Checking The Levels

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BITS AND PEACES…….

I’m still working on my killer synopsis of this past month at camp…….but in the meantime I wanted to pass along some info that I found news - worthy and hope you’ll enjoy. The first letter came to me from a Fur Peace Ranch Alumni who hails from the Sunshine State…..Thank You Bill for your note……

Dear Hurl:

I’ve been reading a book about the history of the Martin Guitar Company entitled Martin Guitars: Illustrated History, by Jim Washburn and Richard Johnston. It’s very interesting and comprehensive.

Here’s some fun facts that I thought you may enjoy:

1. Of the 86 pre-war D-45’s produced (the holy grail of all Martin guitars), 75 are believed to be still existing. One Japanese collector owns 14 of them.

2. The Martin designation has always been guitar size, then decoration, as in 000-45. The decoration numbers started out as being the wholesale price of guitar. Oh, those were the days.

3. Joan Baez, during her most popular career years only owned two guitars, both 00-45’s. One was stolen from her car at Woodstock. She made a plea to the crowd for its return and it arrived back to her via Greyhound bus. When one of these guitars became road worn, she gave it to David Bromberg as a gift.

4. When Martin’s factory was first moved to Nazareth, PA, it shipped its product back to New York City to the Martin retail store via stagecoach (C. F. Martin, Sr.’s house was located along the stagecoach line). The guitars were packed in the early small “coffin” shaped cases for protection during their shipping. Many still arrived in pieces.

5. Through 1925 Martin’s average production of guitars was around 300 a year. In 1926, that jumped to 14,300 guitars; 14,000 of which were ukuleles. Think here about a bunch of Harvard boys playing “Tiptoe through the Tulips”.

6. The first Martin D-45 was made for Gene Autry. He had sent his dreadnaught guitar back to the factory and asked them to adorn it beyond its style 42 accruements (abalone only on the guitar top). The factory wrote back that doing so would not improve the tone. He sent it back again and told them to decorate it the most that they could. His name was inset into the fret board and the final guitar had, as do all D-45’s, a total of 242 pieces of inlaid abalone. The next half dozen or so D-45’s ordered were all sold to singing cowboys, whose names were also inlaid in the fretboards. The extra abalone pieces beyond the style 42 accruements can not probably be seen by anyone beyond the musicians on the stage.

7. The D-35 model (which is slightly larger than a D-28 body and which has a three piece back), was introduced because of an ever growing scrap pile of 7 inch wide rosewood back sections, instead of the 8-9 inch wide version needed to make the D-28 (two piece back).

8. Golden Age Martin guitar headstocks (1930-WW II) and earlier through peg headstocks, have very square upper end corners. More modern through peg headstocks have noticeably more rounded corners. This was not by design. In the mid 1970’s it was noticed that the pattern used to draw and shape the headstocks had deteriorated over time; the sharp corners having become rounded. Since this discovery all reissued (modern) vintage models are made with square corners. All other current production models remain rounded.

9. The M series of guitars started when a New York City luthier took an F-7 or F-9 guitar (the only archtop models ever produced by Martin, neither of which ever became popular), removed the arched top and replaced it with a reshaped dreadnaught top. David Bromberg heard it and ordered one for himself. Martin adopted the new design, designating it an M-38 (adorned around the sound hole and guitar body side of the fretboard with abalone inserts). David’s Martin Signature guitar is the same body but adorned with style 42 adornments.

10. In the late 1970s, Fredrick Martin, chairman of C. F. Martin and Company, and the father of Chris F. Martin, IV, the present chairman of the board, decided to expand the company into a major multi-corporate holding company in the music industry. He did so by acquiring other existing music companies, including the string division of another manufacturer; a Swedish guitar manufacturing company (that failed and Martin still had to pay the workers two years severance pay each); various Japanese companies that produced low line guitars; and a bunch of other companies. Nearly all of these acquired companies went out of business or were sold off. This plan nearly bankrupted CFM & Co. Fredrick was repeatedly accused of taking four hour lunches where most of the food was in liquid form. The shareholders, other board of directors and senior management decided to fire Fredrick. Chris voted in favor of firing his father. Fredrick did not even attend the board meeting; he was in a local pub during the time of the meeting.

Hope you have enjoyed this summary. The book is highly recommended to any Martin guitar lover.

Another nice letter came to me out of the blue. That is a cool aspect about the internet and email…..From time to time you get a note from someone you haven’t heard from in ages and they have searched you out to re-establish a link and open communications. In the past couple of months….two of my old drummers from bands I was in a long time ago reached out and grabbed me and it was nice to touch base, exchange letters and catch up. So…..this letter is from Michael Frontani and he asked me some Jorma questions, which I forwarded to the Captain. I think Jorma’s response to Michael’s questions will be of interest…..so here are both letters…..

Hey John,
I hope you remember me—I used to go to OU and, thanks to you, I was in on the Fur Peace Ranch’s first summer; a few years later I had Jorma, Jack, and you to Elon University, in NC. How are things? I often dream of coming for another stay at the ranch, and I’ll work it out within the next year or so. I had a question that has been nagging me for a while, I can’t find an answer. I also need a bit of advice on guitars.

First, what effect is Jorma using on the guitar on the Jefferson Airplane’s Good Shephard? I’ve been searching high and low in books, online, etc, and can’t even find the trail:) I’d love to get ahold of that effect….

Two, you probably don’t remember, but I have a Gibson J-200, and I love it, but I remember Jorma mentioning that a shorter neck was good for the style of playing he does and I try to do. The J-200 is great, but I’m about ready to make a move. Any suggestions? I suppose I’d like to keep it at a couple of grand, but I might go higher (not yet, I’m still saving my pennies).

Anyway, I hope you don’t think this email out of the blue is too weird—I often think about my days at OU, and a couple of the highlights were coming in to your CD shop on Fridays and talking music and, of course, the Ranch. If you get the time, I’d love to hear from you (I’d also like to get Jorma and Jack back down here for a show—but that is another story….). Take care,
All the Best to you and the Ranch,
Mike

Dear Michael:

Funny stuff. First of all… as always, reality re-evaluates my opinions. I now play a Jorma Signature Martin M-30… yes, it’s a long scale like your J-200. I don’t like to play short scale guitars anymore… or rather my hands don’t. Don’t sell that J-200. I’ve attached some insights into my new Martin just for fun. Unfortunately, a couple of grand won’t do it… of course a couple of grand won’t come close to a good J-200 either. Yikes… time is moving on.

