Jorma Kaukonen's Online Diary

Barry and I reconvened at the War Memorial last night and joined Woody Mann for another two show, four set evening. It's a long night on the Patriot Stage... but we love it. It's good to be back in the saddle again. Here are our set lists:

Jorma Kaukonen & Barry Mitterhoff 11, 2008
The Trenton War Memorial
Trenton, New Jersey
Thursday, April 03, 2008

First Show
First Set:
1. Waiting For A Train
2. Re-Enlistment Blues
3. I’ll Let You Know Before I Leave
4. More Than My Old Guitar
5. Serpent Of Dreams
6. Heart Temporary
7. Will There Be Any Stars In My Crown?
8. Uncle Sam Blues

Second Set:
1. Barbeque King
2. If We Make It Through December
3. Let Us Get Together Right Down Here
4. Been So Long
5. Just Because
6. Encore with Woody Mann: Living In The Moment

Second Show
First Set:
1. Blue Railroad Train
2. Hesitation Blues
3. I See The Light
4. Come Back Baby
5. There’s A Table Sitting In Heaven
6. How Long Blues
7. Late Breaking News

Second Set:

1. New Song For The Morning
2. I Know You Rider
3. The Terrible Operation
4. Good Shepherd
5. Trouble In Mind
6. Babe I Want You To Know
7. Parchman Farm
8. Keep You Lamps Trimmed & Burning
9. I Am The Light Of This World
10. Working Man’s Blues
11. Encore with Woody Mann: A Life Well Lived

Yep... we're picking and grinning again and now we're on our way to Richmond. More anon.

Our first time in Richmond in longer than I can remember. We were downtown in the National... a dandy theater they are in the process of restoring and doing a darn good job of it. We did two sets and here they are:

Jorma Kaukonen & Barry Mitterhoff 12, 2008
The National
Richmond, Virginia
Friday, April 04, 2008

First Set:
1. That’ll never Happen No More
2. Been So Long
3. New Song For The Morning
4. I See The Light
5. Bread Line Blues
6. Barbeque King
7. Sea Child
8. There’s A Table Sitting In Heaven
9. 99 Year Blues
10. Fur Peace Rag
11. Hesitation Blues

Second Set:
1. Red River Blues
2. Serpent Of Dreams
3. Heart Temporary
4. I’ll Let You Know Before I Leave
5. How Long Blues
6. If We Make It Through December
7. Come Back Baby
8. Late Breaking News
9. Good Shepherd
10. The Terrible Operation
11. Death Don’t Have No Mercy
12. San Francisco Bay Blues
13. Encore: Embryonic Journey

We are now driving back up to New Jersey. Yes folks, this is the way the pros do it.

I'm going to bed.

Alyssa threw a surprise 50th birthday party for her husband Joel and Barry and I got to play for it. They are really nice people and were glad to be involved. Here is our set list:

Jorma Kaukonen & Barry Mitterhoff 13, 2008
Lake Mohawk Country Club
Sparta, New Jersey
Saturday, April 05, 2008

1. Search My Heart
2. Hesitation Blues
3. I See The Light
4. Heart Temporary
5. Fur Peace Rag
6. Come Back Baby
7. I’ll Let You Know Before I Leave
8. More Than My Old Guitar
9. Let Us Get Together
10. Sea Child
11. Genesis
12. I Know You Rider
13. Barbeque King
14. I Am The Light Of This World
15. Happy Birthday
16. Just Because
17. Encore: Embryonic Journey

Tomorrow is a very early call to head out to Larchmont so... you know, bed time.

