Jorma Kaukonen - 2021-04-21 City Winery, New York, NY (Live) (2021) [Official Digital Download]

Like all musicians, Jorma Kaukonen had to reinvent himself during the year-long pandemic shutdown. Following decades as the lead guitarist of Jefferson Airplane, Jefferson Starship, and Hot Tuna, he found himself last year pondering his next move amidst his many guitars at his Fur Peace Ranch in Ohio. Before long, he began reconnecting with his fans by performing free live stream concerts every Saturday night. Going one step further, he led three virtual classes for guitarists in March. With the advent of relaxed regulations for public gatherings and touring musicians, he traveled to New York to perform four sold-out concerts at a reduced-capacity City Winery NY.

Much like his live streams, Kaukonen sat in a chair on the City Winery stage and barely moved beyond his chair except to reach for one of his two acoustic guitars. Pulling out old tunes from his catalogue, he played familiar favorites as well as rarely-heard deep cuts. Earthy vocals accented authenticity for the rural roots of his music. This was more than just a recreation of archival songs, however. Kaukonen reworked his songs to where they became guitar centered rather than anchoring on vocals or lyrics. Locking largely into the Piedmont blues era, Kaukonen displayed an uncanny ability to fingerpick melodies and harmonies like the long-gone blues masters that early in his life inspired his musical path. Foregoing electronic effects, Kaukonen captured the purity of what a simple acoustic guitar can be in the right hands.

Now an 80-year-old who has been perfecting his guitar playing since his teens, Kaukonen also can be revered as a master guitarist. There are but a handful of guitarists who specialize in this particular brand of folk blues, such that it may not be heard much after Kaukonen is no longer with us. The music-loving public deserves to treasure this Americana icon live while it can.

TRACKLIST

1. Jorma Kaukonen - Too Many Years (Live - Early Show)
2. Jorma Kaukonen - Ice Age (Live - Early Show)
3. Jorma Kaukonen - Terrible Operation (Live - Early Show)
4. Jorma Kaukonen - How Long Blues (Live - Early Show)
5. Jorma Kaukonen - Uncle Sam Blues (Live - Early Show)
6. Jorma Kaukonen - Search My Heart (Live - Early Show)
7. Jorma Kaukonen - Trial by Fire (Live - Early Show)
8. Jorma Kaukonen - Sea Child (Live - Early Show)
9. Jorma Kaukonen - Serpent of Dreams (Live - Early Show)
10. Jorma Kaukonen - Candy Man (Live - Early Show)
11. Jorma Kaukonen - Been so Long (Live - Early Show)
12. Jorma Kaukonen - Keep Your Lamps Trimmed and Burning (Live - Early Show)
13. Jorma Kaukonen - Sales Pitch (Live - Early Show)
14. Jorma Kaukonen - I Am the Light of This World (Live - Early Show)
15. Jorma Kaukonen - That'll Never Happen No More (Live - Early Show)
16. Jorma Kaukonen - Embryonic Journey (Live - Early Show Encore)
17. Jorma Kaukonen - Dime for Beer (Live - Late Show)
18. Jorma Kaukonen - Hesitation Blues (Live - Late Show)
19. Jorma Kaukonen - Come Back Baby (Live - Late Show)
20. Jorma Kaukonen - I See the Light (Live - Late Show)
21. Jorma Kaukonen - Second Chances (Live - Late Show)
22. Jorma Kaukonen - Let Us Get Together Right Down Here (Live - Late Show)
23. Jorma Kaukonen - Death Don't Have No Mercy (Live - Late Show)
24. Jorma Kaukonen - Corners Without Exits (Live - Late Show)
25. Jorma Kaukonen - Mouse Circus (Live - Late Show)
26. Jorma Kaukonen - Sleep Song (Live - Late Show)
27. Jorma Kaukonen - Good Shepherd (Live - Late Show)
28. Jorma Kaukonen - Day to Day out the Window Blues (Live - Late Show)
29. Jorma Kaukonen - I'll Be Alright Some Day (Live - Late Show)
30. Rev. Gary Davis - Mama Let Me Lay It on You (Live - Late Show)
31. Jorma Kaukonen - I Know You Rider (Live - Late Show)
32. Jorma Kaukonen - Winin' Boy Blues (Live - Late Show Encore)



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