OK… on to effects. In the Airplane days I had only two pedals… A Crybaby on the bridge pickup (Stereo ES-345 guitar) and an Ampeg Scrambler on the neck pickup… separate Twins for each channel. I suspect the Ampeg Scrambler is the sound you’re looking for. Good luck on that, my friend. I haven’t seen one in years. Still and all, someone has probably made one somewhere. It’s the coolest fuzztone of all time.

Thanks for the HELLO…

Jorma

The last letter I share with you for a couple of reasons……..Good cause to enter an auction ……and a good review of the NEW Rev. Gary Davis CD - “At Home and Church: 1962 - 1967″. This 3 CD Collection was recorded and produced by Stefan Grossman. This is a great collection and a crucial piece in the Rev.’s legacy. Thanks to Stefan for all he does and has done! Anyhey, this New Rev. CD…..along with all of his in-print CDs ….. are available at the Fur Peace Ranch Company Store.

Hi all,

We at Local 1000 need your help. On June 14th we’ll be auctioning off a one of a kind, Deering banjo that has been signed and played by Pete Seeger. If you could help us get the word out to your friends, fans and listeners, we’d really appreciate it. There is a cool video of Pete singing and playing the banjo. The link is below. Thanks for any help you can give.

Deb Cowan
Eastern Representative
AFM Local 1000 Executive Board

Here is the press release:

ONE-OF-A-KIND PETE SEEGER AUTOGRAPHED BANJO TO BE AUCTIONED STARTING JUNE 14, 2010

With the generous support of the Deering Banjo Company, American Federation of Musicians Local 1000 will be auctioning off a one-of-a-kind Pete Seeger-style long-neck Vega banjo that Pete has signed and played.

On June 14, 2010 the banjo will be put up on eBay and the auction will run for approximately 10 days.

All the proceeds from the auction will benefit Local 1000’s Emergency Relief Fund, which provides assistance to musicians who fall onto hard times due to illness, natural disaster, and economic problems. It will also help fund the Local’s organizing efforts to bring union benefits (such as health care and pensions) to working musicians throughout the acoustic music world.

For more information and to view a video of Pete signing the banjo, go to
http://local1000.com/auction-for-pete-seeger-signed-banjo

ABOUT AFM LOCAL 1000:
We are American Federation of Musicians (AFM) Local 1000, the Traveling Musicians’ Union. We are specially chartered to represent acoustic musicians who perform most of their gigs away from the AFM jurisdiction where they live.

——————————
Date: Wed, 9 Jun 2010 19:52:25 EDT
From: Stevenramm@AOL.COM
Subject: My review of the new Rev. Gary Davis CD

I thought others might enjoy this review from my June column of the new CD from Stefan Grossman’s Vestapol label.

Steve Ramm

More for the CD shelf — You may remember a CD that I recommended last year of rare live recordings by Rev. Gary Davis, recorded on a home tape recorder in a Greenwich coffeehouse by Davis’ student Stefan Grossman. Well, Grossman - who produces a wonderful catalog of guitar lesson and performance videos - took his trusty tape recorder everywhere and from 1962 to 1967 he carried it
with him to Davis’ apartment in The Bronx, New York and recorded this guitar legend, nearing age 70 at the time, playing songs that he never recorded and telling stories behind them. Davis was a preacher as well and Grossman captured him in his church, both singing and sermonizing, too. The result is a wonderful three-CD album Rev Gary Davis: At Home and Church (Vestapol). Of course you’ll hear some songs that Davis is most known for (”Hesitation Blues”) but you’ll also hear “Candyman” sung as a waltz as well as the same song played on a 5-string banjo. There’s even the profane “Little Boy Who Made Your Britches,” after which, knowing his wife is not in the room, Davis sings Grossman the “dirty verses.” It’s not all vocals either. Davis plays ragtime, blues, and even a freedom song or two. I, for one, am glad Grossman toted that recorder along and, just as important, is allowing us to all hear these great moments. www.vestapol.com

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HOW - DEE……I’ve got some catchin up to do and I plan on doing that this week. But for now I wanted to update the journal with a poem I spoke about in one of my last posts. During our Hot Tuna weekend in April I mentioned what a great poetry reading we had…..courtesy of Jeroch Carlson…..before the band took the stage. It was dynamite…..and out of sight! Well, I had asked Jeroch if I could post his poem and he gladly has forwarded it to me.

Jeroch is our newest Ranch-hand and what an impressive cat he is. We met years ago and it is funny how the hand of fate has directed our convergence and we have become good friends……and I can see we are on the path to a life-long friendship. The fact that he now works at the Ranch is just a true blessing……as you can’t beat the joy of working with friends. Jeroch is a character of great depth and the more you get to know him …..you realize how deep he is. He helps out here at the Ranch with the kitchen work, the plants, landscaping and most importantly …..keeping the vibe right and positive. He also served as our I-ficial minister for the great wedding we hosted last year here at the FPR for Kate and Ryan McNabb. It was a super special day. So….. the poem follows…….

… Another thing I had mentioned from that same post will not be happening……I am sorry to say. I had mentioned the great jam at the student performance that I got in on with John B. and Stu …..we did an electrifying version of the Animals’ classic, Don’t Bring Me Down…..with Stu on bass and John on electric sitar. The plan was to put it up on the Fur Peace channel on YouTube. Well…..when I got to listen to the final mix……the bass was almost completely out of the mix and it was even hard to hear the sitar. I had to make a decision to nix the idea rather then put up something I wasn’t happy with. So……that jam was one of those things that was just for the moment. The poem follows……but…..I want to drop in a couple of Jorma’s comments as he took the stage after J-rock’s reading…….”and they say poetry is dead. Wavy would have loved it!” Well we all loved it and I hope you all love it too……..here it is………..