Just a really quick entry as we're getting ready to drive home. The Watercolor Cafe was small... but a blast and the food was great as were the people. here is our set list:

Jorma Kaukonen & Barry Mitterhoff 14, 2008
The Watercolor Café
Larchmont, New York
Sunday, April 06, 2008

First Show:
1. Waiting For A Train
2. Re-Enlistment Blues
3. I’ll Let You Know Before I Leave
4. How Long Blues
5. Trial By Fire
6. Serpent Of Dreams
7. Heart Temporary
8. Bread Line Blues
9. Barbeque King
10. Will There Be Any Stars In My Crown?
11. 99 Year Blues
12. I Know You Rider
13. Encore: Embryonic Journey

Second Show:
1. True Religion
2. Nobody Knows You When You’re Down & Out
3. There’s A Table Sitting In Heaven
4. I See The Light
5. The Terrible Operation
6. Come Back Baby
7. Sea Child
8. Late Breaking News
9. Hesitation Blues
10. Been So Long
11. San Francisco Bay Blues
12. Good Shepherd
13. Uncle Sam Blues
14. Nine Pound Hammer
15. Encore: A Life Well Lived

More when I get back to Meigs.

Well, I'm home. It was a short, and hectic tour but great fun nonetheless. Spring was springing as the bus docked at the Fur Peace Ranch and I'll be mowing before long.

Back with the ladies, Vanessa & Izze, reminded me one more time that there is no place like home. In this season of rebirth and life, I reflect and the passing of several friends over the last months and it occurs to me again that sometimes life is more about saying 'goodbye' than waying 'hello.' That will have to be alright. I still prefer aying 'hello,' but 'goodbye' can sometimes help one take measure of the universe. So it goes indeed.

It's a beautiful day today and I have lots of stuff to do. It's all good indeed. I will be seeing Jack soon and Hot Tuna will rock this weekend at the Ranch.

Onward!

Jack Casady came in... Barry Mitterhoff came in, Toby Walker came in... Erik Diaz will be in tonight... The Ranch is back in full swing again. Some storms came in yesterday, but who cares, ir was warm and dry inside and the sound of guitars and basses was everywhere.

Tonight the concert at the Fur Peace Station will feature Toby Walker and us... Electric Hot Tuna and it will be a great kickoff for our upcoming electric tour.

All is well in Ranchland and we are forging ahead.

Toby Walker took the stage first last night and brought the house down with his masterful performance. Flat out... he was simply great. Barry and I watched from the side of the stage for most of his show and we were both blown away. You have to hear this great musician.

After a short break, good old fun loving Hot Tuna (that's us) hit the boards and in my humble, unsolicited, non-judgemental opinion, we were darn good. Jack and Erik locked in as if they had never been apart. Well, we all had a gredat time. Here is our set list:

Hot Tuna 5, 2008
The Quartet
Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady
Barry Mitterhoff & Erik Diaz
The Fur Peace Station
Darwin, Ohio
Saturday, April 12, 2008

1. True Religion
2. Living Just For You
3. Ode To Billy Dean
4. I Wish You Would
5. Serpent Of Dreams
6. Been So Long
7. Can’t Get Satisfied
8. Rock Me Baby
9. Sea Child
10. Bowlegged Woman
11. Hit Single # 1
12. Corners Without Exits
13. Funky # 7
14. Talkin’ ‘Bout You
15. Encore: Water Song

I'm going to be off line for a couple of days while we update our site, but we'll be back. In the meantime have a good one while we move onward!

Indeed, here I am back on line again. Vanessa had a few moment this morning after she dropped Izze off at school and we took the opportunity to go for a little motorcycle ride... her first of the year. It was a little chilly but the sun was out and all in all it was quite beautiful. I've been working around Hillside Farm since we got back but now I'm going to take a little more time and hit the road again for a bit.

More anon...

What a week. I spent a couple of days in the woods over at the FPR setting fence posts and I have to say, I can't even imagine what it was like doing this sort of work without modern gadgets. Even with them it's not easy although i think the hardest thing was hiking through the multifloral rose. Anyway, There's a lot more to do but like they say, 'One post at a time.'

Vanessa is at the sand lot with Izze watching my nephew Montana's first baseball game of the year and I shall join them shortly. It looks like some clouds are coming in. I hope the storm holds off until after the game. Well, a couple of more chores to do and I'm off to Athens.

Happy Passover to all!

Just a painfully brief note. We've been so busy with life that I just haven't really had time to get to the keyboard and do some writing. Perhaps later today, perhaps tomorrow. Anyway, spring is in full swing... the red bud is out... birds are eating the cat food. Mom's old cat is still in fine fettle and not showing her eleven people years at all. I'm leaving for Merlefest on Thursday morning and well, there's lots to do as always. Maybe I'll get back to the computer later tonight after Izze goes to sleep.

