Last night was my first ‘show’ of 2021 and #33 in our Quarantine Concert Series. It is still our honor and pleasure to bring these shows to all of you out there. As life evolves around us our commitment here at the Fur Peace Ranch is to bring you quality, heartfelt and honest musical entertainment… interspersed with a little window into our lives.
Jorma Kaukonen 1, 2021
Quarantine Concert Series #33
The Fur Peace Station
Darwin, Ohio
Saturday, January 2, 2021
- Serpent Of Dreams
- Things That Might Have Been
- The Terrible Operation
- Waiting For A Train
- Sea Child
- Good Shepherd
- Barbeque King
- Take Your Time
- Big Boss Man with John Hurlbut
- Choices with John Hurlbut
- Ain’t No Sunshine When She’s Gone with John Hurlbut featuring Izze Kaukonen
Yeah, so I always take my time with the set lists for our weekly show. Fortunately I have a lot tunes to choose from. John Hurlbut always brings some gems to the table but on this night we got to accompany my daughter Izze singing the great Bill Withers tune, ‘Ain’t No Sunshine When She’s Gone.’ As a musician, to be able to share a moment of artistry with one’s kids is beyond awesome. I remember when almost a decade ago my son Zach took it upon himself to learn my tune Been So Long and we got to play it together at the Birchmere in Virginia as well as a couple of other places.
Izze’s interpretation of ‘Ain’t No Sunshine,’ evolved over the last week into a powerful tune. As an artist I look forward to whatever she brings to the table next. As a dad… well, you can imagine.
A fine start to 2021 for the Kaukonens here in Southeast Ohio.
Stay well!
I also wanted to say how much your studio looks so much like John Ingro and Sally Thomas’ Penny University in San Bernardino,Ca. It was the local Folk/Bluegrass venue to go to back in the 60’s & 70’s. I going to have to make it out there one day soon
Jorma, at 55:15 you mention you are in “Drop D” tuning (First Sea Sheppard of 2021), is that before or after you put on the Elliot Capo? I’ve been watching the Quarantine concert series for a couple of months now and I really enjoy not just the music but the conversations and history and other fun facts of the evening. Thank you and Vanessa and your daughter Izzy (great voice) and all the others that contribute to these concerts. I am definitely going to try to spend a weekend at FPR in 2021, maybe even visit an old guitar buddy from High School living just up the road from you in Michigan. The wife and I will also be buying some online lessons here pretty quickly too. Thanks again Jorma
“Fortunately I have a lot of tunes to choose from.” Duh, ya think?!
you might not remember this Jorma, but you were coming to Chicago once and I gave you a set list of about 25 songs to play so you wouldn’t have to put a lot of thought into what to play. One of them was a Doc Watson gem called “Can’t Help But Wonder Where I’m Bound.” Don’t know if you ever head that song, but being as ignorant as I am about the time and effort it takes to play a song, I figured you could listen to it once and nail it.
LOL – that night in the Windy City, you did not play one(!) of the songs I suggested. And the show was fantastic! I’m remember as each song you played was done saying to myself, “Hmmm, that wasn’t on my list.” I guess that falls into the category of, “I have a lot to choose from.” I remember as the night went on, and on the drive home thinking to myself, “Is Jorma punishing me?”
my friend, Montana Bob, sent me the link this week of Izze, John’s and your take on “Ain’t no Sunshine…” (even as you once noted “and sunshine’s waiting for me, a little further down the road.”) Izze’s voice. Just Izze’s voice. It was not what I was anticipating emanating from a teenager. Now take this with a grain of salt, but the best way I could probably describe it was it was sexy. And I’m not some old pervert “sitting on a park bench eyeing little girls with bad intent.”
It was sort of that dark jazz night club type of voice, kind of a Diane Krall type mood. It certainly was one of the highlights of the Quarantine concerts.
at any rate, I told Montana Bob I saw it live on the 33rd Quarantine show. And of course we started reminiscing. I mentioned three songs that have been absolute gems from the shows during this Covid crap. The first was, “Too Many Years,” which I had never heard until you played it on one of the Quarantine shows. Would someone tell me why that song is not played on any radio stations? That song seems to come straight out of the depths of your soul.
The second song was when you and Jack played “Highway Song.” A total shocker, because it seemed like it would be so hard to pull off without Papa John, David and Sammy. That song approaches perfection in my book. Yet, you and Jack absolutely hammered it!
