Back in the 70's.. I'm thinking '77, I went to a show at the Cherry Hill Ice Arena in NJ. The opening act was the Jan Hammer Group and Hot Tuna was the headliner. It was small crowd in a small venue considering. Jan Hammer was amazing and then Hot Tuna took the stage. They played 3 sets. Electric, acoustic and what started off as electric became a request session. I moved down from my seat on the side to the floor and joined a group of fans that wanted to hear "Hesitation Blues". We all yelled it out and frankly, it was one of the best versions I've ever heard. Great tune and musicianship!
I saw Hot Tuna and Jorma solo many times and that must have been a great show! Once I saw Jorma on the Circle Line "Music Cruise" a gig they were putting on around pier 84 that sailed up under the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges and then circled back around Manhattan. I also saw him play on Pier 84 Jack Bruce from Cream opened that one... so many great Hot Tuna shows around NYC, he loved playing there. Waiting with some friends in front of the Lonestar Cafe on 13th street when he pulled up on a Harley, got off and walked onto the stage and started playing.... what an entrance!
Cool ! He never stopped playing, he warmed up for hours , he called me and asked if he should still come, it was snowing, I said yes, we'll be here. He came just before 10 for a 7 PM show, but no one complained. Jorma said wake me up when you want me to get off stage, I smiled and said , don't worry.
Saw them one night in 1972, at the Hollywood Palladium. Topped a bill that included Wishbone Ash and New Riders of the Purple Sage. Damn fine night, 'twas
Love Hot Tuna, always will. Jorma is one of the best finger style Blues players period. Had the privilege to see him solo and w/ Jack many many times, and would do so again
Great to hear this again, he played at my club in the 80's "Pursuit of Happiness Cafe" in Liberty, NY He rehearsed and rehearsed like no one else, Thanks Jorma and thank you !
Great tune, superbly done. About the date: I saw the Airplane a LOT from 66 on- starting before Grace Slick. The way these two look tells me it is not past 1970. A guess, but an educated one.
Jack and Jorma are two great (but underrated) musicians. Hot Tuna should be in the R&R Hall of Fame (of course Jack and Jorma already are anyway...) Thanks for posting. This is a great song - Jorma is so talented!
Hipper than hip. At their best (1966 to mid 67) the Airplane was the best San Francisco band around. Unfortunately, I'm old enough to have heard 'em all!
Neither is "under-rated." Jack Casady is on most best bass player lists, including Rolling Stone Magazine's. Ive seen a lot of "greatest guitar player" lists and have been disappointed not to see Jorma on some of them, but Rolling Stone ranks Jorma at #54 and he is considered to be among the very best in the rock and roll era. If I were a music journalist, I'm sure I'd have both on my "best player" lists. Jack Casady especially so as a bassist. Jimi Hendrix is usually #1 on almost every rock guitarist list and Jack Casady played bass on my favorite Hendrix cut of all: "Voodoo Child" - Electric Ladyland. Jorma had me as a fan since I first heard "Embryonic Journey. "
Toute ma jeunesse de 58 ans est revigorée - L'humilité de ces créatifs me lifte enfin le cerveau - Nul besoin de +++ tant leur entente et leur capacité sont grandes - merci
I've seen everybody from aerosmith to led led zeppelin and black oak arkansas to neil young and the only autograph I've ever thought about seeking out was Jorma's.Truly the salt of the earth!A working man's musician.Thank you,brother.
I met Jorma in the summer of 1981 at a free street concert. Jack was playing with SVT. I wore a white T shirt with a painting I made of one of Jorma's tattoo's on the back and the Bandage Faced Amoeba from his 1970 "Jorma" album cover. After the show I caught his attention and asked him to autograph my T shirt. Hr did, vertically above Band Head, chuckling, "You got my little friend there!" That was tight.
Jorma, Hot Tuna definetly invented "unplugged", And no one is better! But as usual Jorma doesn't get the recognition as a trail blazer as one of the finest talents,songwriters and guitarists ever!!!
Great music. You must be young, though (and naive) to consider these cats the inventors of “unplugged” music. Coffee houses and small bars, had acoustic players for decades before. Country guitarists like Chet Atkins, Jerry Reed played unplugged in these settings. Even Elvis had his “sit-down” session in ‘68. I saw Brewer &Shipley in ‘67 in San Fran playing a then, undeveloped song called “One Toke Over The Line.”
@@jptulg of course there’s a difference, but if you’ve played in bands (I have since the 60’s) you’d know you can do an “acoustic set.” But these guys did not invent it.
Jorma joined the airplane while basically an acoustic "coffeshop" player, he became the lead guitar player by default because of his overall talent. He contributed greatly to the use of effects and the acid sound of the 60s, but he also became a pretty damn good lead player. Get a copy of the live album DoubleDose from Hot Tuna and you will be blown away by his work on the electric. And Jack is an awesome bass player, they were friends from high school in DC. Thanks for the post!
