I have told this story before but on one of these early (for me) Jorma Kaukonen dates at the Palladium in New York City, it was right after Hot Tuna had “broken up” following the release of their live album, which at the time I had believed was going to blow them up in popularity as the double live album in the late 1970’s was generally a ticket to exponential artistic reward (Frampton Comes Alive). Before the internet, rock and roll artist mystique was discovered primarily through album cover art, liner notes, FM radio DJs, or articles found in music magazines and free newspapers found at head shops or record stores. I went to the Jorma concert that had originally been sold as a Hot Tuna show, expecting long haired Jorma but instead Kaukonen surprised the audience when he walked onstage with acoustic guitar in hand sporting a slicked back short haircut and orange hair just maybe channeling his inner Bowie. This was slightly unsettling at first but the solo acoustic Kaukonen put on a great show. Some time afterward I had read in Rolling Stone magazine where Jorma had said that unbeknownst to him that night he took a swig from a champagne bottle that had been laced with LSD and that he had played the same note on one song for a half an hour or so. Honestly, if true, I never noticed but it is an interesting story nonetheless. Obviously bassist Jack Casady and Jorma reunited at some point and Hot Tuna, in various forms and line ups, is still recording and performing live and can be found on YouTube during the pandemic. The last couple of times I saw the band was at New York City’s Town Hall and at a very cool synagogue in Brooklyn believe it or not. Hot Fing Tuna indeed.

Double Dose

Rock on!

GQ