The Only Thing We Could Use More Of Is Some Jamaican Jerk Chicken
By Jeroch Carlson

What ..(sniff)…is that…(sniff)…smell? Around here you can always smell something cooking. Usually you can’t smell music…Which is funny because we can indulge in it with every one of our other senses. You can see it happening, hear it, breathe it in and feeeeel it resonate throughout your whole body, and when the jam really gets going you can taste it. Music can be a rare exotic tropical delicacy that transports you to a different time and place. But then remains only in your memory as the taste of something so Organic, wild and free that you’ll travel the world over to catch a whiff of that magical recipe again. But here… here you can expect to catch a whiff of something that will light your eclectic taste buds on fire every spring, summer, and fall.

So what lights your grill? Something tender and raw, or are you one of those well done and searing hot music lovers? Or for those vegetarians, don’t you worry! We have a virtual salad bar of musical history for you, with all the fixins’. If you like sweets, you’ll have to wait till that candyman comes around again.

For you connoisseurs maybe some tasty fresh local mushrooms, with Marsala wine on a bed of lovely greens with rice and some South California Sea Bass to whet your pallet. A little raw electric Mando marmalade served up as a garnish to those funky Chops you know and love. Or you could be one of those folks that just loves to sink their teeth into a Big Juicy Hot Tuna Burger. Best local Tuna around. Only local Tuna around. All from the best grill man in town. And like all great recipes it takes a little improvisation, so while you wait, would you like a little Hot jelly roll blues to go with that wavy gravy? A little seaweed strut? Something to drink? Maybe a little True Religion or just a hot cup of Rhythm Tonic for yo’ soul.

A great man once said, “Food and music are certainly two of life’s necessities. There is a third and a forth. The place and the time to enjoy them.” That man’s name was Jorma. Living the dream. You reap what you sow and you can’t just eat at any old Café these days and with so many people just eating on the run, the fact that we feast in the Captains’ Living Room casually is a dream for many, and a reality for us. Because as a good Shepard once said,” As long as you’re in this world, you’re the light of this world. “ Breaking bread here is something special. Keep those lamps trimmed and burning and when you have the wisdom to know the difference just for today, then we can be together. So get away from that everyday dredge and step up to the edge and take a look at the view. And right around midnight, when the moon is so bright, and from it the light shines on the dew and mists dance outside. Because it doesn’t matter whether those stars are in your crown or whether they are in the skies with the fireflies. You’re eating with the original psychedelics chefs, serving up so many flavors it doesn’t matter whether you’re Indian, Greek, Cajun, or Hungarian like me, once you’ve eaten at the Beatrice Love Kitchen you’ll never need to go anywhere else and you know you won’t need a doggie bag. If you’ve got somebody to love, they’ll be dessert. And on the way out maybe you hear the faint sound of a cedar Native American Flute coming from deep in the valley. Or the hoot of an owl and that long sought after feeling of “I’m home” fills your thoughts and then your whole being. So you turn to your left, and you ask, “What’s fur dinner tomorrow night, Jorma?” And he’ll say, “I don’t know I thought you were cookin.” So oh Lord search my heart for a good recipe so I can show you the way home. And don’t get too glazed tonight, drink this evening in slowly and digest it fully and Bon Appetite!

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This past camp weekend was another winner. We had a small but enthusiastic group of students…..all of them were repeat offenders. Jorma had cancelled his class so he could attend to some other business that required his presence. This left Steve Kaufman and Jonathan Edwards as our two reigning teachers for the weekend. The students that came to the Ranch for this session were treated to a lot of schooling by two very dedicated teachers. Indeed……both professors kept on going way past the scheduled class time. Judging from the students in the class, I believe they did that out of love for the music and the teaching experience, rather then because their respective classes needed extra schooling.

The weatherman had called for rain throughout the weekend, but we were treated to all nice days. We did get that rain on Saturday night, but it waited until most people were in the Fur Peace Station for the “big show” and it abruptly ceased when the show was over to allow our patrons a wet-free walk back to their cars. As for the Saturday night concert….Well, another sold-out house was treated to a wonderful night of music and entertainment. Steve and Jonathan both played fantastic sets of music, and aside from their fine playing and singing, they were both very communicative with the audience …. full of wit and humor. The evening was punctuated with alot of applause and laughter…..real good stuff.

Steve started the evening’s festivities with a primo display of the fine art of guitar flat-picking. Steve’s playing is just over the top. I know he was influenced by the great Doc Watson and you can hear it in his style of playing. Still…..with all respect for Doc…..I don’t think Doc or very many other flat-pick masters can reach the speed and fluidity exhibited in Steve’s playing. We were treated to some great tunes, including material from Steve’s two most recent CDs…..Goodnight Waltz and Acoustic Stomp. Steve was a big hit and he received a standing ovation from the ever appreciative music lovers that comprise the Fur Peace audience.

The second half of the concert got underway just after 9:30 pm and as soon as Jonathan came through the door he was greeted by a loud applause from an audience that featured some old friends and acquaintances. You see Jonathan has local cred around these parts…..he went to Ohio University, right here in Athens, in the late 60’s. He dropped out of OU in 1968 to pursue his dream of making music….and God Bless…..40 plus years later… he is still living the dream.

Jonathan brought along a GREAT sideman for his trip to Ohio. Charlie Rose accompanied Jonathan throughout the evening……displaying great talent on the banjo, upright bass and pedal steel. No…..he didn’t play them all at the same time, but he excelled to the highest of heights on each instrument he played. Charlie also had a very nice demeanor and during the nights he was with us at the Ranch, he joined with the students each night in the jam sessions that come together after the schooling is done for the day. One night I heard him picking guitar with two Ranchers and he sounded great on the six string as well. Overall great musician and human being and a pleasure to have met.

So……back to the concert. Jonathan put together a brilliant set which featured alot of old favorites, some fine new tunes and some folk classics, nicely interpreted. As mentioned…..there was a good deal of banter between songs….funny stuff…..as he told some very funny stories and let us all in on the behind the scene meanings of some of the songs. His story about “Upsy Daisy” was in particular very amusing. The show started with “People Get Ready/ Train of Glory” and ended with an acapellla encore of “This Island Earth” and sandwiched in between these two gems was nothing but gold. AND……speaking of gold, Yes, he did play his #1 hit from 1971 “Sunshine” and it went over big time. Towards the end of Jonathan’s set he invited Steve back out to the stage to join him on a few numbers. Steve did a terrific job pickin some tasty licks that fit right into the flow of the music. Jonathan ended the set burning it up with two old favorites….”Athens County” and “Shanty”. Both these songs along with “Sunshine” all come from Jonathan’s first self-titled album / CD which contain a cache of the tunes that our still a very big part of his set. As I mentioned Jonathan got to visit with some old local friends. He also got in a nice visit with one of his old teachers from the OU Art Department……it was very nice to see.

