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| Ten Thousand Motels |
Legendary Hot Tuna keeps burning
By CATHY NELSON PRICE,
Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc.
REVIEW
Hot Tuna
WHERE: State Street Church, Portland
WHEN: July 23
At an age when many of their contemporaries are either burned out or departed, the founding duo of Hot Tuna - Jack Casady and Jorma Kaukonen - keeps going like the Energizer Bunny. With mandolinist Barry Mitterhoff completing the acoustic trio, the group played for nearly two solid hours before a packed house in Portland.
Hot Tuna first coalesced as a group in 1969, while Casady and Kaukonen were still active members of the Jefferson Airplane. Hot Tuna split in 1979, with Kaukonen and Casady pursuing successful solo careers. They reunited for a handful of club dates in 1986 and have been together ever since, with Mitterhoff joining them recently.
For Casady and Kaukonen, has always been, about the music. Casady credits Les Paul and Art Tatum among his inspirations, and their influence is evident in his driving, yet sensuous bass licks. Rhythm guitarist Kaukonen leaves most of the virtuoso riffs to Mitterhoff and Casady, as he sings in a bluesy voice that calls up the pain and wanderlust of Leadbelly and Jimmie Rodgers (whose "Prohibition Blues" is a highlight of the show). He and the group are equally at home with rockabilly; notably in the rollicking "Just Because."
Mitterhoff's virtuosity on banjo and mandolin is amazing; he can go from heavy blues to bluegrass, from classical to pickin' and grinnin' in an eyeblink. The trio performed several cuts from their various recordings, including "Blue Railroad Train," "How Long Blues," "I'll Let You Know Before I Leave," "I Am the Light Of This World," and "San Francisco Bay Blues."
Thriving and surviving ("More like clinging," Casady said in a post-concert interview), these living legends are both inheritors and purveyors of significant strands of American music. It's not every musician in his 60s who can pay homage to Flatt and Scruggs while retaining his membership in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. One selection was the aptly titled, "Keep Your Lamps Trimmed and Burning." They certainly have.
Hot Tuna will be back in the area later this year, playing a November date at The Opera House at Boothbay Harbor. Meanwhile, Casady and Kaukonen are mainstay instructors at the Fur Peace Ranch Guitar Camp in Ohio. For more, visit www.hottuna.com.
Cathy Nelson Price is freelance reviewer who lives in Cape Elizabeth.
[Edited by Ten Thousand Motels] |
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| lotsajizz |
Jorma and Jack Rock!! |
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| UGot2Rollme |
I saw Kantner's Jefferson Starship recently for the first time. It was pretty good, especially songs sung by foxy lady Diana Mangano with excellent pipes. I think she's the 3rd Grace Slick. Kantner smokes more on stage than anyone I've ever seen live. |
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| FPM C10 |
I was gonna get on here and rag on the Airplane for morphing into the Starship and Building That City on Rock and Roll ... never has there been a bigger sell-out than those jerks...but since this is about Jorma and Jack all I can say is Bless Their Pointed Little Heads! The Hot Tuna boys have stayed true to their roots the whole time, and had the good sense to stay the hell out of the AOR hell their bandmates created for themselves.
Hats off to Jack for having Alembic build him a bass with a cigarette lighter in it! How cool is THAT?
This is an Epiphone that's named after him. Pretty freaking gorgeous, I says.
Plus he's yet another homely guy who looks pretty much like me.
Jorma runs a guitar camp in Ohio (my cousin went and loved it) and now has more tattoos than teeth! |
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| Joey |
quote:
lotsajizz wrote:
Jorma and Jack Rock!!
They both had Grace ( not Marty Balin though ...... go figure !!! )
Joey Spacey ! |
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| kath |
marty is awesome...what a voice that guy had! "comin' back to me" just knocks me out even to this day!!! |
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| full moon |
Love em. |
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| scratched |
quote:
Joey wrote:
They both had Grace ( not Marty Balin though ...... go figure !!! )
I remember seeing a documentary (or maybe it was an article) where Marty Balin said "I wouldn't even let her blow me" when talking about Grace Slick.
Maybe a touch of bitterness there! LOL!
Grace was pretty sexy in her younger days and Jack Cassidy is a beautiful bass player. |
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| the soul survivor |
Could you imagine Hot Tuna to open for the Stones? Of course not -- they would kick ass and yet get booed off the stage by the morons. Jorma is a genuis!
The Soul Survivor |
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| kath |
gracie had (has) those incredible eyes..kind of like elizabeth taylor's eyes...violet in color and very beautiful. gracie was a knockout in her day....
and i would have been proud to bear marty balin's love child.....
but alas.....
