Hot Tuna at City Winery

In the 1950s, Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady played guitar together as teenagers in Washington, D.C., where they nurtured a love of the blues, country, and jazz. Kaukonen relocated to several cities, eventually landing a job teaching guitar in San Francisco, California. Invited in 1965 to join what would become Jefferson Airplane, Kaukonen invited Casady to come to the west coast and play bass in the band. Jefferson Airplane enjoyed success, but when the band took a hiatus in 1969, Kaukonen and Casady formed a side project called Hot Tuna, playing songs from Jefferson Airplane and covers of blues and country artists. Jefferson Airplane resumed touring, and Hot Tuna became its opening act. Jefferson Airplane ended in 1972, but Hot Tuna continued recording and touring as both an electric and acoustic band. Hot Tuna's 10th and most recent studio album is 2011's Steady as She Goes.

Hot Tuna performed a series of four concerts at City Winery, ending tonight, simply with Kaukonen on acoustic guitars and Casady on an oversized acoustic bass. This pared-down format allowed the two musicians to shine on their respective talents, with Kaukonen adroitly finger-picking to uncanny proficiency and Casady improvising intricate bass scales like the jazz masters. Covers of blues pioneers including Reverend Gary Davis and Blind Willie Johnson, along with Hot Tuna originals and songs that Kaukonen composed for his solo albums or for Jefferson Airplane, were all charged with stellar extensive instrumental interludes. While many contemporary artists are keeping alive the traditions of delta blues and Chicago blues, Kaukonen is one of the last well-known purveyors of Piedmont blues, so his deft manner on the strings was rather unique and totally mesmerizing. Kaukonen's earthy talky-singing similarly honored the roots of this Appalachian heritage. Note: Kaukonen is 76 years old and Casady is 73; catch a lot of Hot Tuna shows while you can.

Visit Hot Tuna at www.Hottuna.com.

Setlist:

Set 1:

1. Ain't in No Hurry (Jorma Kaukonen song)
2. Wolves and Lambs (Jorma Kaukonen song)
3. Hesitation Blues ([traditional] cover)
4. Death Don't Have No Mercy (Reverend Gary Davis cover)
5. Let Us Get Together Right Down Here (Reverend Gary Davis cover)
6. Barbeque King (Vital Parts cover)
7. Things That Might Have Been
8. San Francisco Bay Blues (Jesse Fuller cover)
9. Watch the North Wind Rise
10. Sea Child
11. Winin' Boy Blues (Jelly Roll Morton cover)
12. Keep Your Lamp Trimmed and Burning (Blind Willie Johnson cover)

Set 2:

1. Second Chances
2. There's a Bright Side Somewhere (Reverend Gary Davis cover)
3. That'll Never Happen No More (Blind Blake cover)
4. Come Back Baby (Walter Davis cover)
5. Candy Man (Reverend Gary Davis cover)
6. What Are They Doing in Heaven Today (Washington Phillips cover)
7. Keep On Truckin' (Bob Carleton cover)
8. Sleep Song
9. Trial by Fire (Jefferson Airplane cover)
10. Good Shepherd (Jefferson Airplane cover)
11. Bar Room Crystal Ball
12. Water Song
13. Embryonic Journey (Jefferson Airplane cover)