Children Of Zion with Larry & Teresa
17. Encore 2: Bar Room Crystal Ball with Larry & Teresa

It was a great gig and I got to see my friend Dave Specter. I got to play on Dave’s new record ‘Blues From The Inside Out which was an honor indeed. I also got to see Julia Miller from Delmark Records. It was a grand hang! Then we breezed up to St. Paul and the Fitzgerald Theater, former home of Prairie Home Companion and more.

Foto by Phil Jacobs.

I had been looking forward to this gig in more ways than one. I had been communicating with David Flammang for the better part of the year… waiting breathlessly for the J-35ish guitar he has been building for me. With a torrified top and a dark burst finish I can hardly wait for this beauty to sit in my lap onstage!

Larry Campbell dropped into the dressing room and wound up taking on of Dave’s guitars home as well!

Foto by Jorma Kaukonen

Oh yeah… there was the gig too!

Hot Tuna 58, 2019
The Original Acoustic Duo
Jorma Kaukonen & Jack Casady
The Fitzgerald Theater
St. Paul, Minnesota
Saturday, December 14, 2019

1. New Song For The Morning
2. Serpent Of Dreams
3. Hesitation Blues
4. Barbeque King
5. Letter To The North Star
6. River Of Time
7. Sea Child
8. Trial By Fire
9. I’ll Be All Right Some Day
10. San Francisco Bay Blues
11. Come Back Baby
12. Sleep Song
13. Good Shepherd
14. Encore: Children Of Zion with Larry & Teresa
15. Encore 2: Bar Room Crystal Ball with Larry & Teresa

Thanks for making the trek Dave. You are the man!

Foto by Jorma Kaukonen

Then it was an early drive to Milwaukee and the Turner.

Foto by Phil Jacobs

Jack and I have been sitting in with Teresa, Larry and Myron Hart for their final number… Keep Your Lamps Trimmed & Burning.

Foto by Phil Jacobs

I’ve been playing Lamps for decades but Teresa owns that song and that’s a fact. Rev. Davis would have love this!

Hot Tuna 59, 2019
The Original Acoustic Duo
Jorma Kaukonen & Jack Casady
Turner Hall Ballroom
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Sunday, December 15, 2019

1. True Religion
2. Been So Long
3. Hesitation Blues
4. Too Many Years
5. Ain’t In No Hurry
6. Barbeque King
7. Let Us Get Together Right Down Here
8. Death Don’t Have No Mercy
9. Sleep Song
10. Flying Clouds
11. I Am The Light Of This World
12. River Of Time
13. Come Back Baby
14. San Francisco Bay Blues
15. Trial By Fire
16. Good Shepherd
17. I Know You Rider
18. Encore: Children Of Zion with Larry & Teresa
19. Encore 2: Bar Room Crystal Ball with Larry & Teresa

L and T joined Jack and myself for the last two songs each night. Soaring on heavenly wings indeed!

Foto by Phil Jacobs

After show we beat feet for home and pulled in about 1100. Rainy, cold and gloomy.

Great run… great to be home!

Foto by Jorma Kaukonen

Looks like I’m home for the holidays… well, except for New Years. More on that later…

In the meantime, all of us… all good friends, heading for home!

PS Lest I forget.. because I did forget… the Buffalo Set List.

Hot Tuna 54, 2019
The Original Acoustic Duo
Jorma Kaukonen & Jack Casady
Asbury Hall
Buffalo, New York
Monday, December 9, 2019

1. New Song For The Morning
2. Candy Man
3. Second Chances
4. Letter To The North Star
5. Death Don’t have No Mercy
6. Day To Day Out The Window Blues
7. Let Us Get Together Right Down Here
8. Serpent Of Dreams
9. River Of Time
10. I Am The Light Of This World
11. Barbeque King
12. Been So Long
13. Flying Clouds
14. Trial By Fire
15. Good Shepherd
16. I Knows You Rider
17. Encore: Children Of Zion with Larry & Teresa
18. Encore 2: Bar Room Crystal Ball with Larry & Teresa

