Foto by Vanessa Kaukonen
Yeah, the day was beautiful and cool enough so there weren’t many mosquitoes
.
Foto by Vanessa Kaukonen
Foto by Vanessa Kaukonen
Sunday, June 14, 2020
An epic Quarantine Concert last night… well for me they’ve all been epic. My good pal Jack Casady will be heading our way soon and we’re going to do a special Hot Tuna show for the Fourth Of July and the next weekend as well. Needless to say, we are both truly looking forward to this. Working on new old songs as well as some new, new ones… yeah, it’s going to be fun.
Here’s the set list from last night’s concert:
Jorma Kaukonen 13, 2020
#11 Of The Quarantine Concert Series
Live From The Fur Peace Ranch
Fur Peace Station
Darwin, Ohio
Saturday June 13, 2020
- Too Many Years
- Wolves & Lambs
- Day To Day Out The Window Blues
- Folsom Prison Blues
- Great Divide Revisited
- Flying Clouds
- She Belongs To Me with John Hurlbut
- Sugaree with John Hurlbut
- Hamar Promenade
- Death Don’t Have No Mercy
- Water Song
This morning stellar and Ness and I hiked the property with the dogs and I taught Zoom lessons for three hours. A great day, all in all.
Foto by Vanessa Kaukonen
Next Saturday at 8 PM we’re going to run the last Electric Hot Tuna from the Fur Peace Ranch last November and the Quarantine Concert Series will be back July Fourth. We are not done with the Quarantine Concert Series by long shot!
Foto by Vanessa Kaukonen
I’ll be weighing in as the week evolves.
Stay well you all!
Very much looking forward to the July 4th HT show.
Jorma, have you and Jack ever played any form of Spare Chaynge since Baxters?
Great great instrumental!
Spare Chaynge was a free jam about forty minutes long… we snipped out section unedited and put it on the album. Such things can never be replicated, but thanks for asking.
Hi Jorma, Sending blessings, love and gratitude on this Father’s Day… Your lessons are a gift from Heaven! Although I studied Flying Clouds- it resonated with me deeply, In My Dreams is the song I will carry forever, especially on Father’s Day… As I reflect on playing In My Dreams over the past few weeks, I finally broke down and cried at how meaningful the lyrics are. I saw Israel perform for the first time just now, and it hit that special place in my heart, the lyrical honesty, and silky voice got me… I was named Parachaplain of the Year a few years back for singing and taking care of the elders on Friday Night for Shabbos, and the meaning of generation to generation- l’dor v’dor, really hit home… I would sing songs of peace, and celebration, and quite often Rev Gary would be in the air… As the memories fade with grace, one of our greatest joys comes with teaching and learning, and sharing with the next generation. I wanted to let you know my student ate up the Lightnin Hopkins riff, and is working on West Coast Blues and transposing it to Ukelele… Lamps should keep him busy… Best advice ever = whatever makes them smile.
Another STELLA performance indeed….I don’t think I sat down at all…Thank You !!!!
Bet you can’t wait to see your BFF Jack, well we can’t wait to see the two of you and Justin again too.
Looking forward to the 4th
Be well and Stay Safe
🙂
@Jorma
Thank you, Jorma.
Jorma: I generally don’t pose questions to you directly. But this is one that has been on my mind for quite some time. I don’t remember it ever being discussed on your blog, so I hope you don’t mind.
Is there any possibility of an “official” release of the show that Hot Tuna did at the Palladium in NYC in November 1976? This is the one that was broadcast by WNEW-FM. I’m sure I’m not alone in saying I’d pay good money for that show. For years, I had a ratty cassette recording. Just wore it out.
For what it’s worth, I saw Tuna for the first time at the Capitol in Passaic, NJ, right around that same time. That show is available on iTunes. But man, that Palladium show would be great.
I doubt there are any professional quality recordings of this gig. That said, I really don’t know. I’ll look into it.
Thanks
Jorma
@Art 1977 We graduated college, Julie got a used Duster with an 8-track player as a graduation gift. All we listened to was Americas Choice, Skull and Roses, Waiting for the Sun and Revolver. Good Times. Well past my rampage years now, after hearing Great Divide Revisited Saturday I am now supporting Hot Tuna 2020 MACA (Make Americas Choice Acoustic) Hit Single #1 will finally fulfill its title
Here’s a blast from the past. On the “Bill Graham Presents” facebook feed, a scan of what looks like a print ad was posted at about 3PM PDT. The ad is advertising guitar lessons, and Jerry Kaukonen’s name and phone number (297-7417) are listed first. Fourth-listed is this guy Jerry Garcia (323-9634). Not familiar with the other 3 names (John Massey, Geoff Levin, and Paul Sussmann. Jerry (Garcia, not Kaukonen 🙂 is also listed as giving banjo lessons.
Yep…that’s an old Offstage flyer. Making our way with music at an early age. Good times…
Jorma
Great photos – the summer is a comin’ in –
@Jorma
Thanks for thinking of us, but most wouldn’t mind. Singing harmony is a challenge and a gift to be able to do.
The 60’s are the biggest regret you’ll always want to keep going back and re-living again…
I cannot believe you played “Great Divide Revisited”.
It’s such a great song. Thanks so much.
ps Can’t wait for Jack!
@Joakim
Joakim – thanks for clearing that up! Always wondered where the title of that song came from!
@Jorma
Ahah, Sinatra did his best work unaccompanied also. Although Crosby and you didn’t sound to shabby on Highway song.
