Foto by Jorma Kaukonen
Sometimes the passage of time is like a rush of flood water, and sometimes it is a mere trickle. What to do? Nothing in particular, obviously. Time has no concerns for our needs. Our weekly Quarantine Concert Series events provide a destination for us here at the Kaukonen household. In these moments we are back out in the world and in some small way we can convince ourselves that we are surrounded with a veil of normalcy. We are blessed to have this window.
The new normal of the rest of the week is an alternate universe. Our daughter is preparing to return to school, although no one is quite sure yet what that will look like. Every moment is a ‘More will be revealed moment.’ It’s been a while since I’ve been surrounded by a satisfying epiphany.
Our family is well, our mental health is tolerable and what else is one to do except keep on with one foot in front of the other. Here we are in the beginning of August and yet for this week at least the evenings and mornings have been cool, and there are already leaves on the ground. It will be a while before that fall smell surrounds us, but I can already see it’s coming. This too give me notice yet one more time of one of the many things the Virus is taking from us, and that is time itself. Moments gone can never be retrieved. I know this, but in the past my moments were like an endless stream of summers. This is no longer the case. It probably hasn’t been for some time, but hey… I’m a slow learner. The kids still have time, my generation doesn’t but that’s just the way it is.
On the bright side, and there is a bright side, there are still lots of things to look forward to not the least of which is #17 of our little concert series.
It is a lovely morning… lovely.
Good day to practice some guitar and maybe get a ride in.
I find it puzzling when people rip other people’s music.
It’s a matter of taste, like food, isn’t it?
I’m not crazy about the Thai food I’ve encountered, for example, but that doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with it, or with anyone who loves it.
Maybe best to just savor what one likes, and not get worked up over what one doesn’t like. Life is short!
I think the comment was at time “CREAM”,derived ,an effete and somewhat condescending view.
Tough to beat the pickin though -WOW.
@Greg martelli
Clapton on undisciplined/haphazard west coast bands… probably mostly referring to the other big band out there at the time. Paul K certainly seemed disciplined….the arrangements and chord progressions were certainly not 2 or 4 chord vamps. Lot’s of those funny chords as well.
The comment about Lucinda williams&Ted Nugent /Neil young &Charlie Daniels made me laugh ,how true it is .
The reference to SLOWHAND on a collaboration made me harken back to a late sixties Rolling Stone interview with EC where he openly derided the San Francisco bands as haphazard and undisciplined .
Made me think of “Younger than yesterday “, as I think that Clapton today ( and I sure as hell cant speak for him),
Would take a more mature look at the sound and the musicians .
A concert that I regrettably missed ,was Dylan’s 30th at the Garden.
However there’s great video of Dylan,George ,Petty Mcguinn ,GESmith ,Duck Dunn ,Cropper ,Clapton,and yes even crazy Neil,but WHOA ,what a great collaboration .
Yes great weather here in the Bluegrass ,and I will do a 40 mile road bike this afternoon ,jump in pool and than a fine German Pilsner and veggies from garden and beef from field .
Onward -can’t wait for the show& when it goes live on stage -let’s go.
@Larry Barbosa Favre
Paz de Cristo.
Time is so strange. These weeks are starting to fly by really fast. Tomorrow is #17 already. Love the concerts just the way they are, they’re perfect. Don’t change anything. A little chatting and lots of music. It feels as if I’m going to FPR every Saturday night. That’s amazing. Thanks a lot to all!
Good morning Jorma .Happy Friday. Yes this year has been an eye opener on life & our appreciation of all the things that we are now adjusting to is a challenge .One day at a time .Cant wait for #17 .THANK YOU ALL AT F.P.R for these shows .I look forward to them all week .You as always sound phenomenal & love the Jorma /Vanessa moments ..very special indeed .Enjoy what ever makes you guys happy .Good luck with your local day to day stuff & catch you Sat at 8. ..Peace & love
@carey georgas
Obrigado!
Hey Jorma,
Sounds like you need a long ride and a nice sunset or sun rise….
