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| Eclectic sounds at Hammons Hall Hot Tuna - Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady - will perform with Charlie Musselwhite and Jim Lauderdale today at Juanita K. Hammons Hall. The music of Hot Tuna isn't just one sound, but an eclectic mix. "We have blues, we have rock and just a tremendous variety, " Casady said. Kaukonen and Casady, former performers in the band Jefferson Airplane, formed Hot Tuna as a solo project in 1969, according to a press release from the group. A new record is on the way for Hot Tuna, and Musselwhite recently released an album. Material from both albums will be performed on the tour, Casady said, adding that all artists involved will take turns playing each other's music. Casady said it has been a while since Hot Tuna has released any new material from a recording studio. "It's been 20 years, " he said. "We have a number of live recordings since then, but this is all new material." In the press release from Hot Tuna, Kaukonen said that Musselwhite, known for his harmonica, is a master of blues. "His career goes back to the fields of fire that were the blues clubs of Chicago a half a century or so ago, " Kaukonen said. "He has played with the masters of the blues and he is a grand master himself." Kaukonen said, in the same release, that Lauderdale's songwriting skills are brilliant. "Jim is one of the guys who are so difficult to categorize or describe, " Kaukonen said. "I'll just start with brilliant and move on from there. He has been writing hit songs for others since the discovery of rocks and water." Jamming with other artists is something Casady called a great opportunity for a musician. "(The collaboration) is fabulous, " he said. "Musicians love to play with each other, especially when it's with someone you respect. (Musselwhite and Lauderdale) are from two different worlds of music. The mix of personalities is great and part of the fun." Casady said that going though Columbia Artists Management has been a good thing for their tour and their fan base. "Columbia Artists has us playing at venues we normally wouldn't be playing, " he said. "It's an opportunity to gain new fans. A lot of people will have subscriptions to a season at performing arts centers. So they will get to see us." write your comments about the article :: © 2011 Jazz News :: home page |