[Edited by kath] |
| August 1st, 2005 08:49 AM |
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| Jumping Jack |
The Airplane played on a NY roof top long before the Beatles. |
| August 1st, 2005 07:17 PM |
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| kath |
and they said "mutherfucker" on an LP......pretty outrageous stuff!!! |
| August 1st, 2005 07:45 PM |
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| FPM C10 |
Ah yes, I remember all that stuff. "Up Against the Wall, Motherfucker!" and let's not forget "It doesn't mean shit to a tree!" As true today as in 1969! I'd forgotten the rooftop adventure - I think I read about that in 16 Magazine! They had that very confused period there when they hadn't yet realized that the Airplane were quite different from Herman's Hermits. |
| August 1st, 2005 10:26 PM |
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| Sir Stonesalot |
>They had that very confused period there when they hadn't yet realized that the Airplane were quite different from Herman's Hermits.<
You mean they were?
Coulda fooled me. |
| August 2nd, 2005 06:04 AM |
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| Jumping Jack |
Time, drugs and alcohol have not been kind to Grace. She really looks like shit these days and makes Keef look healthy by comparison. |
| August 2nd, 2005 04:37 PM |
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| VoodooChileInWOnderl |
Well the airplane's done it
No... It wasn't the airplane it was beauty killed the beast
I really like the airplane (1966-1973), the early Jefferson Starship and of course all Hot Tuna. I am a fan of the Jafferson Airplane and a fultonite and hope they can make a reunion album as a farwell, Spencer is gone and Grace is almost impossible to convince
Starship sucks, it's the worst decadence of a real and authentic band, bullshit to the extreme
However, the album "Jefferson Airplane" 1989 is the best comeback of the band, with the last contribution by Nicky Hopkins (real good pianos here)
This is the airplane opening for the Stones at Altamont:
This is Hot Tuna rocking Sonoma County Fair in June 1977
This is Paul and Grace with Dr. and St. Timothy Leary
Paul and Jerry smoking a joint backstage
..and this is my favourite shot of the Jefferson Airplane ini the good ol' days, this is also the most wasted expressions of the band, see Jorma's chibva face LOL
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| August 2nd, 2005 05:43 PM |
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| VoodooChileInWOnderl |
This is Jack jamming with Jimi, Oakland Colisseum April 27, 1969 he jammed live earlier in in 1968 too, in San Francisco an official album was released. Jack is also in the studio album "Electric Ladyland"
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| August 2nd, 2005 10:16 PM |
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| VoodooChileInWOnderl |
This is my daughter Fernanda with a JA tee
This is Emilia
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| August 2nd, 2005 10:26 PM |
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| VoodooChileInWOnderl |
The Glimmer Twins as conceived by Grace Slick
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| August 3rd, 2005 12:23 PM |
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| VoodooChileInWOnderl |
From the 2400 Fulton Street Mailing list with thanks to Dave Lerner
Jefferson Airplane 40th Anniversary Show
Still not too late to get your cosmic self into the Van Dyck for the JA 40th Anniversary show on August 12. Please email if interested. Circle of Gold tickets is $100 per ticket and entitles you to stay for that historic late show and some rare swag. Expect to be there very late. Consider staying over at a hotel nearby. Here's some more details courtest of our beloved MG.
Dave Lerner
[email protected]
FRIDAY, AUGIST 12, 2005 @ THE VAN DYCK, Schenectady, NY
Dinner & Doors: 7P (subject to change)
Performances: 8:30P & 11:30P (subject to change)
all venue info here:
http://www.thevandyck.com/index_content.cfm
Acoustic & Electric Performances by:
JEFFERSON STARSHIP & THE JEFFERSON FAMILY GALACTIC REUNION
featuring:
PRAIRIE PRINCE, SLICK AGUILAR, CHRIS SMITH starring DIANA MANGANO & DARBY GOULD
with:
PAUL KANTNER's WOODEN SHIPS
MAO: MARS ACOUSTIC ORCHESTRA with Special Guests
also:
TOM CONSTANTEN & THE JEFFERSONQUICKDEAD
Hosted by "The Founders":
PAUL KANTNER (JEFFERSON AIRPLANE founder/ A-DECK moderator)
DAVID FREIBERG (QUICKSILVER MESSENGER SERVICE founder)
TOM CONSTANTEN (original GRATEFUL DEAD pianist)
PRAIRIE PRINCE (founder of THE TUBES)
Presented by:
MICHAEL GAIMAN, PETER OLSEN with DAVID LERNER
Special Effects & Swag by:
RICK & SUZANNE McNAMARA
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
THIS SHALL BE A MULTI-FACETED, HIGHLY SEGMENTED CONCERT, COMPRISED OF TWO 2-HOUR SETS. DAVE LERNER, TO WHOM I SINCERELY THANK, HAS HELPED COORDINATE "THE FAITHFUL," ALL OF WHOM SHALL ATTEND BOTH SETS. THE "LATE SET" WILL BE PEOPLED EXCLUSIVELY BY THOSE PAYING A CIRCLE OF GOLD PREMIUM WHICH SHALL ENTITLE ATTENDEES TO COMMEMORATIVE LAMS, SOUNDBOARD CDs OF THE SETS (WHICH SHALL FOLLOW SEVERAL WEEKS THEREAFTER) AND A COPY OF JEFFERSON STARSHIP's HISTORIC PERFORMANCE AT 'LORELEY ON THE RHINE,'ST. GOARSHAUSEN, GERMANY THIS PAST JUNE.
