Frigid Friday Sunrise
Foto by Jorma Kaukonen
Yet another sub freezing morning as Myron and I loaded up the Jeep to head to the State Theater in Easton, Pennsylvania to be part of Dick Boak’s retirement gala. Dick’s history with Martin Guitars is… well, legendary. Over a decade ago it was Dick who sat us down at the Pizza place across the street from the Martin factory and there on a table napkin the Jorma M-30 was born.
A star is born!
Foto by jorma Kaukonen
David Bromberg got me started with his fine Bromberg Model… and then it was my turn. Anyway, after who knows how many years Dick will move into Emeritus Status and on his way he put together an amazing night of music with a gaggle of his friends.
What a magnificent room!
Foto by Jorma Kaukonen
Hanging out in catering...
Foto by Jorma Kaukonen
With folks like NIck Forster and Lawrence Juber, Ernie Sites, Steve Miller, David Bromberg, John Mayer, Craig Thatcher and Trevor Gordon Hall it was a night filled with music and fellowship!
The old dog spins a yarn...
Foto by Phil Jacobs
I played Sleep Song and Living In The Moment and then called Craig Thatcher up for a duet on good Shepherd.
Old friends...
Foto by Phil Jacobs
Then David Bromberg joined me for Death Don’t Have No Mercy and Come Back Baby.
When we weren’t playing… it was a non stop hang!
Jorma, Nick and David
Foto by Myron Hart
Ernie Sites, Lawrence Juber and Craig Thatcher
Foto by Jorma Kaukonen
I got a chance to meet John Mayer. I felt like I knew a little about him from his reputation. Chatting with him for a while I found him to be a most genuine artist and a gentle soul!
New friends... always good.
Foto by Myron Hart
All in all… Happy retirement Dick… although the thought of you retiring from anything is utterly alien. Thanks for inviting me to your amazing party! I think you should retire every year… and always count me in!
Hi Jorma,
I saw the recently posted list of tour dates for this year and noticed that there were none in Pa. I know that you had a gig on April 1 this year at the Colonial Theatre in Phoenixville. Unfortunately, that was the night that our local NCAA Champions Villanova were playing for the national championship. People around here love Hot Tuna but they’re rabid about their basketball. Please don’t judge a poor crowd on that particular evening for a lack of appreciation for Hot Tuna. Hope you make it to the Phila. area soon.
take care,
Joe Cowan
I think the boyz are down in Jamaica, mon. Having a good old time in the Caribbean. Must be 85 and sunny. Wish I was there. Looked it up last week – the resort was sold out. I wanted to go down and see Hot Tuna in the islands – must be beautiful.
Jorma – what brand and model drone/drones do you have?
I have a DJI Phamtom 3 Standard and a DJI Mavic Pro… love them!
My mistake – the Delaware river meets up with the Lehigh river at Easton PA.
We’ve had a medium cold front…Should be like 67 degrees tomorrow in Boca Raton…Hope it doesn’t chill the performance because I am psyched to see Jorma and Jack live for the first time! Maybe the same cool temps and atmosphere of a San Francisco summer…
Excited for some Electric Hot F’kn Tuna today in St. Petersburg!
Turn it up Jorma!
Jorma, these photos and the story of the man being honored is great information about American history for the music. Barbara explain to me about the “love for Levon” concert. John Mayer played there and you did. John Mayer recovering from the vocal surgery and can’t talk. Now you have the chance to meet him and talk. A good time. Never too late for good things.
Old friends and new ones. The other day my cousin tagged me in a Kaki King video, she blew me away, nice young woman. I decided to do a search on her and there in her bio was a reference to Preston Reed. I had to tumble that name around in my cranium like a bb in a box car and then the light went on! I clicked on a link to his page and it stated that one of his earliest influences was Jorma and Hot Tuna and it was then I realized, the first Jorma show I attended at Toad’s Place in New Haven, CT Preston Reed opened for Jorma, I even have pictures form that show of Preston and then Jorma. I had a table right in front of the stage and just clicked away. It was late summer 1980. The old 6 degrees of separation or more importantly, the passing of the baton through 3 generations.