And last but not least…

Hot Tuna 55, 2019
The Original Acoustic Duo
Jorma Kaukonen & Jack Casady
The Palace Theater
Greensburg, Pennsylvania
Tuesday, December 10, 2019

1. Letter To The North Star
2. Hesitation Blues
3. Trouble In Mind
4. I’ll Be All Right Some Day
5. Barbeque King
6. Too Many Years
7. Second Chances
8. San Francisco Bay Blues
9. Death Don’t Have No Mercy
10. Nobody Knows You When You’re Down & Out
11. Heart Temporary
12. Sleep Song
13. Good Shepherd
14. Encore: Children Of Zion with Larry & Teresa
15. Encore 2: Bar Room Crystal Ball with Larry & Teresa

Moving right along here on this great tour with Jack, Larry Campbell, Teresa Williams and Myron Hart… really good times!

Foto by Phil Jacobs

Yeah… it’s been a minute or two, but great to be back to this Mid-Hudson historic town!

Hot Tuna 51, 2019
The Original Acoustic Duo
Jorma Kaukonen & Jack Casady
The Bardovan Opera House
Poughkeepsie, New York
Thursday, December 5, 2019

1. New Song For The Morning
2. Hesitation Blues
3. Been So Long
4. Ain’t In No Hurry
5. Barbeque King
6. Search My Heart
7. San Francisco Bay Blues
8. Trial By Fire
9. Flying Clouds
10. Watch The North Wind Rise
11. River Of Time
12. I Am The Light Of This World
13. Come Back Baby
14. Let Us Get Together Right Down Here
15. Serpent Of Dreams
16. Sleep Song
17. Good Shepherd
18. I Know You Rider
19. Encore: Children Of Zion with Larry & Teresa
20. Encore 2: Bar Room Crystal Ball with Larry & Teresa

Then a run up to the Colonial in New Hampshire.

Foto by Phil Jacobs

Hot Tuna 52, 2019
The Original Acoustic Duo
Jorma Kaukonen & Jack Casady
The Colonial Performing Arts Center
Keene, New Hampshire
December 6, 2019

1. True Religion
2. Hesitation Blues
3. Second Chances
4. Wolves & Lambs
5. That’ll Never Happen No More
6. Barbeque King
7. I See The Light
8. Day To Day Out The Window Blues
9. Death Don’t Have No Mercy
10. Sea Child
11. Trial By Fire
12. Good Shepherd
13. Whining Boy Blues
14. San Francisco Bay Blues
15. Encore: Children Of Zion with Larry & Teresa
16. Encore 2: Bar Room Crystal Ball with Larry & Teresa

Then for the third one in this trifecta… the Garde In New London, Conn.

Foto by Phil Jacobs

Hot Tuna 53, 2019
The Original Acoustic Duo
Jorma Kaukonen & Jack Casady
The Garde Center
New London, Connecticut
Saturday, December 7, 2019

1. New Song For The Morning
2. Too Many Years
3. Hesitation Blues
4. Barbeque King
5. Search My Heart
6. 3rd Week In The Chelsea
7. Death Don’t Have No Mercy
8. Sleep Song
9. Flying Clouds
10. Trial By Fire
11. The Terrible Operation
12. How Long Blues
13. Serpent Of Dreams
14. I’ll Be All Right Some Day
15. Good Shepherd
16. Things That Might Have Been
17. I Know You Rider
18. Encore: Children Of Zion with Larry & Teresa
19. Encore 2: Bar Room Crystal Ball with Larry & Teresa

Foto by Jorma Kaukonen

A cursory rundown here of the last three dates, but so be it.

Tonight… Buffalo.

Yow

Foto by Jorma Kaukonen

So there we were, Vanessa, Izze and I… viewing the start of the Macy’s Day parade from a warm place in Lincoln Center. An auspicious start to a New York City visit and Town Hall.

A delicious Thanksgiving dinner with the Tuna Gang at Riverpark and then it was time for the Friday gig at Town Hall where we were joined by our good friend Steve Kimock.

