Jorma Kaukonen and his sometime Hot Tuna sidekick Barry Mitterhoff treated fans to a relaxed country blues tinted show at the equally mellow, Zankel Hall, sister venue of next door neighbor Carnegie Hall. Zankel Hall a quaint, acoustically ideal spot for a small intimate show, whose capacity is 650 patrons, presents eclectic and under the radar events considered too trendy for its around-the-corner neighbor.
Tonight, Jorma fit the bill and did not venture far from his swampy, blue country repertoire. In a somewhat abbreviated show, at least for Hot Tuna standards, Jorma borrowed heavily from his newest album Stars In My Crown on Red Label Records. Showcasing his set in a soft, deep growl, amid constant shout outs from his over- zealous (over served?) fans, Jorma gave a spirited show with Mitterhoff as his foil, an entertaining and equally prodigious talent, on mandolin and banjo playing along as accompaniment. The two virtuosos sang as one in a soft, hushed tone, highlighting such songs as the shows' opener, "Blue Railroad Train" from the album Blue Country Heart. An enjoyable jam by the pair during the song reminded us of Jorma's ability not only as one of the 25 greatest guitarists of all time, but also Jorma's uncanny ability to interpret others songs and adopt them as his own.
Another highlight was their interpretation of The Dead's song "Operator". They mentioned they first performed the song as part of the American Beauty Project this past January. The pair offered the song as a fresh reinterpretation of an old chestnut. An awesome rendition of "Sea Child" from Hot Tuna's Burgers collection, instantly reminded us of Mr. Kaukonen's much unappreciated and unrecognized ability as a song writer. Usually overshadowed when he was a member of Jefferson Airplane by the Slick, Kanter, Balin triad, Jorma's songs are always a favorite with the fans at his solo and Hot Tuna shows alike.
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