Jorma Kaukonen's Online Diary

Happy April Fool's Day one and all. I've only been up for a bit so it's still early for gags... I'm sure I'll get hit later. Anyway, the first day of the second weekend at the FPR was great. Once again a truly great bunch of folks. It's a beautiful morning... warm with just the hint of clouds left over from last night... it pronmises to be a great night for the show at the Staiton with Mary Gauthier and John Cephas.

I have to write a couple of chord charts so I need to get to it...

Onward!

Our first concert at the Fur Peace Station last night with Mary Gauthier and John Cephas was an unqualified success. The artistry of both shone all evening and our hall was packed. Daylight Savings Time kicked my butt this morning so I've got to run... I'll write more about John and Mary later... for now I'll just say they were magical!

What a simply grand weekend this has beed... lots of talent... great playing... great writing... really goode stuff.It was great to share a little space with Michael again. He just really gives a great class. We got to enjoy three plus days of john Cephas' wisdom, art and skill and we got to welcome Mary Gauthier into the fold.

We are swo blessed to have this be our space in the universe!

I was talking to a friend of mine yesterday afternoon and I realized just how truly blessed I am. I just had a week where all my ducks were in a row... I was surrounded by wonderful people and my ears were filled with great music. Here I am on Tuesday and it looks like things are going to continue that way for a while.

Outside my window, buds are on the trees... the skies are robin's egg blue and there are billowing white clouds everywhere. Not bad...

...of course a little voice in the back of my head reminds me that one oops wipes out ten attaboys. Hmmmm... Well for now, I think I'm going to suppress that thought and just drive on!

Wow, where did this week go? Another camp starting in an hour or so. This weekend it's me, Ernie Hawkins, Rory Block and Jeff from Box Set. This will be fun for sure.

Huge storms this morning, but everything seems quiet now... a little grey but warm.

Off to 'work!'

Rory Block's show at the Fur Peace Station last night was passionate, compelling and well, it really couldn't have been better. Two wonderful sets in front of a packed house warmed this chilly April night completely.

We were so thrilled to have Rory at the Ranch this weekend. She is indeed a national treasure!

This weekend has just been stellar. Lots of spiritual interaction took place... hard to describe without sounding sappy, but it was great. One more very special weekend at the Ranch with more on the way, Im sure.

After class this morning I'm going to pick my son up so he can spend some time with us over his easter break.

You know... it is all good!

My son Zach has been visiting us this past week and it was beyond my wildest expectations. We were able to do so much together. Our Seder was perfect, the weather was perfect and all our ducks swere in a row for sure. I'm going to do some expansive writing on the Thoughts Page a little later on.

It doesn't get much better than this!

I've been remiss in the entry department, but here I am.I had a great last week with my son and this week we have been getting ready for another camp. Jack and I went canoeing this morning for the first time this year. What a blast.

More can be found on my Thoughts Page. Onward!

A great bunch of players at the Ranch this rainy weekend. It was a veritable notefest yesterday. This evening Jack and Barry and I reunite at the Station for our first Hot Tuna show in several months. It will be a great warmup for Merlefest next week... speaking of notefests.

I'bve got to write a little music and head on over to the Ranch. Onward...

Well, we just had another truly great weekend at the Ranch. Spencer Bohren was outstanding, as always and Jack and Barry and I had a great time playing a gig at the Station and psyching up for Merlefest. here is our set list:

Hot Tuna 9, 2006
Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady
& Barry Mitterhoff
The Fur Peace Station
Darwin, Ohio
Saturday, April 22, 2006

1. Search My Heart
2. How Long Blues
3. I’ll Let You Know Before I Leave
4. Blue Railroad Train
5. Death Don’t Have No Mercy
6. Serpent Of Dreams
7. Heart Temporary
8. I Know You Rider
9. More Than My Old Guitar
10. Come Back Baby
11. Living In The Moment
12. Good Shepherd
13. Hesitation Blues
14. Just Because
15. Encore: Preaching On The Old Camp Ground

I didn't get a chance to make any entries over the weekend... I was just so caught up in the moment so even though this is short... it's nice to be back.

I'm full of music today!

I was going to write here today... but I went to the Thoughts Page instead. Thanks.

What a beautiful day today is. A little cooler than it has been, but so much the better for that. We spent most of the morning loading up our gear for the trip to Merlefest tomorrow. I'm so looking forward to this. Four days of, well, the best music imagineable. Now that all that pre work is done, I'm going for a motorcycle ride with my bud Jerry.

I'm in the wind team!

The ride to Wilkesboro was under five hours... beautiful all the way. We started seeing friends as soon as we got here. Guy Clark and Verlon Thompson, Jim Lauderdale, Jerry Douglas, Sam Bush and Byron House... they just kept coming, and new friends too. After a delicious dinner at the Chili Verde, Vanessa went to see John Prine and I had to get some sleep.

Today we had a retrospective show next to the Gibson Trailer. David Bromberg stopped by and sat in... perfect. Then we just walked around and listened to music in til 1440 when we did our show on the Watson Stage. Here is our set list:

Hot Tuna 10, 2006
Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady
& Barry Mitterhoff
Merlefest 2006
The Watson Stage
Friday, April 28, 2006

1. Hesitation Blues
2. Blue Railroad Train
3. I’ll Let You Know Before I Leave
4. More Than My Old Guitar
5. Embryonic Journey
6. Good Shepherd
7. Come Back Baby
8. Keep Your Lamps Trimmed And Burning
9. Bread Line Blues
10. That’ll Never Happen No More
11. Living In The Moment
12. I Know You Rider

We heard Gillian Welch, I chatted with Emmylou Harris for a while... Larry Dalton from Fishman... hey it was a music/gabfest... and there's more tomorrow.

I love this gig!

What a day of picking today has been. Hot Tuna hit the Cabin Stage at 1100. Here is our set list from the morning:

Hot Tuna 11, 2006
Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady
& Barry Mitterhoff
Merlefest
Cabin Stage
1100
Saturday, April 29, 2006

1. Re-Enlistment Blues
2. Let Us Get Together Right Down Here
3. Preaching On the Old Camp Ground
4. Water Song

Then at 1630 Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Byron House and I got together on the Hillside Stage and had a regular notefest together. Here is our set list, but not in correct order. I'll dix that later:

Blue Country Heart 1
With
Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas
& Byron House
Hillside Stage
1630-1715
Saturday, April 29, 2006

1. Red River Blues
2. What Are They Doing In Heaven Today?
3. Prohibition Blues
4. Big River Blues
5. I’m Free From The Chain Gang
6. 3rd Week In the Chelsea
7. Just Because
8. Mann’s Fate

Then just before sunset Hot Tuna got together on Roy Bookbinder's blues stage and payed the following:

Hot Tuna 12, 2006
Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady
& Barry Mitterhoff
Merlefest
Wilkesboro, North Carolina
The Austin Stage
Saturday, April 29, 2006

1. Trouble In Mind
2. Candy Man
3. Parchman Farm
4. Keep Your Lamps Trimmed And Burning
5. Serpent Of Dreams
6. Bread Line Blues
7. Tom Can Blues
8. Encore: Genesis

My fingers hurt. I don't think I'll practice tonight. It doesn't get much better than this!