Hot Tuna is arguably the longest-lasting offshoot of any major Sixties band. Over half a century has passed since the release of the eponymous debut album, but founding members Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady continue to carry on the tradition.
Carrying on the tradition was one of the core premises of the group founded by these two original members of Jefferson Airplane. The guitarist and bassist found themselves jamming increasingly often after shows by the iconic San Francisco group. When the Airplane’s touring schedule allowed, the duo offered audiences their version of the country blues on which they cut their teeth as musicians.
Hot Tuna became a going concern when JA ceased to tour regularly, so it was natural that Casady and Kaukonen would make records. It’s equally logical that the first one (of many) would be recorded live: appearances in September 1969 at the New Orleans House in Berkeley, California, were taped and released the following spring.
The simplicity of the instrumentation lends itself to the clarity of sound captured and preserved by Allen Zaentz’s original engineering. Still, Al Schimitt’s production and Vic Anesini’s mastering certify how seriously the two co-founders took the endeavor. Authentically rootsy material, such as “Oh Lord, Search My Heart,” blends smoothly with original Kaukonen songs such as “New Song For The Morning.”
It’s an intoxicating combination all around, mainly because Kaukonen and Casady loved to play together. The ingenuity each man brought to the Airplane remains in the natural mesh of their instruments: the pair utilizes their well-honed instincts to broaden interpretations of tunes like “Winin’ Boy Blues” beyond mere replication of the songs.
Jack’s lightness of touch and range of invention on his electric bass arise right at the outset during “Hesitation Blues” and “How Long Blues.” Meanwhile, Jorma exhibits an elevated level of inspiration all his own; at the other end of the ten-track original LP (expanded editions of which were released in 1996 and 2012), the well-wrought instrumental “Mann’s Fate” is a lesson in dexterity based on the work of West Coast blues/folk player Steve Mann, a friend of the author’s.
While the nasal tones of Jorma’s vocals prevail elsewhere, the somewhat homely nature of his voice only becomes more endearing over time, reaffirming the evocative nature of the melodic progressions he writes. The sweet tones Will Scarlett coaxes from his harmonica lend a similar distinction to “Uncle Sam Blues,” which also appeared in Airplane shows of the time: see the 1969 Woodstock Festival setlist.
Over the fifty years since its release, Hot Tuna has proven to be as durable as it is accessible. Perhaps that’s because two of its most familiar moments, Reverend Gary Davis’ “Death Don’t Have No Mercy” and the traditional “Know You Rider,” were often performed by Kaukonen and Casady’s contemporaries, the Grateful Dead, over the same period.
Hot Tuna morphed into an electric quartet as depicted on 1971’s First Pull Up, Then Pull Down, then into various lineups proceeding from the following year’s Burgers. Eventually, the two main members were accompanied only by a drummer for what came to be called ‘the metal years,’ high-volume workouts like the studio LP America’s Choice.
However, personnel under their tongue-in-cheek moniker expanded and contracted over the years following their eventual breakup and inevitable reunion. Leading up to the final electric tour of 2023 and now beyond it, Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady have continued to collaborate in the very format with which they began, perpetuating a history in which they’ve rightfully earned all the respect and devotion they’ve been shown over the past half-century plus.
