So… a week ago yesterday, the irrepressible Myron Hart and I jumped in my truck and started driving to Ogunquit, Maine. Even though the gig at Jonathan’s wasn’t until Friday, we figured ‘Why rush?’ We took two days. Anyhoo… We got in on Thursday, meet Phil at the train station and looked around for a place to eat.
Time for dinner...
Yeah buddy… Billy’s Chowder House was looking good.
These babies were looking good too...
The good old Meadowmere wasn’t serving breakfast… it’s definitely not ‘Season’ yet so almost nothing was open… but, we discovered Leanne Cusimano’s Amore Breakfast.
Leanne and Jorma
Leanne’s place is absolutely awesome… food, hospitality… the whole deal. Plus, I’m a coffee nut, and the coffee at Amore is some of the best I have ever had!
A little walk by the beach… and then thoughts of Jonathan’s began to cross our minds.
A light in the dark
No skinny dipping today...
Then off to the gig at Jonathan’s.
Welcome to Jonathan's
Foto by Phil Jacobs
…and the show, of course!
On stage after dinner
Foto by Phil Jacobs
Jorma Kaukonen 17, 2016
Jorma Solo
Jonathan’s Ogunquit
Ogunquit, Maine
Thursday, March 31, 2016
First Set:
1. Too Many Years
2. Nobody Knows You When You’re Down & Out
3. Been So Long
4. Hesitation Blues
5. Barbeque King
6. Sea Child
7. Sleep Song
8. Living In The Moment
9. That’ll Never Happen No More
10. I See The Light
11. In My Dreams
12. Keep Your Lamps rimmed & Burning
Second Set:
1. Dime For Beer
2. Ain’t In No Hurry
3. The Terrible Operation
4. I’ll Be All Right Some Day
5. Death Don.t Have No Mercy
6. Come Back Baby
7. Let Us Get Together Right Down Here
8. True Religion
9. San Francisco Bay Blues
10. Watch The North Wind Rise
11. Good Shepherd
12. I Am The Light Of This World
13. Bar Room Crystal Ball
14. Water Song
15. Encore: Whining boy Blues
Then it was off to the Higher Ground up in Burlington, Vermont.
The old Jormster picks it!
Foto by Phil Jacobs
We’ve got old friends here up in Burlington… it didn’t seem like five years since the last time I was here… better not wait so long for the next time! Anyway, old friends are always good.
Jorma Kaukonen 18, 2016
Jorma Solo
The Higher Ground
Burlington, Vermont
Saturday, April 2, 2016
First Set:
1. Ain’t In No Hurry
2. New Song For The Morning
3. Hesitation Blues
4. Nobody Knows You When You’re Down & Out
5. Come Back Baby
6. Sea Child
7. Sleep Song
8. Let Us Get Together Right Down Here
9. How Long Blues
10. Candy Man
11. Keep Your Lamps Trimmed & Burning
Second Set:
1. True Religion
2. I See The Light
3. The Terrible Operation
4. River Of Time
5. I Am The Light Of This World
6. Death Don’t Have No Mercy
7. Barbeque King
8. Watch The North Wind Rise
9. Good Shepherd
10. Bar Room Crystal Ball
11. Water Song
12. Encore: I Know You Rider
Sunday morning we got up and looked for a breakfast joint. Burlington is a college town, so everything in town was just to darn crowded. I’m not waiting and hour to get breakfast anywhere. We started driving towards Albany and couldn’t find one normal diner in whole state of Vermont. All I wanted was breakfast. Around lunch time we crossed the border into New York… and there was a diner.
Good Times.
In Albany… I was guest for David Bromberg’s Birthday Bash… and a good time it was. That lad knows how to throw a party!
The Egg in Albany
Foto by Phil Jacobs
Lots of glorious folks on this gig…
Jorma, Larry, David and Keb Mo
David, Keb and Larry
To hang with David and his friends is a blessing indeed… some fun!
Keb and Me
This was a really, really good time. Thanks David… Zei Gesundt… may you have many more.
Back at the Renaissance Hotel…
Lovely
Smile for the birdie
As usual… the best hotel on this little run and we’re here for about five hours.
Up in the morning for the long run to Pomeroy… a Spring snow…
Morning view from the window...
The lobby
And outside…
Let's get this show on the road...
Eleven hours later home, home, home. This weekend at the Fur Peace Ranch Larry Campbell, and Teresa Williams.
Am I the luckiest guy in the world or what?
Gotta go to ‘town.’
I’ll let MARK TWAIN pass the oysters over to me.
That was the week that was-David Frost
Just think, we were down at the beach in the early ’70’s, drowsing in the sand, connected to the universe with our Sony transistors, and we did not have a care in the world, because, girls.
I won’t fix your flat tire, Merle.
Mmmm…oysters on the half-shell. Love ’em. Btw, Jesus IS coming.
@Andy K
You’re welcome. Ultimate Classic Rock is a nice little site, not the most accurate when it comes to the history they put forth, but some interesting stuff nonetheless.
These feelings surrounding Merle now have me playing Hot Tuna’s song, ‘Smokerise Journey’ a song that is soothing in a timeless way. Sometimes I’ll listen to it for an hour+…over and over…like now.
