Hot Tuna

Around 1958 Jack and I played our first gig in Charlotte Harbour’s basement in Washington, DC. I was the singer and played rhythm guitar and Jack played lead. I was 17 and Jack was 14…always ahead of his time. I cannot tell you exactly what songs we played, but for sure there were Buddy Holly songs, Conway Twitty songs, Jimmy Clanton songs; Just a dream, just a dream, All our plans and all our schemes. Who knew at that time what our musical dreams would become. Beyond our wildest dreams, I can tell you that. Sixty-five (count ‘em …65!) years of making music with my best friend.

In a career that has already spanned a half-century, Jorma Kaukonen has been one of the most highly respected interpreters of American roots music, blues, and rock. A member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and a Grammy recipient, Jorma was at the forefront of popular rock and roll, one  of the founders of the San Francisco sound and a progenitor of Psychedelic Rock. He is a founding member of two legendary bands, Jefferson  Airplane and the still-touring Hot Tuna.

It’s always a pleasure to see a Jorma Kaukonen play live. Seeing him play solo in the small 450 seat acoustically perfect theatre, it’s a memorable evening, rich with reflections of the past 45+ years seeing Jorma and living in the present. The Egg Center for the Performing Arts in Albany, NY is one of those buildings that you can drive by hundreds of times and it always draws your attention. The building is the most prominent feature of the Albany skyline.

For over 50 years Hot Tuna, Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady, have brought a wealth of emotions to their music through deep perceptions and tremendous talent.  Members of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Grammy recipients they are always injecting fresh energy into their sound with constant improvisation taking their musical horizons further.  They are going out on tour playing out west with Little Feat. Jorma and Jack will have their drummer, Justin Guip, on his "aoustic set" of drums.

Hot Tuna played an intimate acoustic set at The Parker in Fort Lauderdale on Monday evening, delighting the faithful crowd with their intricate brand of blues, jazz, folk and rock. Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame (class of ’96) members, Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady treated the audience to two sets of classic Hot Tuna, showcasing Kaukonen’s Piedmont blues fingerstyle guitar with Casady’s lead guitar style bass runs that have entertained fans for over half a century.

Symphonic finesse and elegance was the theme on December 30 when Acoustic Hot Tuna, aka Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady, concluded a three-night residency at the intimate Freight & Salvage Coffee House in Berkeley, California. The enduring duo entertained the crowd with two sets of acoustic blues, roots, and spiritual music – much of it dating to pre-World War II – that was both complex and easy on the ears.

Hot Tuna at the Capitol Theatre, December 4th, 2021, this is the second rescheduled date for a performance that was originally set to be played in July 2020. Now it's a year and a half later and that's a lot of time for anticipation. Almost like my first concert, I still get the pre-show jitters. We've seen this band dozens of times, add in the fifty plus free Quarantine Concerts live from the Fur Peace Ranch and there has been a lot of great music to enjoy.

It turns out that Feat Fans were as excited about the return of Little Feat as the band members.  After the warm reception they gave the “By Request Tour” in November, we added more shows in the South in January, leading to Feat Camp in Jamaica.  Then we announced the “Waiting for Columbus Tour,” which will start March 4th in Columbus, Ohio.  And that was clearly not enough.

So put on your dancing shoes, because Feat is adding more shows.

Acoustic or Electric Hot Tuna lives in a world of inspiration whether conspiring with each other,  playing with friends or pulling it out of thin air, Hot Tuna is indeed "Psychedelic-Blues Institution” – Rolling Stone

In the coming months Hot Tuna will be joined by David Bromberg Quintet, Steve Kimock & Friends, The Midnight Ramble Band and Little Feat! Check out the schedule below!

Introduced on vinyl on Record Store Day this past July, Culture Factory will release John Hurlbut and Jorma Kaukonen: The River Flows Volume Two (CFU-01200) in all formats September 24, 2021. At the same time they are releasing a box set The River Flows Vol. 1 & 2 / The Complete Sessions, a CD package with 8 live tracks recorded one special evening at the Quarantine Concerts as a bonus disc.

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