Jorma,
Beautiful wildflowers! They look like Silene regia. I have these in my yard in Wisconsin and they are hummingbird magnets! I really appreciate the concerts you have been putting on. I am not sure people realize how much time you put into these. And why is your playing so calming to listen to even when the songs are sometimes more upbeat? My son is a graphic artist and makes some instruments and music and for his thesis at UW Madison recorded a CD and did the artwork as well and was lucky enough for local recording studio to hear it and remaster it for him. Anyway when we were listening to you he asked if you were a big druggy back in the day. I gave him the story in your book which shows it was not as bad as the legend but not something to start. I also told him about how hard you guys had to work to get your sound so refined. I am just wondering how many hours did the band practice before touring or for a new album. You cant fathom how many times I get ribbed about all the versions of Surrealist Pillow I have? Just wondering which is better for you? The mono or stereo version. We need a Mofi stereo pressing now.
The Airplane used to rehearse eight hours a day… it’s all we did. There was nothing in our lives save the music. That’s the kind of stuff that only happens when you’re young.
Welcome to our little site.
Jorma
Hej Jorma! Eric Heiden was in Hamar too, that’s right for sure. But he won in -77,-78,-79 and -80. In 1976 it was, you are right, Jack Casady himself! I hope you continue with the quarantine concerts, – they warm all the way back to Norway. Hopefully we get to see you live in the US soon. Last time I saw you was in Stockholm at Göta Källare in 2011. Would be great to see you in Scandinavia once more, you’re still young and look very healthy. Fresh Scandinavian air will make you live till 110.
@Joakim
Hey Joakim… Jorma here… I could cheat and look it up on the internet but that would be… cheating. OK… My uneducated guess says ‘Erik Heiden’ What say you?
Or…
Maybe…
Jack Casady
The Quarantine Concerts are more than epic, thank you so much! Hamar promenade is to me a treasure indeed, in # 11 the best version ever!! I know you wrote it in Hamar, Norway in -74. You came to Hamar from Inzell but the weather was too hot to speedskating so you promenaded Hamar instead. A good pal of you was also in Hamar in -74. He came back for longer periodes in -75 and -76. He actually won a speedskating race there in 1976. A question for the Fourth Of July is; Who won a speedskating competition in Hamar stadium in 1976 with the time 55,1 (later 52,7) on 500m and the time 2.56,9 on 1500m? If you don’t know him, you don’t know …
I have always admired a person who recognizes their limitations and acts accordingly. That frees them to work on their strengths, which pays dividends in the form of the mastery witnessed in Session #11. I sat in rapt attention as a free master class unfolded before my eyes and in my ears. The incentive to work on finger picking was amped to about the 5th power just by observing. Working hard on driving that thumb. Thanks for the inspiration.
@Art
Jorma sometimes jokes about “Tuna: The Metal Years.” But while there are some serious rockin’ songs on America’s Choice, Yellow Fever, and Hoppkorv, those albums also include some seriously beautiful songs as well. Sleep Song, Barroom Crystal Ball, Great Divide: Revisited, Song for the Stainless Cymbal, etc.
#11 – hard to top that performance. So many absolute gems. Your voice was not quite as low as Johnny Cash, but what a treat!
The sound and video have been outstanding also. You may want to keep your tech guys!
Every week I look forward to what you and Hurl’s pull out of Bullwinkle’s hat.
Still a bit curious why you never sing harmony with Hurl’s.
Hoping the Jack shows are over two hours!
“Guess my feet no where they want me to go, walking down a country road…”
I could listen to “Too Many Years” until the cows come home.
I cut school the week they taught harmony. I have chosen never to sing harmony out of deference to your sensibilities. 🙂
@Art
The problem with America’s Choice is that I played it at full volume, as instructed on the cover, for maximum effect. It was either that album, of listening with headphones to Ted Nugent’s 10 minute song, Hibernation, that resulted in significant hearing loss.
Listening to Saturday’s Great Divide Revisited drove me back to listening to America’s Choice which I hadn’t heard in a while. This is a note-for-note masterpiece of an album from top to bottom. The definitive 70’s rock album. Nothing comes close. If you graduated high school in 1977 as I did, you’ve got to know what I mean.
Thanks for entire Quarantine Series. It’s been great seeing how much you all have enjoyed putting them together and the friendships in your lives (Hurl, Myron and the backstage crew.) Also, Mrs. K takes really nice nature photos. Hope we see more.
Jorma and Company- You guys are the gift that keeps on giving! Thanks again for providing some relief from these crazy times!
Spring/Summer/Fall in SE Ohio are awesome! Missed last night’s show as I had Mom down to VA visiting from the Buckeye state. Big Bro drove her down from Cleveland for the week. I usually fly her down a few times per year, however, with things being as they are we didn’t feel it’d be good for a 92 year old (as spry as she is) to be hopping planes for a while. My daughter Nikki and her Grandma (Nanny) are always excited to see each other so it’s been a great week! Looking forward to a rerun of the final FPR show from Nov. 2019. I was fortunate and blessed to be there for that show and for 11 previous YE shows at FPR dating back to 2008. Hope that string can continue this year. I try to get to about 20 live shows per year (several at FPR) as live music is good for the heart, mind, and soul. Unfortunately, that won’t happen this year. So I am thankful about live-streams from Jorma/FPR and many other great musicians each week and I try to support them as my funds permit. In addition to FPR, a couple other great treats almost every week are: Holly Bowling’s live-streams and blues-rocker Mike Zito’s almost weekly interviews with folks like Vanessa Collier, Shemekia Copeland, Tinsley Ellis, Robben Ford and many other greats. Looking forward to new releases this week from Zimmy and also Larkin Poe. In the meantime, let’s all keep the faith and keep on keepin’ on!