Maybe...

What a beautiful ride it was today down I-77. The red bud is redder, the grass greener... yep, spring is busting out all over. It's going to be a busy couple of days, but that's Merlefest for you. We're tickled pink to be here.

We're here safe and sound and looking forward to the next three days of music. This could be on of the grandest festivals of all. I shall report more tomorrow.

Here it is Saturday night at Merlefest and what a time we've had. We got here Thursday night and it's been non-stop music and fellowship since then. We started Friday by going on an Outreach mission to an elder care facility. My Mom and Dad are both gone, so any tme I can do something for older survivors, you can just count me in. We did some of our songs and Barry, who has done a lot of these gigs before took requests and pulled some real chestnuts out of the hat. here is our little set list:

Jorma Kaukonen & Barry Mitterhoff 15, 2008
Outreach @ Avante
Wilkesboro, North Carolina
Friday, April 25, 2008

1. True Religion
2. Hesitation Blues
3. Embryonic Journey
4. Sea Child
5. I Know You Rider
6. Amazing Grace
7. Foggy Mountain Breakdown
8. Blue Moon Of Kentucky
9. Great Speckled Bird
10. I Am The Light Of This World

Later that morning we joined Happy Traum at the pit with Mike Dowling, Terry Garland, Roy Book Binder, and myself for a round robin. Grand stuff. In the afternoon, we met Sally at the pickin' tent and spent an hour pickin' with the fans. There were lots of great players, but I particularly enjoyed and young teenager on the fiddle. We played Old Joe Clark and Rubber Dolly with him and the rest of the gang. Late in the evening we went to the Lounge for singer/songwriter night and played thus:

Jorma Kaukonen & Barry Mitterhoff 16, 2008
Merlefest
The Lounge
Friday, April 25, 2008

1. I’ll Let You Know Before I Leave
2. How Long Blues
3. I Know You Rider
4. Bread Line Blues
5. Embryonic Journey

Today we had two gigs. the big one on the Watson Stage with Barry, Sam Bush, Byron House, Sally Van Meter and Tony Rice the set list of which follows:

Jorma Kaukonen & Barry Mitterhoff 17, 2008
With Sally Van Meter, Sam Bush
Byron House & Tony Rice
Stars In My Crown
Merlefest
The Watson Stage
Wilkesboro, North Carolina
Saturday, April 26, 2008

1. There’s A Table Sitting In Heaven (D)
2. Heart Temporary (D)
3. Fur Peace Rag (C)
4. Death Don’t Have No Mercy (E)
5. Will There Be Any Stars In My Crown? (G)
6. The Preacher Picked The Guitar (C)
7. Living In The Moment (D)
8. Come Back Baby (A)
9. Late Breaking News (E)

A thunder bumper put us a little behind schedule, but they gave us our full time anyway. What a set!

Last but not least we joined Roy and his friends at the Austin Stage to close the day's blues acts. Mike Dowling was playing as we pulled up and what a great one he is! One of the truly great ones. Anyway, here is our set lists:

Jorma Kaukonen & Barry Mitterhoff 18, 2008
Merlefest
The Greatest Blues Show On Earth with
Roy Book Binder
The Austin Stage
Wilkesboro, North Carolina

1. Search My Heart
2. Terrible Operation
3. Parchman Farm
4. Keep Your Lamps Trimmed And Burning
5. Serpent Of Dreams
6. Nine Pound Hammer
7. Encore: More Than My Old Guitar

There are two more gigs tomorrow and then it's home for a couple of days before the Tuna Tour begins.

I love this gig!

Merlefest was such a treat as was being home for one day. I am now packing up and getting ready to hit the bus for our Jacksonville to Juneau tour. Yes folks... this is the way the pros do it. I'll be meeting Jack tomorrow and let the rocking begin.

It's cold here this morning as the redbud begins to fade but warmer weather is coming down the pike.

More from the road.