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• HotTuna.com • HotTunaTunes.com • JormaKaukonen.com • BergenPAC.org • createavibe.com
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Kaukonen and Co. Serve it Up in New Jersey! A Kweevak.com Rock Report by Rich and Laura Lynch Jorma Kaukonen has been crafting and creating music for over forty years. Jorma's sound is classic yet contemporary, drawing from a colorful range of bluegrass, electric blues, finger-picking folk and psychedelic rock. Kaukonen is versatile and well versed on both the acoustic and electric guitars. In recent years, Jorma has been playing more acoustic shows, therefore, expectations where high when it was announced that electric Hot Tuna would be touring during the summer of 2007 with a full band.
 Jorma Kaukonen onstage in Englewood, New Jersey! The current lineup includes Kaukonen's long time musical collaborator Jack Casady (bass) along with Barry Mitterhoff (guitar & mandolin) and Eric Diaz (drums). The BergenPAC was brimming with enthusiastic fans on July 22, 2007. The venue is centrally located in downtown Englewood, New Jersey - close to shops and a mix of restaurants ranging from causal to elegant dinning. Sunday was a beautiful summer evening and Jorma nation was out in full force, dressed in tie-dyes and Hot Tuna tees, exchanging stories of past shows and the availability of online concerts. Oteil and The Peacemakers from Birmingham, Alabama opened the concert with a diverse five-song set. The four-piece was apt and imaginative at various musical styles. Oteil and the band started with a funky tune that sounded like the Allman Brothers jamming with Steely Dan. Their set progressed through jazz, rock and closed with the blues. Their extended instrumentals were innovative and Oteil and The Peacemakers were generally well-received by Jorma nation. People were on their feet yelling as Hot Tuna walked on stage. Jack Casady and Eric Diaz took the helm steering the heavy rhythm for 'Serpent of Dreams'. Jorma traded guitar licks with Barry Mitterhoff, who mainly played an amped and effects-laden mandolin through the band's sixteen song set. 'Serpent of Dreams' featured extended jams that the crowd cheered, as they did throughout the set that featured creative guitar leads and rhythms. The classic 'Been So Long' was a dynamic musical journey that built momentum until its climatic close. As the evening progressed, Hot Tuna found its groove and they were cooking, although Barry's mandolin sometimes got lost in Kaukonen's smoking licks and Casady and Diaz's scorching rhythms. At other times, Mitterhoff was playing leads through his mandolin crafting interesting effects and sounds. A few songs into the set, Jorma acknowledged the audience's warm reception stating "yeah, we are feeling pretty good too". The band tapped into the enthusiastic energy of the crowd with contemporary interpretations of their songs while keeping true to the original classic structures. Hot Tuna is well-known for their musical gumbo and Sunday's show was no exception. Their career spanning set included animated bluegrass, flavorful country, smoking rock and soulful blues. Jorma culls from various sources, yet he makes music that is uniquely his own. This ability is one of the reasons that Kaukonen has endured through the years. But it's not all about Jorma. Jack Casady's bass lines are bold and propel the music. Combined with Eric Diaz's dynamic drumming, today's Hot Tuna has a solid rhythm section. Barry who has been playing with Jorma for years is a multi-talented musician well in tune to Jorma's melody and moods. The set list was varied with a savory stew of solos, speeds and musical styles. Hot Tuna performed two songs off the timeless "Burgers" record. Folks were clapping along to '99 Year Blues', which had a different sound as Eric Diaz was crafting an almost hollow beat from his drum. Barry added different textures and tones to the tune. Mitterhoff really stood out on this song, although as expected he was consistent all night. Jack did a quick solo before the song expanded before ended with Jorma saying they had a "great time playing here". Casady set the up-tempo for 'Hit Single #1' which featured soaring leads and ended the set on a high note. 'Hesitation Blues' the encore was savory and soulful with various speed changes and solos. After all these years, Hot Tuna is still hot, serving up a delectable blend of bluegrass, electric blues, folk and rock that keeps fans coming back for more. Hot Tuna's hearty interpretations and improvisations keeps the music interesting and in addition Jorma continues to write and perform new songs such as 'Late Breaking New' off his latest record "Stars In My Crown". Acoustic or electric Jorma and Hot Tuna are cooking!
1. Serpent Of Dreams
 Hot Tuna 2007 - Jorma Kaukonen, Eric Diaz, Barry Mitterhoff & Jack Casady! Originally Published: 07/31/2007 on Kweevak.com |
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