MOST ENJOYABLY, THERE SHALL BE A SPECIAL "MEET & GREET" (HECK! THE WHOLE NIGHT IS GONNA BE MEETIN' & GREETIN') INTO THE WEE HOURS AS WE CELEBRATE & PLAY INTO THE VERY DAY JEFFERSON AIRPLANE WAS FOUNDED, 40 YEARS AGO.
THIS SHALL BE THE LONGEST, LATEST & MOST EXPANSIVE REPERTOIRE SHOW WE HAVE EVER DONE ... AND THE 'LAST OFFICIAL DAY' OF OUR TOUR.
NOTE: THE VAN DYCK IS A FINE RESTAURANT WHERE WE ACOUSTICALLY, (ALSO PAT METHENY, BILL COBHAM ... MANY OTHERS) HAVE PREVIOUSLY PERFORMED. IT IS SMALL ... IT IS INTIMATE ... AND THERE ARE VERY FEW AVAILABLE TICKETS. HERE ARE YOUR OPTIONS:
1) FOR CIRCLE OF GOLD, PLEASE CONTACT DAVE LERNER at [email protected]
2) FOR 'EARLY SET' TICKETS ONLY (THESE GO ON SALE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC ON THURSDAY), CONTACT PETER OLSEN HERE: [email protected] PETER OWNS THE VAN DYCK & CAN TAKE CREDIT CARD ORDERS FOR YOU.
3) FOR THOSE OF YOU UNABLE TO CORPORIALLY ATTEND (YUNNO - 'IN PERSON') BUT STILL ENTHUSIASTIC AND INTERESTED IN ETHEREAL ATTENDENCE (YUNNO - THE LAM & RECORDINGS), PLEASE CONTACT HERE: [email protected]
THE MUSIC WILL BE STELLAR ... THE RESTAURANT SERVES EXCELLENT FOOD... THE FELLOWSHIP WILL BE MEMORABLE. I HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL.
A WORD ABOUT OUR WITHDRAWAL FROM "GATHERING OF THE VIBES":
THE VIBES IS A GREAT EVENT, BUT AS MANY OF YOU POINTED OUT, YOU PREFER US LONG INTO THE NIGHT & SLOW & COMFORTABLE ... AS OPPOSED TO A QUICK ROMP IN THE MUD AT DAWN. IF ANY OF YOU BOUGHT TICKETS TO THE VIBES PRINCIPALLY TO SEE US, ALSO CONTACT ME OFF BOARD & I'LL DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT.
A WORD ABOUT PENNS PEAK & STARLAND GALACTIC DISCS: THEY WILL SHIP THIS WEEK ... LEMME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK. |
| August 5th, 2005 10:55 AM |
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| VoodooChileInWOnderl |
quote:
FPM C10 wrote:
Jorma now has more tattoos than teeth!
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| August 5th, 2005 09:35 PM |
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| VoodooChileInWOnderl |
quote:
Jumping Jack wrote:
The Airplane played on a NY roof top long before the Beatles.
Yes, in 1968 you can see an excelent video of this in the "FLY JEFFERSON AIRPLANE" DVD, and excelent video about the band. BTW, here Spencer Dryden talks some months before passing.
The video is also available (not as good as in the DVD) on-line here: Click and GO!!
French movie director Jean-Luc Godard films the band playing on a rooftop in Midtown Manhattan, for his projected "One American Movie" film. After Godard drops his plans, the footage is picked up by documentary film-maker D.A. Pennebaker, and is used in "One P.M."
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| August 5th, 2005 09:35 PM |
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| glencar |
That painting that Grace did of the Glimmer Twins is actually pretty good. Didn't she go nuts a few years back? |
| August 5th, 2005 09:39 PM |
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| VoodooChileInWOnderl |
In an interview about touring she said something about the Stones being ridiculous touring at 60 years old. Grace is older than the four current members of the Rolling Stones!
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| August 5th, 2005 09:41 PM |
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| glencar |
Put together? |
| August 5th, 2005 09:47 PM |
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| VoodooChileInWOnderl |
LOL not that old, she was born on October 30, 1939 |
| August 6th, 2005 02:29 AM |
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| The_Worst |
I've always thought Grace Slick was one of the sexiest women in rock 'n roll history...She looks pretty ragged now (but hell she is in her mid 60's) but when you look at the White Rabbit promo my God...The ultimate chick that you would want to drink with, screw, & then rock out with!!! |
| August 6th, 2005 02:16 PM |
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| Taptrick |
jorma's tattoo of the skeleton on his back appears to use his natural back hair as hair for the skeleton...am i seeing that right?
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