Sunday was another spectacular day. We decided to do the Student Performance in the Workshop and we also decided to set it up as a round robin. Since we had a small group we just set the chairs in a nice circle and we went around the circle with each person having an opportunity to play a song when it came to them. Hencely……my friends……the workings of a round robin. Well we went around that circle at least a couple of times. Certain songs invited group participation and everyone jumped to the occasion. I played a couple of tunes when the circle came my way…..first time….”She Belongs To Me” the second go around it was “Angel From Montgomery”. I was in a nice spot within that circle and I had Jonathan on my right and Mr. Charlie on my left and we played nice together. It was really nice harmonizing with Jonathan, it’s a nice feeling when you’re hitting the notes in harmony…..sounds good and feels good too. We were about to wrap it up when long-time FPRer Mikey - B requested an unplugged encore of Jonathan’s “Sunshine”…..he obliged and we all sang and played along to a perfect song to bring a perfect afternoon to a close.

The next morning we had another FIRST here at the Fur Peace and judging from how well it went over…..it won’t be the last. We started the day off right by inaugurating our brand new “Coffee Break Concert Series” with an unexpected mini-concert by the camp’s Captain …..JORMA! We kicked it off just after 9:00 am in the workshop building and Jorma played a nice set for all of us. He started things off with the beautiful instrumental, “Living In the Moment”……this was followed by….”A song I’ve been playing for about 45 years”, …”Come Back Baby”. Next up …..a chart topper……the #1 folk song of last year as determined by the folks at Folk Alley… “River of Time.” A song always guaranteed to pick you up and make you feel good….”I Am The Light Of The World” came next ……followed by “Things That Might Have Been” and “Let Us Get Together Right Down Here” closed things out nicely. Everybody loved it and there was no doubt that the “Coffee Break Concert” was a hit with the Captain as well……what a great way to start the day!!! After a morning recap we broke camp….. the day had already been full and it was a fitting close to an action packed weekend.

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We’re getting ready for another guitar camp weekend……the weather and the Ranch are both looking real good…..and we’re close to a sellout on the Jonathan Edwards and Steve Kaufman show for this Saturday night. However, I’m still thinking about what a great time we had during the last camp session and wanted to fill you all in, while it is still on and in my mind. The April 9th weekend brought a lot of familiar faces and old friends of the Fur Peace together. Our big opening weekend at the end of March was just off the charts and I foolishly thought it would be hard to top that one. Well, I’m happy and lucky to be able to say……..it was another great time. This was our Hot Tuna weekend with JK, Jack and Barry all here teaching and also performing on Saturday night. We were also graced by the presence of Marjorie Thompson who was here to teach her class on Country Blues.

There were 32 students here at the Ranch and 20 of those were repeat offenders. Just a clarification on that…..REPEAT OFFENDERS are what we affectionately refer to our repeat students as. SO…..two - thirds of the camp is filled with people we already know. Yes, you can do the math…….the other a little over a third, 12 students were all here for their first taste of the Fur Peace and I’ve got to tell you…….they were all such nice people……we made them instant family. It was truly a wonderful mix and a super positive vibe was in the air. Several …..or maybe even more then that……students that were here for this session have been coming to the Ranch since we opened and it really is special to see them again. Several others maybe haven’t been coming that long, but their easy going ways and cool disposition, make it feel like we’ve been friends forever. So….hopefully you get the picture, cause what I’m seeing is the most glorious reflection of humanity that you could hope to see.

Nice weather all weekend and another bombastic job in the kitchen added to the joy. Lots of good eatin’ and with weather this nice, many folks took advantage of the tables we have outside for dining. On Friday and Sunday night the campfire was blazing and some of the ranchers really enjoyed hanging out at the fire circle. Then again….lots of playing in all the different buildings kept some people inside …….where the music was blazing!

The really big show on Saturday night packed the Fur Peace Station to a capacity we didn’t know it was capable of. We had a very full house for this show, which incidentally had been sold-out for over two months. People came from all over for this show and the fine state of New York was well represented!!!! The evening’s festivities kicked off in grand fashion with Collin Rocker performing an opening set, solo acoustic. In many cases this would not be the ideal spot for such an opener……before Electric Hot Tuna……but Collin’s warm, enthusiastic, and talented persona started things off not too bad…….if you don’t mind perfect! Collin I am honored to say has become a good friend…..and boy, oh, boy……I was proud of him. We met through his parents, Jon and Lori, who have been coming to the Ranch for a long time now. One year they brought Collin and the friendship was immediate and it has been growing ever since. Collin has just released his first CD….Milk Box Love and Juke Box Blood and Other American Favorites……you’ve got to love that title……and when you get a chance to hear the CD…..well you’ll love his music too. Now Collin is a young man of 18, but as his Mom mentioned to me one time (see I was listening) he has an old soul….and a fine old soul at that. His music is roots Americana…..totally original material…..and he is a fine songsmith. His lyrics evoke many images, times and thoughts that you can relate to even if they are from a bygone era. The crowd really dug his performance and the response was overwhelming. He played my favorite song off of the new CD….Soggy Dollar Blues……. and it was just outstanding ! BIG UP to C-Rock!

Next……we go to a nice and busy intermission……with the good folks enjoying some Hot Tuna Burgers and our Hot Tuna Melts right off the grill and the Station Break Cafe humming like a food wagon when the break whistle blows.