Foto by Phil Jacobs

Hot Tuna 47, 2019
The Electric Trio
Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady
Justin Guip
With Steve Kimock
Town Hall
New York City
November 29, 2019

First Set:
1. Been So Long
2. Whining Boy Blues
3. Walkin’ Blues
4. Ode To Billy Dean
5. Sea Child with Steve
6. Hesitation Blues with Steve
7. Bowlegged Woman with Steve
8. Baby What You Want Me To Do? With Steve

Second Set:
1. Serpent Of Dreams
2. Roads and Roads &
3. Trial By Fire
4. Living Just For You
5. Easy Now with Steve
6. Rock Me Baby with Steve
7. Sleep Song With Steve
8. Death Don’t Have No Mercy with Steve
9. Good Shepherd with Steve
10. Funky #7 with Steve
11. Encore: Water Song

And as if that weren’t good enough… there was Saturday…

Hot Tuna 48, 2019
The Electric Trio
Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady
Justin Guip
With Steve Kimock
Town Hall
New York City
Saturday, November 30, 2019

First Set:
1. I See The Light
2. Candy Man
3. Talkin’ Bout You
4. Ode To Billy Dean
5. Trial by Fire
6. Flying Clouds with Steve
7. Bowlegged Woman with Steve
8. Hit Single #1 with Steve

Second Set:
1. Been So Long
2. That’ll Never Happen No More
3. Can’t Get Satisfied
4. Easy Now with Steve
5. Sleep Song with Steve
6. Watch The North Wind Rise with Steve
7. Barbeque King with Steve
8. Baby What You Want Me To Do?
9. Sea Child with Steve
10. Good Shepherd with Steve
11. Come Back Baby with Steve
12. Funky #7 with Steve
13. Encore: Baby What You Want Me To Do? With Steve

Then on Sunday, as weather was moving in… we bussed up to Bethlehem.

Foto by Jorma Kaukonen

Yeah, it was a real winter drive, but at least the gig played on the next day.

Foto by Jorma Kaukonen

Well, it could have been worse, that’s for sure. Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams
came on board (literally) and we’ll be together for the remainder of the tour.

Hot Tuna 49, 2019
The Original Acoustic Duo
Jorma Kaukonen & Jack Casady
Musikfest Café
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Monday, December 2, 2019

1. True Religion
2. Whining Boy Blues
3. Been So Long
4. Come Back Baby
5. Let Us Get Together Right Down Here
6. Death Don’t have No Mercy
7. Ain’t In No Hurry
8. Trial By Fire
9. Sea Child
10. Watch The North Wind Rise
11. I Am The Light Of This World
12. Barbeque King
13. San Francisco Bay Blues
14. How Long Blues
15. Serpent Of Dreams
16. Embryonic Journey
17. Good Shepherd
18. I Know You Rider
19. Encore: Water Song

Larry and Teresa are joined on this run by our very own Myron Hart on guitar and mandolin and I’ve been sitting in on Keep Your Lamps Trimmed & Burning. Boy, does she own this song!

Then on a lovely wintry day we zoomed up to Troy, NY and that very beautiful venue, the Troy Music Hall.

Foto by Phil Jacobs

Hot Tuna 50, 2019
The Original Acoustic Duo
Jorma Kaukonen & Jack Casady
Troy Savings Bank Music Hall
Troy, New York
Tuesday, December 3, 2019

1. New Song For The Morning
2. Too Many Years
3. Hesitation Blues
4. Barbeque King
5. I See The Light
6. Let Us Get Together Right Down Here
7. River Of Time
8. I Am The Light Of This World
9. Come Back Baby
10. Candy Man
11. Death Don’t have No Mercy
12. Sleep Song
13. Trial By Fire
14. Good Shepherd
15. Trouble In Mind
16. I Know You Rider
17. Encore: Water Song

Foto by Phil jacobs

We meandered down to Poughkeepsie today and tomorrow we’ll all be at the Bardovan.

OK… moderately up to date.

Onward