Awesome comment, "If you don't know Jorma you don't know Jack." His fur peace ranch guitar camp is here in southern Ohio never got the chance to go yet would love too... ✌ 💘 & 🐟 👶
I just recently pulled out my old phone as my real phone was in the shop and it had Hot Tuna albums loaded on it. I spent the week listening and going back in time to my high school and childhood the greatest times of my life so much joy to listen to these geniuses. And I did see a live acoustic Jorma Kaukonen show. So after literally 30 years of no Jorma in my ear now I'm overflowing with joy to listen to it and now found this great video! Priceless gem!. Seriously wondering if anyone on planet Earth is listening to Jorma and Jack. Amazing find. Right into the favorites for sure
I saw these guys (with a mandolin player) in Austin, TX, two years ago, which makes these guys 60+years old. It was a small club and I was five feet from Jack. We shared a shit-eating smile that made my evening. Saw them at Woodstock (1969) and the Fillmore in 1970, but that was with crazy Grace and wimpy Marty. This music is straight forward and they still know how to jam. No hesitation t'all, folks.
I like Kaukonen. I think he is one of the most under-appreciated "signature sound" guitarists. Can you possibly imagine "Somebody To Love" without his lead-out?
Yes, Jorma was telling me the story at Fur Peace Ranch 3 yrs ago. I believe he also liked the "Airplane" in the name as it reflected his love of aviation. He's big into RC Aircraft.
Day Of The Total Eclipse - No one ever eclipsed you in my mind Jorma. I love you so much. I've been trying to remember the name of that underground venue where I used to see you in Cambridge, MA. I'm watching the eclipse from coastal Maine. Where ever you are you're with me. I love you. Peace
Saw them at the Starwood in Santa Monica. Joints were being thrown on stage all night and Jack made sure everyone was taken care of ... _while_ he played! Great stuff.
Yep, I also got to see Hot Tuna a few years ago down here in West Palm Beach and like sugarhollowdaddy said they are still fantastic to hear in concert.
OK, little known fact #1 (Origin of the band name Hot Tuna) as relayed by Jorma to me at a Fur Peace Ranch conversation over coffee. They were playing the song "Keep on Truckin Mama" at one of their first post-Airplane gigs. At the line "what's that smell like fish pretty mama.." someone in the audience shouted out "That's Hot Tuna". Hence the name of the band going forward. #2 is origin of the name for Jefferson Airplane.
Actually, like many guitarists, Jorma has his strengths and weaknesses. He was a natural on the acoustic, but a little less at home on electric (eg. Embryonic Journey-Surrealistic Pillow). That was by far the best playing on the ENTIRE ALBUM. Nuff said...
Saw them as Hot Tuna with Papa John Creach at Bogarts in Cincinnati in late 92 or early 93. I thought Papa John had passed on. When he came out I had tears in my eyes. What a great show!!!
The chorus and some of the verses are from If The River Was Whiskey--sung by the great South Carolina banjo picker Charlie Poole from the early 1900's.
I heard it from Furry Lewis, and then RL Burnside. Always figured Furry came up with it, but maybe Charlie Poole was first. Im sure those lines got picked up and passed along from many sources over many years. Love those lines.
A buddy of mine saw jorma last Friday in Portland Maine,a got to sit in the front row.Calls me the next day an says i sat in front of greatness for over 2 hours.
Cool ! He never stopped playing, he warmed up for hours , he called me and asked if he should still come, it was snowing, I said yes, we'll be here. He came just before 10 for a 7 PM show, but no one complained. Jorma said wake me up when you want me to get off stage, I smiled and said , don't worry. This was in the 80's Liberty NY, at 117 South Main Street. I booked him as often as we could. Thanks !
This never gets old. I learned to fingerpick by taking this apart note for note on vinyl when it first came out. Thanks guys. Still can't use a thumbpick for shit.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! This and Rev. Gary's are the best going. (in my personal opinion. I know we all have our own opinions.) I appreciate your posting this.
I’ve always noticed that that he keeps a very relaxed right hand position with the hand almost draped over the bass. I think that this help his dexterity.
Original 1970 vintage Tuna! I've never seen this clip before,just awesome,and my favorite tune from the first album. Jack playing the guild that was custom built by Owsley Stanley. I'd kill to see more of this era.
Talbott may have given Jorma the nickname but as Jorma explained to me over coffee, he and the future JA members were giving themselves indian nicknames at a gathering/jam party and Jorma's nickname was so good they used it for the band name.
Casady remained a lead guitarist...only he was playing a bass guitar. Supposedly, on Bless it's pointed little head...Jack is playing rythm guitar with jorma doing lead and Kantner making ambient noises on his rickenbacker!
Besides the great playing the added bonus is that you practically get a contact high off Jack's outfit!! Can't do this one justice yet but at bars I do "Keep on Truckin", "Candyman" & "Police Dog Blues" to keep the Tuna circulating & represented...Thanks for posting this version tiston69...
