Search - Hot Tuna :: Live at the New Orleans House Berkeley Ca Sept 69

MORE CLASSIC VINTAGE TUNA

Stuart Jefferson | San Diego,Ca | 05/18/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"68 minutes in length approximately. The sound is very good-thanks in large part to the band. The CD is snapped in,inside a fold-out cardboard sleeve. The booklet gives details about the recording dates for this (and the original) set,and gives some background information. There are two great color photos of the duo in concert. All of the tracks (there are six different versions which appeared on the first album) on this release are previously unreleased.



Long time listeners of HOT TUNA (especially the first album) will find much to like on this new album. Recorded during the same series of gigs at the New Orleans House,in Berkeley,California in 1969,this set has the same sound and feel of that original album. Jorma Kaukonen (acoustic guitar and vocals) and Jack Casady (electric bass),(with latecomer Will Scarlett(e)'s emotive harmonica playing,which it's rumored he altered to get his sound),even at this early stage of their new band,play almost telepathically. Having known each other even before joining their main band,JEFFERSON AIRPLANE,has given them an edge enjoyed by few musicians of the time. Kaukonen's crisply picked guitar,and Casady's earth-moving bass,which he sometimes played contrapuntally to Kaukonen,gave their music a real identity. And Kaukonen's warm,yet slightly nasal,sly vocals fit seamlessly into the music.



Most (if not all) of the songs will be familiar ("Death Don't Have No Mercy","True Religion","Candy Man") to many listeners of HOT TUNA (mostly courtesy of Ian Buchanan who taught Kaukonen a number of songs) or country blues. Blues artists like Leroy Carr,Lightnin' Hopkins,and Blind Boy Fuller contribute songs and have influenced this music. There are also a couple of original songs by Kaukonen. Kaukonen's guitar style and approach to the music is heavily indebted to the Rev. Gary Davis,a blind singer,ace guitarist and banjo player. If you're unfamiliar with Davis and like country blues/gospel music,you owe it to yourself to give him a listen. Likewise the music of Leroy Carr and Scrapper Blackwell,whose piano/guitar blues is very worthwhile. Along with Davis' style,combined with Kaukonen's easy going,good time approach to the music,these songs come alive,and show just how good HOT TUNA really was. Tracks like "Know You Rider" and "How Long Blues" are good examples of their (early) approach to this style of music. With Kaukonen's quick single note picking and full chords,Casady's rhythmic bass,and the mysterious Will Scarlett on harmonica,the music is never dull. The effortless weaving of their sound was truly (for the era) unique.



HOT TUNA was formed from the duo jamming on the old blues tunes for their own enjoyment. Their music was refreshing,especially compared to the heavily amplified music of their main band,JEFFERSON AIRPLANE. I can remember hearing their stripped down,uncluttered sound at the time,and being fascinated at how two musicians known for their jamming within the Airplane could take old country blues,and infuse them with their own,unique,relaxed sound.



With this new release of vintage,early HOT TUNA,we have another chance to hear music from an exciting era that will never be repeated. It comes from a time when two musicians would jam on the old tunes for fun,and that feeling spread to everyone who heard it. This album is yet more proof of that."

A second helping of Hot Tuna's acoustic blues beginnings

hyperbolium | Earth, USA | 05/18/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Hot Tuna began as an acoustic off-shoot of the Jefferson Airplane, with bassist Jack Casady and guitarist Jorma Kaukonen joined by harmonica player Will Scarlet. Their 1970 self-titled debut, recorded live the previous year, consisted mostly of traditional folk, blues and ragtime tunes. This 68-minute collection is drawn from the same series of shows as was the debut, but features an entirely different set of performances. The half-dozen titles repeated from Hot Tuna are offered here in distinct versions; a few of these recordings appeared as bonus tracks on Airplane and Hot Tuna releases over the years, but several are offered here for the first time.



Kaukonen's acoustic picking is mesmerizing throughout and his singing is at ease in this setting. Casady's electric bass provides both time-keeping and melodic counterweight to Kaukonen's solo flights. Both players step back to give Scarlet a few opportunities to play some thoughtful leads on harmonica, filling out a fluid and surprisingly complete musical aggregation. Hot Tuna would quickly evolve with the addition of a drummer and violinist, leaving these early performances at the New Orleans House as the central record of their initial vision. This is a terrific introduction to the band's beginnings for anyone who hasn't sampled back to their start, and a satisfying second-helping for those who love the debut. Collectors' Choice's digipack includes two full-panel color pictures and three pages of excellent liner notes by Richie Unterbergber. [©2010 hyperbolium dot com]"

Jammin'

McEldoy | Tennessee, USA | 06/25/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Nothing moves the spirit more than a two guitar jam-band, especially if they're right on. Right-on!"