After the break I came out to announce the second half of the show with ELECTRIC HOT TUNA……I know you people have all been waiting for them……but rather then a stage announcement we have a special surprise guest……the Ranch’s very own Jeroch Carlson….who wears so many hats and does so many righteous tings……has just finished off a poem he had written that would serve as a great Hot Tuna intro. The poem Jeroch had just finished was entitled….”The Only Thing We Need More of Around Here is Some Jamaican Jerk Chicken.” Now I’m not sure what that meant ……but it was a crucial idea! The poem is nothing short of fantastic……as was Jeroch’s reading of the poem. The poem has all kinds of Hot Tuna / Jorma references and we were all swept up in his magical presentation. Deep stuff……..but it was fun and full of culture! I’ve asked Jeroch if it would be OK for me to print the poem in one of my future postings and he says YES and he is sending it my way…..so, soon come on that.

Next…….out comes Hot Tuna…….ELECTRIC……and blazing they were! (Please go to Jorma’s site for a set-list.) What I’ll tell ya is that it was Hot Tuna at its best…..fire and more fire!!! The whole set was a high-light but my favorite was the moving version of Corners Without Exits! Jorma’s having lots of fun on that electric guitar and when he want to be….he is…the best psychedelic guitar player out there bringing emotion and feeling out of every note that is from another cosmos. Everyone has a different favorite and the good news is that there was plenty to choose from. Several of the comments I heard after the show pointed to the 99 Year Blues and Good Shepherd as other choices for best song of the evening. Now I really do hate to sound cliché, but, it really was ALL GOOD.

Indeed, one of the concert goers said it was the best Hot Tuna show he had heard since the 80’s. Now I was going to tell that guy, that he needed to get out to more Hot Tuna shows……but I let it pass. Everyone left the concert hall that night feeling very satisfied……it had been an incredible evening of music. There was a real bliss in the night air as the people left the Ranch.

Now back to the concert……..Aside from JK sounding bombastic fantastico…….JC was menacingly punching through some great bass lines. I had given Jack a big up earlier in the day……telling him how fantastic he sounds on that NEW Hot Tuna CD release from the New Orleans House. That was Jack in 1969 and he has refined his bass playing over the years…..and that has resulted in Jack’s fine bass playing only getting better. Jack also shared some fun and funny banter with Jorma on stage that really set the relaxed tone for the concert. I’ll tell you…..some of those laughs and shared smiles were contagious …….and it made everyone in the audience feel the joy. Barry Mitterhoff…. ever incredible……with his array of instruments he added fuel to the fire that made the evening’s music exciting and kept the momentum climbing. The addition of Skoota Warner to the Hot Tuna lineup has been another great addition and he fits in the groove …… and actually creates quite a groove as he propels the rhythm to new heights. Aside from being a GREAT drummer, Skoota also possesses a wonderful smile and he sure looks like a man who enjoys his work……..and work it he does. A hotter then hot night at the Fur Peace Station as the home field advantage, the fans and the greatness of the Hot Tuna sounds all came together to create a night to remember!

Sunday morning and everyone is still talking about the show as we start our day with some fine Fur Peace Ranch coffee……the preferred…. Campfire Blend. It’s a nice Spring Sunday and the mood reflects that as we gather in the afternoon for our customary group photo and student performance. The student performance starts off magnificently and just climbs from there. Barry’s class……man, oh, man, he had a great group of students….. takes the stage and they perform a couple numbers as a group. I do believe the songs were…Vicksburg Stomp and Stompin at the Savoy…..as I mentioned, the caliber of Barry’s students was graduate school and their performance made that clear. The entire student performance had a super flow to it and the quality of the talent on that stage……on that afternoon……would have gotten Mr. Sullivan’s nod of approval. I got a chance to jump up and play a number with Stu and John B. Stu was on a repeat visit and we had decided to work out a song together. Stuart’s a very fine bass player and I suggested an old Animals tune….Don’t Bring Me Down…. and even suggested the opening bass riff …doo…doo..da..doo…doo…that Stu dubbed on for a bit before I came in with the opening chord. John B…….what can I say about this cat. It’s always great to see him and his brother here at the Ranch. Aside from them both having impeccable taste for vintage shirts they both have an arsenal of instruments that they like to bring out and say …..hey, check this out…..and their talent is high grade for sure. Well……John had earlier let it be known to me that he had an electric sitar with him….and with that announcement he was asked to join Stu and I. Well…….it was so cool when he came in with that sound……he also took the solo after the second verse and he turned the Fur Peace Station into the Psychedelic Shack….and we didn’t look back……but someone told us JK rose up out of his seat and did a couple twirls as he felt the vibe. The fine production team that brought us Fur Peace Ranch TV on You Tube is working on releasing that performance ……so…..keep an eye out for that one and while you’re at it enjoy all the great video clips that they have been posting. The STUDENT PERFORMANCE came to a fulfilling finale with that same John B. along with Bob D., Pete M., Professor Mitterhoff and the Victoria Barkley of guitar camps, Vanessa, performing Blue or Not, My Sweetie Gives To Me. It was the cream!!!

We all enjoyed another great feast that night as we dined on Homemade Pesto-Ricotta Ravioli, Garlic Bread, Organic Salad Greens and Brocollini……which they tell me is baby broccoli…..topped off with a Strawberry Napoleon. It was out of sight! Later that evening we were all treated to a wonderful concert……just for us…..by the very talented Mrs. Thompson. Marjorie treated us to a great set of her music and her performance was dynamic! The cheers from the ever appreciative student population brought MJ back for an encore….Poster Child for the Blues! The night was complete. We finished things off on Monday and as is always the case, broke camp at noon. Lots of smiles and good cheer as we bid a farewell to another great weekend !!! We are so blessed by the good folks that come through our gates……….the cup is full and we give thanks.

Tags: Fur Peace Ranch, Guitar Workshops, Hot Tuna, Jack Casady, Jorma Kaukonen // 1 Comment »

One of my friends, who is also a Fur Peace Ranch regular, and also an avid reader of Checkin’ the Levels, left me a comment asking me what I was listening to and if I would post it next time I blogged. Well …..I blogged about the NEW HOT TUNA and got so wrapped up in the sounds…..I forgot to include my full report on my recent listening pleasures. So……here it is. Well, first off……I have been listening to that NEW Hot Tuna quite a bit in this last week. I put it in heavy rotation initially so I could check it out and write a review…..but what happened was……I loved the CD so much, I just left it in the player and listened to it over and over again. That is a very good sign……and it makes me flash back to the golden days of vinyl, when I would get a new record and play it over and over until the grooves smoked.