These are such crazy times and not really sure what normal is any more but I always say every day is a good day as long as I am above ground,,,
Stay safe and looking forward to Saturday night and dancing around the living room…
🙂
@Larry Barbosa Favre
Bem-vindo, Larry!
@Dave O
Best wishes, Dave. Hope you’re feeling better.
RIP West coast concert promoter and DJ Pat O’Day…
Pat told me when Phil Basile of the Lucchese crime family tried to take over Hendrix he bluffed him with a lie that made Basile back down…O’Day told him Sinatra was controlling Jimi…O’Day said once Basile heard the name Sinatra he backed-off…A pretty ballsy move considering O’Day was lying through his teeth and if Basile found out it could have been bad for him…
I’ve read this blog for years… falling in and out of the loop for long periods. This post brings me back to the way I felt at the outset, in knowing this byline simply exists… just awesome.
Really appreciate the weekly gigs and hope others are contributing for the cause. COVID is not pleasant and I’m still recovering. Just wish everyone would follow the simple rules to prevent transfer. Wish you and Vanessa didn’t have to deal with the political BS. I’m guessing I agree with you at least 50% of the time but this country really needs to wake up and I’m not talking about the politicians. Hope Izze is taught US history and not brainwashed in school. I’m guessing she’s intelligent enough to know the difference with two caring parents.
Ok our tour cats, Tinker and Tailor, are getting ornery. They have been to all the covid shows, including Maynard, and are waiting for Tom Cat Blues. When they went to see the Stones, they broke out Stray Cat Blues right away. Please before it gets ugly here!
@Kevin
I had one of those too, not fun. Luckily mine was negative. Glad to hear yours was too
It truly has turned out to be a very lovely morning for me. Do to an unusually high PSA a month ago I underwent a prostate biopsy last week. I was supposed to go get the results next week, but Dr. called 2 days ago and moved my appt. up a week to today. Well, that sent up red flags as to why. Was it a bad result? Treatment of some kind needed a soon as possible? I had on my lucky “If you don’t know Jorma” shirt on when visiting the Dr. and got great results. No C.
So as far as time is concerned I feel I have been given some extra time to enjoy my family and my new retirement.
Time stolen and time given back.
As soon as things get back to normal? I must use my free time to make my first vist to FPR. The wife has been catching some of the Sat. festivities and has suggested the same. On to SE Ohio.
Hope to see ya soon.
@carey georgas
A nice thought, Carey. Time is neither given nor taken. It just is. And there’s nothing we can do about it. I will keep that in mind. Thank you.
“It is a lovely morning… lovely. Good day to practice some guitar and maybe get a ride in.”
A truly inspiring outlook for these times. Thank you.
Good morning, Mr. Kaukonen!
What a nice picture!
I’d like you to know that I’m a huge fan of yours from Brazil, since the Airplane years!
I’ve just finished to read your “Been So Long” auto-biography and I felt very touched by your kindness and sincerity!
I’d also liked you to know that, in these terrible Covid times we’ve been passing through, watching to your quarentine concerts is no doubt one of those big moments to help us moving along!
God bless you!
P.S.: Sorry for my bad English!
Hey Larry… nice to meet you. Hey, we’re all doing the best we can under the circumstances as I’m sure you are. I sure would like to get down you’re way someday… it could happen. Stay well!
Always providing food for thought as you share your reflections. I’ve been wrangling with the time issue as well. The only way I’ve been able to combat the feeling of being robbed of it is to fully yield to the fact that time is nether given nor taken. It just is, and we exist in it’s flow. No boat, no paddle, can’t swim in it. Fighting it yields no gain. Picking up the guitar at 65 was the best thing I could have done, and I had no clue what was coming. But it has been a valuable tool in keeping me in the moment. When I get outside myself, the flow feels good. No judgement of what I’m missing, no wondering about when I can do whatever I want when whatever normal will be is established, no regret for the things I had
hoped to do this summer, this fall, next year. It IS a good day to practice the guitar. And if I rode a bike, it’d be a good day for that, too. Onward, thru the fog!