Article Contributed by barney
Published on December 19, 2025
Jorma Kaukonen | Denver, CO | December 13th, 2025 – photos by mike moran
I’m overwhelmed thinking I can write anything about Jorma after seeing him. It feels feeble looking at words that try to convey what Jorma and his musician friends put out at the (wonderful, old-fashioned, homey, and hospitable) Paramount Theatre in Denver, CO on 12/13/2025.
We all come to see musicians we love with our own setlist expectations. Jorma would have none of that. Someone shouted for “Riverland” or something like that between sets; the thought of shouting a song at Jorma to play scared the hell out of me. Of course, yes, I personally wanted the entire Volunteers album, or maybe just the song “Volunteers.” I’ve been playing it nonstop since Trump was born, searching for the Jefferson Airplane of 2026 and beyond to start the next revolution.
“Water Song,” “Hesitation Blues,” and his encore “Keep Your Lamps Trimmed and Burning” were technically the most popular moments of his setlist this night. But for me—coming in wanting an overthrow of the government à la Jefferson Airplane—it was soon clear Jorma should, could, would, and would play whatever the heck he and his pals decided, based on the vibe and the murmured whispering in his live but inaudible “band meetings” between songs.
Jorma started our Colorado evening with the Hot Tuna song “True Religion.” Hallelujah. This was not about me, the congregation member bringing in my to-hear list. This was Jorma setting me straight. This was a house of worship—the rare kind you want, no, need to go to. We truly need True Religion, not the fake stuff, and it was pouring out at the Paramount.
Seeing Jorma at 85 is going to Music Mecca. My wife refuses to go see anyone over 55, but after seeing Jorma tonight, the new argument is to see everyone over 80. Once they hit 80, their light shines brighter. There were times that night when he was filled with light.
Wait.
Next song: “Barbeque King.” We land right smack back down on earth—the earthy smell of roasting meats played just the way we please. With these two opening songs, Jorma lets us know the parameters of the night. But what lies between earth and heaven? Flying through the skies of Jorma jamming.
Wait.
The musicians with him. For most of the evening, Jack Casady (bass), Ross Garren (harmonica and other instruments), and Justin Guip (drums) were on stage with Jorma about 95% of the time. Casady is, of course, famous for his bass solos. Tonight, there were times I forgot his bass was there—and I mean that in the highest praise. His noodling rhythms are the hand-laid stone foundation of the music, Justin’s drums the mortar, making the melody run.
Jorma’s tour has been transparent about Casady’s health. We are super lucky he was able to play tonight here in Denver—another reminder of how frail all of this is: us being free to go to a concert, free to hear this musical journey, smart enough to catch these brief angels who visit us during our lives but may take wing at any time. There was nothing frail about Casady’s bass playing.
Then there was this kid, Ross Garren, who I first thought was a PA helping to set up the stage. Wow. His harmonica and other unknown toys carried both deep blues roots and some of the same ooziness of Jorma’s stamp playing, taking Jorma’s known tunes further and deeper. Kudos to Jorma for letting Ross play riffs over, below, and right damn through the guitar with a signature sound that wheeled through the space. (rossgarren.com)
Immersed in Jorma’s jams, I realized this was what I came for. Not a particular song. Just the Jorma jam, spread on anything, and it tastes just as wonderful. Jorma’s oodily-soft, river-meander guitar playing is its own thing—it is the secret sauce. Just as critical is Jorma surrounding himself with musicians who easily take the lead while he plays rhythm, showcasing sounds my brain needed to hear.
He picks hard. Heck, Jorma’s got fingerpicks on his fingers. But somehow the sound of his guitar notes is softer than almost anyone’s—backdoor notes that sneak in and take you down before you know who’s in the house.
“Flying Clouds” (from the album Quah) was a great chance to hear Jorma’s uniquely traveling voice. No one has his voice, his timbre—a unique piece of wood with its own grain. “Clouds” has him hitting rarer notes, and my gosh, he sounds ageless. Hell, he’s granite. A goddam granite god. Jorma is Mt. DontRushmore, more than any head that’s actually there—even Teddy’s.
“Water Song,” from the Hot Tuna days, begins Metheny-like, but soon Jorma’s uniqueness is clear. It’s an excuse to jam and drive—just set it to replay cross-country. What is this Jorma jam? He spreads his jam on anything, and whatever you eat it with, the healing happens.
Jorma has clearly survived band strife and come out none the worse for wear. At 85, he’s wise enough to hold “band meetings” with just enough weight to continue having them—live, in front of the audience—but just as little weight as the feathery sound we hear as the musicians meet just shy of audible microphones, whispering about the vibe for the next song.
We were simply lucky hobbits, allowed to peer through the ferns at these elvish musicians as they meditated. We didn’t need to hear the meeting minutes. We got the product.
About halfway through the concert, we were introduced to R. Carlos Nakai and Will Clipman—Indigenous artists—who played a duet of wonderful wood and vase percussion. I don’t think the piece they played is listed. It was a humble reminder that we inherit music from many sources, and another nod from Jorma to this incredible wellspring, as they stayed on and provided layers no electronics ever could.
About two-thirds in came the crescendo with David Hidalgo’s entrance. Truly, I felt an equal to Jorma’s guitar in David, and they took turns leading us through. I’m truly embarrassed to admit I didn’t really know Los Lobos’ music before this night. David Hidalgo sent me straight back to the drawing board.
Thanks to Mike Moran—my brother. Oh yeah, we’ve had “band meetings,” some like the old days. Thanks to Jorma, we understand better now that we can have peaceful band meetings, right in front of the crowd.
The Live Musicians in the “Band Meetings”:
Setlist Highlights:
