Hot Tuna | Artist

Hot Tuna is an American psychedelic blues band formed 1969 in San Francisco, California, by guitarist/vocalist Jorma Kaukonen and bassist Jack Casady. Originally a side-project of Jefferson Airplane, formed while Grace Slick recovered from throat node surgery, Hot Tuna continues to the present day and is a cult favourite with 'Airplane' fans and blues fans alike. Their first shows included Paul Kantner (guitar) and Joey Covington (drums), but they returned to Jefferson Airplane full time. Once the Airplane had resumed touring, Hot Tuna would open for JA at performances. Their early repertoire derived mainly from Kaukonen's Airplane material and covers of American country and blues artists such as Reverend Gary Davis, Jelly Roll Morton, Bo Carter and Blind Blake. During their peak early years, the lineup included violinist Papa John Creach, Blues Harpist Will Scarlet and drummer Sammy Piazza. Their first two albums Hot Tuna and First Pull up Then Pull Down are both live albums, the first being acoustic and the second electric. Both are superb examples of the characteristic Hot Tuna blend of traditional american blues and West Coast psychedelic rock, built on the superb intertwined musicianship of master guitarist Kaukonen with bass maestro Casady. Their third album Burgers is also a classic, hitting a perfect blend of blues-rock based on compositions written mainly by Jorma Kaukonen. To-date the band has released a total of eight studio albums and several excellent live albums. Standouts, in addition to the first three already mentioned, include The Phosphorescent Rat, America's Choice and Yellow Fever, plus two more live albums, Double Dose and Live at New Orleans House Berkley. Jorma Kaukonen also has many excellent solo album releases.

Artist Website: hottuna.com jormakaukonen.com

Featured Albums: Hot Tuna

Related Artists: Jefferson Airplane, Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady, Papa John Creach

Video Clips: Keep on Truckin', Water Song, Hesitation Blues