NEM#233: Jorma Kaukonen (Jefferson Airplane, Hot Tuna) Is Not Taking This for Granted

This famed finger-style guitarist became famous through Jefferson Airplane’s seven albums from 1966-1972, recorded eight with Hot Tuna 1970-1976 (with subsequent reunions by both bands), recorded his first solo album in 1974 and then 10 more from 1981-2025, and still plays live constantly solo or with his Tuna/Airplane partner, bassist Jack Cassady. He’s also recently recorded three albums backing John Hurlbut and has collaborated with Grateful Dead members and Janice Joplin.

We discuss “In My Dreams” from Ain’t in No Hurry (2015), “Been So Long” from River of Time (2009), “Sleep Song” by Hot Tuna from America’s Choice (1975), and we conclude by listening to “Hesitation Blues” from Reno Road: Unreleased Tracks from the 60s (a 1960 recording just released of a foundational song for Jorma’s songwriting composed by W.C. Handy, which Jorma learned through his obsession with Reverend Gary Davis). Intro: “Embryonic Journey” from Jefferson Airplane’s Surrealistic Pillow (1967), plus (because it wasn’t long enough to cover my intro) a bit of a live version from 2003-01-31 The Orange Peel, Asheville, NC. More at jormakaukonen.com.

Jorma’s autobiography is Been So Long: My Life and Music (2018), which you can listen to him read on Spotify or Audible.

Watch Jorma play “Embryonic Journey” live in 1996 at the Airplane’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction. Hear a recent live solo version of “Sleep Song,” another recent acoustic version with Jack as Hot Tuna, and here’s video of them playing it electrically recently. Watch a recent live solo version of “Hesitation Blues.”

Hear the original 1971 (live) Hot Tuna version of “Been So Long.” and watch them on video playing it in 1973. Watch Jefferson Airplane live playing a tune that starts with a big Jorma solo. Watch Jorma playing live with John Hurlbut. Here’s an audio recording with him and Jaco Pastorius, and here he is with Janice Joplin.

One of Jorma’s biggest and best solo tunes is from his firs solo album, the song “Genesis” and another is “Song for the North Star.”

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