Thanks for the link, Kevin. Merle will remain a force on this earth. He’ll always be wanted, dead or alive. I think i’ve sang ‘sing me back home’ at least 600+ times in the past 2 days. thanks Merle. Good cover of ‘More than my old guitar’. I’d never known that was a Merle song. that is some kind of love.
Merle will be sadly missed
I see my previous comment is “awaiting moderation”. I wonder if it because of the website I listed? I am in no way trying to promote or direct attention to the band I play in, it just happens to be the only website I am affiliated with. My sincere apologies if this is the case.
My intention was only to thank Jorma for his generosity, time and all the wonderful music I have experienced over the years.
Again….Thank you!
@Kevin
Thank you!
@Andy K
Click and scroll down,
http://ultimateclassicrock.com/merle-haggard-covers/
Jorma, Here’s an interesting article about another singer/songwriter I saw a picture of you with at the Love for Levon concert, I rank this man up there with you;
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/10/arts/music/john-prine-endures-with-a-half-smile-and-a-song.html?_r=0
There was plenty of info on ‘Such a Night’, but Tongue…well there was info, but not in standard tuning if you know what I mean. Anyway…’such a night’ as it is, are, was, were. I am so happy to now know of it as a song and it’s history.
It is a standard joke with one of my friends that a request cost $40. IMO, ‘Let’s Get Together’ should be a sing along. I was surprised the first and second time I went to learn the song how complicated it was…just a few chords – so, if everyone is singing = call and response blues technique, the rapture will cover if you screw up the guitar part. Not that Jorma ever would, but, Win win, just say in’.
I could really sense the frustration with lack of breaky or places to do breaky…I drove thru The big V to new Hampshire a week ago to pick up a friends mini coop,and I would swear I was doing 20 to 30 mph tops all the way? w.t.h.? Anyway at least when you hit n.y. you found A diner. Sorry I did not know you were to be in Albany…but now that the calendar says spring, winter is here finally,and life on the road driving has been a challenge.next time for sure.Take care. Richu
I think I see Papa John smiling and peeking through the crack in the door between you n Keb.
Peace
Love All Ways
Fishing was really good upstate in the Catskills last weekend. The rivers and streams were high and fast – caught a couple brookies and rainbows – smoked a couple good cigars – life is good.
RIP, Merle Haggard
Okie From Muskogee
@Steven Levenson
There has to be some way I can unread this comment.
I see you walked some (or maybe all) of the Marginal Way in Ogunquit Jorma – love that little lighthouse at Israel’s Head. Nothing like the Maine shoreline!
Jorma, thank you for the show at Higher Ground last Sat night! My first concert ever was Rick Danko, Dr. John and Jorma, 3/27/82, age 14 at The Capitol in Passaic NJ. Been to 20+ shows since… A huge inspiration to me, certainly one of the main reasons I became a musician.
It was such a pleasure to meet you and give you my VT “Jorma” license plate from ’87. I’m so glad it will find a new home at FPR. Looking forward to many more years of great music and hope to make it to FPR someday.
Thank you
Hi Jorma,
Love it when you come to Jonathans. Everyone that was there loved it too. Finally was able to bring my daughter to see you. First saw you and the band in 1975 in Asbury Park NJ. Lots of great shows at the Capitol too. My brother saw you in Burlington the next night. Said the show was awesome. He also told me that he gave you his VT Jorma liscense plate. So glad that he did. That thing is like 30 years old. Keep on Trukin! Love ya.
Luck is the intersection of hard work and opportunity and you are indeed one of the luckiest guys around. Cant wait for Wanee next week, you can leave the snow shoes behind 🙂
Jorma, Saw the show at The Egg. Enjoyed all the awesome guitar players. I hadn’t seen you or David since NYC in the 1970’s. All good enjoyed the show. Hopefully it won’t be another 30+ years! Thanks!
Jorma, Wondering what songs you shared with David Bromberg @ The Egg, perhaps Walkin’ Blues?
Tongue and Such A Night
I love oysters, but I also love Mark Twain’s comment that you should never eat anything that looks like it came from a cow’s nose.
Thanks for coming through to Vermont, Jorma. I have never seen a seated show at Higher Ground so completely full of folks, and a pinned dropped could be heard. One doesn’t have that often at HG shows either. I don’t know if they tagged the show as sold out, but it appeared to me to be. Sorry about breakfast – we complain about that in my town area also??
I am happy that I got to see your solo show first, or I’da been wanting some more of you at the Egg. David built a fine show that night. From the acoustic start through the sing along and all…I feel honored to have witnessed it. If my memory serves me, which doesn’t always happen on the first try, at the end of the Egg show when all of you were out together, there was a blues in C starting on the 5th followed by a Robert Johnson song that must be key of E ? Regardless, it was fabulous.
I was happy to have my studded snows on getting out of Albany on Monday. One thing I’ve learned from musicians is…through rain, sleet, snow…the show must go on, driving through anything at all hours. Fortunately some of the late nights, the energy from the show propels one forth.
It looks like a chilly weekend at the ranch for classes. Though there will be a warmth regardless of the weather. I wished I could be there surrounded by guitar players and singers. Such a lovely land you’ve put together there at your shire. Adios.