Anyhey……I have been listening to alot of African music as of late. Aside from my long-time love of Reggae music……at one time I was really fired up on the Afro-Beat sounds of Fela Kuti and the Ju Ju music of King Sunnny Ade. But……I hadn’t listened to this style of music in some time. One of my friends had laid a nice compilation CD of Modern African music on me and it started the fire burning again. In the last couple of weeks I have bought about six new Afro- Sounds CDs…..two of these are great compilations of African music from back in the prime time of the 1970’s. These are imports on the Sound Way label. Nigeria Special: Modern Highlife, Afro-Sounds and Nigerian Blues 1970-6 is one of these …..and the other one is Ghana Special: Modern Highlife, Afro-Sounds and Ghanaian Blues 1968 - 81. These two collections are quite fantastic. The music is blazin and the compilation puts together alot of hard to find artists and songs onto CD. Extensive and really informative liner notes accompany these two CD sets in a booklet format. Someone has really done a lot of work in assembling these two collections and I’m impressed and grateful.

Another Afro-Beat artist has just released a new CD and I’m playing this one over and over too. The artist I refer to is Tony Allen and his new CD is titled, “Secret Agent“. Tony was Fela Kuti’s drummer for many years and even Fela is on record as saying without Tony there would be no Afro-Beat. These two, Fela and Tony, were the architects of the Afro-Beat-Sound. This one is a real winner and aside from the infectious grooves……there is a heavy horn section presence, that I really dig.

Also…….I have all the Bunny Wailer music on vinyl…..Jamaican releases for many…..but only the great Blackheart Man on CD. I was getting a hankering for wanting to hear Bunny’s second release….Protest….and when I went to look for the CD, well, dag-nab-it……I found out it was out of print. But in quicker then soon come time, I was able to locate this out of print CD through the second hand market. Now with it in my possession……I’ve been listening to it pretty regularly…….and loving it. Another NEW Reggae collection, just released, is also getting a lot of ear time…this being….Jammy’s From The Roots 1977 - 1985. Jammy’s refers to the GREAT Lloyd ‘Prince Jammy’ James who was a great record producer in the days of roots and culture. Some of the artists on this CD you will have heard of…some I have not heard of……but all the tracks are great! Appropriately …..all the tracks were recorded at the top spots for Reggae Roots in Jamaica……King Tubby’s, Harry J’s, Channel One and Jammy’s. All the great Jamaican studio musicians are present laying down some heavy support rhythms. Real nice.

I’ve also been listening to some “commercial” sounds as well. Getting into the NEW Jimi Hendrix, “Valley of Neptune” and the latest Massive Attack, “Heligoland”. So…..there you have it. Thanks Rob for asking…..you might have started something here…….Look for more “What I’m Listening To” blogs in the future. Some readers might wonder…..”When does he find time to listen to all that music?”…..so I’ll tell ya…..I never tire of the sounds of music, so I’m listening to music while the morning coffee is brewing ……the CD player in the truck plays constantly……I get to listen to music
in my very hip office cabin……and I’m playing the boombox (Yes, I still use one) when I’m out workin’ in a yard. Music makes a great soundtrack for living…………….Live UP and Listen UP…….plenty of good sounds in Jah universe.

Tags: Hot Tuna, Reggae Music, Top Ten // 4 Comments »

Hey keep your eyes and ears open…..there’s a new Hot Tuna CD about to be released! It’s a new… never -before- released LIVE CD from way back in the day……so, what we have here is a NEW CD of vintage Hot Tuna. HOT TUNA LIVE AT NEW ORLEANS HOUSE BERKELEY, CA 09/69…..will be released on Collector’s Choice on April 20th. We have received an early shipment of this CD and you can purchase it at the Company Store.

As all long time HT (Hot Tuna) fans will know……the first self-titled HT record was recorded at this same venue at about the same time. Apparently the band had a multi-night engagement at Berkeley’s New Orleans House in September of 1969 and while all the songs on the HT debut album came from this run of shows…….ALL of the songs on this new CD are unreleased performances. Six of the songs on this CD are titles that were on the 1st album, however, even these are different performances then the ones that showed up on the original release. At this time HT was still a side project for Jefferson Airplaners……Jack and Jorma.

This is a great opportunity for Tuna fans to hear the beginnings of a group that is still going strong 40 years later. I always enjoyed that first album on RCA and I’m really enjoying this new release a whole heap as well. Having been a Tuna fan for a long time with every piece of music they put out whether it was acoustic or electric ……official or bootleg……in my collection……I must say that the first record has always been my favorite. This new CD has alot of the same charm to it that put that first record at the top of the stack. The set is like a greatest hits LIVE collection. It’s amazing how many of these songs that formed the bulk of the HT repertoire in the early days, are still a part of their live shows. This is timeless music folks……and it sounds as good now as it did then. Of the 13 tracks that comprise the new CD……all of them would find there way onto one of the three initial HT recordings. The cool thing about that is that you get to hear an early live version of “Keep On Truckin” that would make it onto HT’s third record, BURGERS, as a studio track three years later. The same goes for “True Religion” and “Sea Child”. It’s great hearing them in this earlier context. There is also a good representation of songs that would wind up on HT’s second record…
FIRST PULL UP - THEN PULL DOWN.

This new live set starts off with an upbeat “Come Back Baby”. Jorma has been performing this song at a slower pace the last few years…..with fine results…..but back then the song flew at a nice clip. A couple things that you will instantly notice and most likely enjoy…..The new LIVE CD has exceptionally super high fidelity…..and the mix is real nice. The bass is very up in the mix and Jack’s playing is just incredible…..you can hear why he is considered one of the greatest bass players of all time. This CD also features Will Scarlette on harmonica and I like his playing on this CD better then the official RCA original release, that also featured him. It seems that his playing on these unreleased performances is a little bit more restrained ….yet, when he gets his time to blow……he’s doing some great playing.

All the great HT songs are on this CD and they really get a chance to jam out on them……you see, HT was a jam band before such a classification existed. “Sea Child”, one of the great Kaukonen originals, gets a nice 10 minute plus workout and it really is an exciting LIVE version of this still popular HT favorite. This live set has a very organic feel to it and JK’s voice has a great vintage sound ! Aside from Jorma’s singing being classic……his guitar playing is ethereal….with all the classic elements at work here…….improv….speed….taste….bending and pulling great tones from his strings….it is JK doing what he does best!