As a northerner, this is the time of the year we start thinking of Florida. Can’t wait to go to a place on the Gulf with a bathing suit and ray bans next month. Not far from Sanibel. I just love the gulf coast. Always great sunsets.
Sunday looking good for Boca.Tuna hits the second stage at 6:25 followed by TTB at 7:30 on the main stage. Jags v Steelers will be long over, give Derek the points Captain, your Steelers should crush them, hopefully it wont ruin Dereks night. Did you see Susan do the National Anthem last week ?
HOW NOW BROWN COW!
Happy New Year
$2000…. My bud went to Boston University in 1975 and came home at Christmas break with Qauh. I was hooked. I have followed the music
forward and worked my way back to the beginning. Doing some reflecting myself after reading blogs of reflection,I have…
Attended about 40 concerts, bought albums,CDs, tees and tea. All for the above low,low price. Tremendous entertainment value. SIGN ME UP AGAIN! So thankful.
P.S. Never paid for that Qauh album. Traded AoxomoxoA for it.
Your Pal
I think Jefferson Airplane played Easton Pennsylvania but I can’t find the reference when I search…
See you Sunday Jorma…They are saying sunny and a 68 degree daytime temperature…
Is it ubiquity or serendipity? You be the judge.
I came across Ray Benson’s name and wound up on Asleep at the Wheel’s website. The first line of the band’s bio read thusly: “Asleep at the Wheel landed a gig opening for Alice Cooper and Hot Tuna in Washington, DC in 1970”.
Do all roads lead to Hot Tuna?
Jorma, you can hear your excitement in your words. What a wonderful party. What is it about the guitar that makes the wonder so eternal?
Carbon County. Jim Thorpe was a nice little town. I think Tuna played at the Mauch Chunk Opera House but i was not fortunate enough to attend that one. Pretty sure that Jorma has done a few joint appearences with Thatcher in association with Martin. I promise you that this guy Greg Thatcher can play and the guy on bass is very talented. We may have gone to Little Switzerland first but it to crowded so we ended up at the other place and it was the sound of I Know You Rider that drew us inside.
@johno
Jim Thorpe PA is where my grandmother was born. The original name was Mauch Chunk before it was Jim Thorpe. It is in the middle of coal country. I’ve been there many times. It in a beautiful setting in the Lehigh River valley. There is a small restaurant that’s quite good its called Little Switzerland. I think Hot Tuna has played Jim Thorpe.
@John B
About five years ago i spent a weekend in Jim Thorpe PA and we stayed at the Inn At Jim Thorpe. It was a Saturday night cold and time for dinner so we took a walk around town to find a nice place to grab a bite. After walking around in the cold for about thirty minutes we ended up back in front of the Inn. We hadn’t noticed, or perhaps we had discounted the Broadway Pub.It was actually a part of the Inn. At least i think that was the name, it was the Broadway something…… Well we are standing in front of the place and i hear this amazing guitar being played and an equally amazing bass player. They were playing I know you Rider and were just killing it! I looked at my friend and siad “we have found the right place for dinner.” It was the Greg Thatcher Band and if you haven” t heard this guy play i suggest that you keep an eye out for him. It will be a delightful musical discovery for you. Jorma has played with a few times and that must have been incredible.
J, Thanks for giving us all this intimate look under the hood. The Martin folks are truly one big extended family and the State such a wonderful room. The gala and guest list speaks volumes about what Boak means to the universe. By any measure, a bona fide night to remember. “What’s not to like?”
Must’ve been a pretty ride down to Easton on the banks of the Delaware River. It meets up with another river, I think it’s the Alleghany, at Easton. With a confluence of rivers was one of musical legends. Whenever you play – I wish I was there. You guys must’ve rocked sleepy, old Easton.
There’s nothing like fellowship to raise one’s spirits.
Music being the universal language…well, you’ll never be lonely.
I think I’m listening to a man who had a good time. Not just presenting his art, but fellowshipping with kindred spirits. What else can be said, but “Onward”?