The third song was when you and John did “All Along the Watchtower.” I tend to be given over to hyperbole, but that song seemed to transport me into a another space in time. It was the best version of that Dylan classic I ever heard. It had swag. It had flow.
Well, as I roll on down the highway, I’m looking forward tonight to number 34. LOL – being from Chicago, Walter “Sweetness” Payton comes to mind. We could use him tomorrow against the Saints!
@Douglas Mlyn
Douglas Mlyn , how have you been doing these last few years years ? It is good to see that you are still posting here . Still in California Doug ? Stay safe.
Great show as always Jorma. Thanks for these concerts – they are a breath of fresh air during these difficult times. Keep writing the new songs and be a proud Papa – Izze was fantastic with a beautiful voice!
Dug 33. Thank you.
Great show on Saturday! Really enjoyed it. Not to take any fanfare way from the Main Star but Izze was fantastic! I was so impressed with her voice and composure. Happy New Year to you all!
You and I go way back. But we have never met. Funny the artist and the listener. But you and what you have created in your time has been with me from when I was a kid and I am loving the quarantine concerts as you play and sing your butt off old timer!
Wishing you and your clan many more happy years of song and burgers and motorcycling and dogs and walks in the woods and life post pandemic.
Tim
Thanks so much for the show, Jorma. It’s always a privilege to hear you perform a new song for the first time. “Take Your Time” is lovely! And Izze’s performance was an eye opener! Happy New Year.
good morning Jorma
happy new year to you, your wonderful family & the all amazing FRP folks.
I echo the words of many with gratitude for these weekly shows.
this one was very special as you shared Izze with us. how very special that was.
She killed it as you know, and do look forward to hearing her (and Vanessa)sing again and again.
cheers!
I really enjoyed the gigs you did with The Bogus Brothers, and some of the local venue shows at the Dugout and Another fool’s Cafe (with Michael). Talk abt getting old: we’re planning for our son’s 40th birthday this weekend. m
Izze did a great job and picked a great song to sing. And she was very cool about singing for such a large audience that, while virtual, was still large.
“Fortunately I have a lot tunes to choose from” he says.
That’s quite an understatement!
I wonder just how many songs you do know, Jorma. You have written and recorded quite a few, but when I add all the others the actual number must be in the thousands.
Another great show last night! Thanks to the FPR crew! Full disclosure, I am only a quarter step ahead of Hurl on the technology front…maybe, so while I am able to tune in to the YT show, I have no idea how to ask questions on the livestream thing as it is going down. That said, if you read this post prior to next week, in relation to your discussion about setting roots at FPR, I am curious as to your interaction in the music scene in SE Ohio and how it developed? Specifically, how did you cross paths with Myron, his father, Mark Markham, Blue Eagle Music, etc. Thanks!
I walked into the Blue Eagle in 1989 when I first came down to look at the Darwin property. Ethan Greene was still the prop back then. I’ve known Markham since the 60’s. I met him with John Clark in South Florida back then. I bought the property from Clark. Myron started working for us in the 90’s and came back in the 2000’s. I don’t ‘hang.’ I’m too old to be putting time into that, but I do know a lot of the local guys who, strangely enough, are also getting older. I don’t know many of the younger ones. I saw one of Pete Hart’s Buckeyes in the Eagle for 800 bucks in ’91. I wish I had the money back then to buy it. It’s a small rural area… everyone ends to know everyone in some way after a while.
Last night was a wonderful show; seems like everyone was *really* up for it (I know I was; I think we’re all happy to see 2020 in the rear view mirror). Thanks for previewing the new tune, and Izze — great voice on a truly great tune! The two of you *should* be super proud of her; hope we can hear more of both her and Vanessa singing. Onward!
love this set as always, Izze doing Bill Withers is timeless, very beautiful, thank you
jack
Wow! Izze was great. What a voice, and what composure for a youngster.
Jorma, the little window into the Kaukonen’s is actually a bright light. Happy New Year to you and yours!
Set list is always great. Thanks. I was wondering if you could add the quick poems(s), again.
Yep, a mighty fine way to start 2021! Dare I say auspicious? It’ll be hard to have a worse year than the one that shall not be named, but just ended. But the positives you enumerate above portend more than just better. It’s gonna be a real good ‘un. Thank you for you generosity in sharing your music and life. It’s been quite the balm in a time of turbulence.