In closing ……I can’t say enough good things about this NEW CD…..it sounds killer…..fidelity wise as well as for the great music contained within the 68 minutes of pure, vintage and classic Hot Tuna represented here. Maximum respect to Jorma and Jack…..and BIG THANKS to the folks that ran the tapes all those years ago…..I wonder if they knew how great they would sound 40 years on or what a great glimpse it would give present day listeners of the early days of Hot Tuna. A strong foundation was laid down ……and the house is still rockin!

SONG TITLES IN CD SEQUENCE…….Come Back Baby…Keep On Truckin’…Death Don’t Have No Mercy…Winin’ Boy Blues…Uncle Sam Blues….Know You Rider…Don’t You Leave Me Here….Never Happen No More…How Long Blues….True Religion…Sea Child….Candy Man….Keep Your Lamps Trimmed and Burning.

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We’ve put the wraps on another GREAT Fur Peace Ranch weekend. This was our first - big session camp weekend - here at the Ranch in the beautiful hills of SE Ohio. I say big session because not only did we have the Captain of the camp, Jorma, here teaching, but he was also joined by two real heavyweights in the music world…..Stefan Grossman and Larry Coryell. We had a great mix of
students that was predominately made up of “repeat offenders” along with some new students. I’m not usually aware of who will be coming to the Fur Peace on a camp weekend until the day before arrival. When I started to go through the list and cabin assignments…..I’m like….no way, wow, all my favorite people are coming in this weekend. As Debbie has pointed out to me….I do have lots of favorites, still the concentration was deep and strong. The new folks were all great as well and the combination was a beautiful thing. Sometimes I look at the Ranch as a microcosm and when I look around at all the fine folks that come through our doors…..I think how lucky I am……and I also think that if the world community had the energy, spirit, music and friends like we spend our time with in the course of a weekend……well, just lookout…..there would be no problems, no worries and alot of good music in the air.

We were so happy to have both, Stefan and Larry, back to the Ranch. Stefan is such a treat and a treasure!!! He is the consummate teacher and does alot to prepare for his class. He made up a nice instructional booklet just for his Fur Peace visit with 15 songs that he taught his students along with a CD. All respect Stefan……what a nice thought and great learning tool, and he gave one to each of his students.

Larry got down to the Ranch just in time to start his afternoon session. He had played up in Quebec the night before and had really done some hustling to get to the Ranch. He jumped right into things and got the place swinging. Jorma had a great class too! Lots of teaching and learning as our three professors worked diligently with their eager students.



Saturday night was our first concert in the 2010 concert series and what a way to kick off the season! We started things off in our usual manner with Vanessa and I taking the stage to greet the crowd and make some stage announcements. After we had said about all there was to say…..I prompted the entire audience into a stellar version of Happy Birthday in honor of Vanessa’s birthday as
the staff promenaded down the aisle with a birthday cake ….. candles a burnin….not that there were a bunch of them. The cake was delicious and they had spelled out the “Happy Birthday Vanessa” in red, gold and green……now I don’t know where they got that idea……but I dug it. Stefan took the stage and treated all to a fine hour of country blues guitar. He was in top form and you could tell he was enjoying the evening and the audience ……he had the whole house clapping through one song……until the stop spot came up……and he also got everyone to sing along to “My Creole Belle”. Brilliant fun is what this master spun during his set. Stefan as a young man learned his craft from the old Blues Masters of the day…… Rev. Gary Davis, Skip James, Son House, Mississippi John Hurt among others. He channeled them during his performance and added some colorful stories that were an added treat. The beautiful thing about hearing Stefan play or teach is that you feel the link from way back as he connects these early masters to the present day……..they left their treasures in good hands.



Larry Coryell took the stage after the intermission along with his bass player, Jonathan Wood and drummer Jun Saito and they came out swinging. Opening their set with Milt Jacksons, “Bags Groove”, they totally put us in the groove and the mood for a night of Jazz. In introducing Larry I declared that he is arguably Jazz’s greatest living guitarist and I would stand by that. His set was fantastic!!! He played one of my all time favorite Larry songs….”Dragons Gate” along with Thelonious Monk’s “Twinkle Tingle”…..we got to hear the Theme from Black Orpheus as well as his beautiful original ……named after his beautiful wife……”Tracie”. He also played a solo piece on acoustic guitar, “Bolero”, and one of our regulars came over to me and told me that alone was worth the price of admission. At the end of the night Stefan joined up with Larry for a fine jam! What a night…….boy, we were all jazzed. Larry has such a nice way about him and he is also quite articulate…..He remarked to the audience how happy he was to return to the Fur Peace Ranch….. “Jorma’s castle of culture in the wilderness.” Yeah, Larry.



While I do try to give my blog the feel of a journal into a day in the life of…….I also will try to spice it up a bit from time to time with some precious information…..and here is some. Just about when I was saying my goodbye to Larry, I asked him….”What are your favorite three Jazz albums?”…..Now aside from having too many favorites, I also have a ton of records accumulated from my time in the business and a life long love of record collecting…..so these kind of things interest me…..and here they are: Wes Montgomery “Incredible Jazz Guitar of“, Bill Evans - “Live at the Village Vanguard, Vol. 1” and Miles Davis “My Funny Valentine: Live at Lincoln Center“. Good stuff and a great time.



Sunday’s student performance was another winner. The variety and talent on the Fur Peace stage was staggering. BIG UP to all, cause it truly was all good. I was very happy that Brett E. asked me to play a song with him. He knows I’m a big Dylan fan and we decided to do ” I Shall be Released”. While running through it on Sunday morning Alan D. heard us and he was adding some nice sounds on his twelve string while sitting off to the side…..but he wasn’t out of ear range and we pulled him on in as a part of the performance. Now on top of this we added the fine sounds of Mitch’s accordion and Vanessa’s harmony vocal to make the song complete. Come Sunday night……another treat……we all got to hear a brilliant and magnificent set from JORMA…..solo…..and just for us! I get to hear JK alot and although he always sounds great……he went past that this night. Alot of happy campers leaving the concert hall that night. Everyone was inspired and a group of students got a jam going that went into early morning. Everyone has left now…..but the groove remains……and many memories of another great weekend here at the Fur Peace.

Tags: Fur Peace Ranch, Guitar Workshops, Top Ten // 3 Comments »

Well, we’re back at it once again here at the ole Fur Peace Ranch……just about to wrap up our first session of season number 13…..and it’s been a good one. This was one of the weekends we do a couple times a year where it is just Jorma and his trusty teaching assistant, Marjorie Thompson, passing on their knowledge in an intimate workshop setting…..only 10 students in the whole camp. It’s a great way for us to start a new season as it allows us to ease on in, before going full tilt boogie. We’re able to test the waters and make sure every thing is working and that we remembered all the things we do and I’d say that there is no doubt……we are back in the groove again. They were calling for storms all weekend, yet we were treated to a beautiful and sunny Friday before the storms did arrive. Still…..we never let weather dampen our spirits…..and it has been said…rain or shine it’s always a good time at the Fur Peace Ranch…..and it was. Jorma and Marjorie had a wonderful group of students and they were treated to some intensive and thoughtful workshop sessions. This arrangement also allows Jorma to give each and every student some one-on-one instruction and that is a priceless addition to the curriculum. Marjorie just loves teaching and she was always available to help with student’s individual needs as well as adding a session on the caged system for a bonus.

Aside from all the great teaching…..the kitchen staff was dynamite as were the meals they so lovingly prepare. Chef Chris……maximum respect to that dude…..he was on top of his game right from the get go and the meals were just better then ever…..and they’ve always been top shelf. Queen Deb is still here with us and aside from the help she provides in the kitchen she always adds a nice touch to the presentation……the food doesn’t only taste great….the way it is served and the way the dining room is set up is great too. Brenda…..the cookie lady……was in prime form too……and the cookies and cakes (especially that angel food cake and pistachio cake) were nothing short of bombastic fantastic!!! On Friday night we had for dinner a wonderful penne pasta with smoked salmon….on Saturday night we had ribs with sweet potatoes fries and scalloped potatoes……and cornbeef made from scratch for Sunday lunch, followed by a pistachio chicken with organic raspberry sauce for dinner. All these fine meals were accompanied by some wonderful side dishes and organic salads. Yes……we’re eating well!

The days here at camp are busy, with learning and eating filling up the schedule. Each night we had some real special happenings as well. On Saturday night Jorma performed a very intimate “Living Room Concert” for the students in attendance. We set up one of the Library rooms for the concert and it was just like being in a nice living room. We had folks sitting on the couch and easy chair……and some enjoyed a nice spot on the floor with some pillows to provide comfort. Jorma put on a heck of a great show and he also put together a wonderful setlist for the occasion….It went like this…..True Religion….Too Many Years (nice to hear this back in the mix)……Come Back Baby…..Things That Might Have Been (one of JK’s newest compositions that has been really growing on me)…..There’s a Bright Side Somewhere……Nine Pound Hammer……Izze’s Lullaby……Search My Heart……Uncle Sam’s Blues……Follow the Drinking Gourd……What are they Doin in Heaven Tonight……River of Time……Death Don’t Have no Mercy…..and Let Us Get Together.

You see what I mean? …..a fantastic set only surpassed by the fine delivery from the Captain! Another very cool aspect of this evening’s show was that it was totally unplugged…..no mics and no cords and I sure like that …….for several reasons. Very cool night and very special time!!!!



Saturday night was another special one too. For the second part of our “Living Room Concert Series” we were treated to a wonderful performance from Ms. Marjorie Thompson!!! Always good to see and have Marjorie around the Ranch and she played a wonderful show for us all. Marjorie performed in the same format as JK…..unplugged and acoustic….and her set had a fine continuity to it which showcased material from several of the 6 CDs in her discography. She performed songs from her just released CD…Good, Fast and Cheap and they are some of her strongest compositions. Marjorie’s set went like this……Weather Report…….Poster Child……So Long……Clean My House……She Loves You…..Too Old to Care…….Angels…….Good, Fast and Cheap…….Spirit Train……and Old Timers. A real nice night of music and a dynamic performance from Marjorie. Well……The students are in the workshop building doing their last morning session before we break camp……it’s been a great weekend and I’m taking that to be an auspicious sign…..I ‘m going to have to wrap this journal entry up for now……but in closing I’ll add……Aside from the good eating…..the great lessons ….and great shows……we also had a wonderful student performance. We were able to do the student performance as a round robin….everyone in a big circle and everyone playing a song when it came their way. We went around that circle three times and man, oh, man……it was a lot of fun……The Student Performance was another really big show!!!


All this and a fellowship of friends and musicians that is down right good for the soul…….Bless Up!

Tags: Fur Peace Ranch, Fur Peace Special Events, Guitar Workshops, Jorma Kaukonen // 3 Comments »

Well it’s been real nice here at the Fur Peace Ranch this week as we all scurried about getting ready for the upcoming season. Yes, some nice warm and sunny weather……brought directly back from California….has been a big plus in creating the perfect environment for us to get everything done around here.

The outside grounds are looking real nice with Brother Jeroch putting his special touch on the landscape. The Tibetan Prayer Flags that hang at various spots throughout the Ranch have been replenished. The CD order has come in and the CD case in the Company Store is now full once again. The Library Building, which houses the Co. Store, a classroom and a second floor musical resource library has brand new carpet and Kelly has also given the walls a nice new coat of paint.

The truck driver from the local rock quarry has just left after spreading TWO truck loads of crusher run rock on our long driveway…..he’s done a nice job.The fresh shipment of Fur Peace Ranch Campfire Coffee …..just roasted on Tuesday…..was dropped off by Loraine from Silver Bridge Coffee. The entire kitchen staff has been in all week making sure everything they need for the start of our season is on the shelves and in the cupboards.


Yes, indeed …….Year #13 for the Fur Peace Ranch will commence tomorrow with the arrival of students for Jorma’s Special Weekend, with Marjorie Thompson and the Captain teaching the finer points of Finger Style Guitar that will give the students keys to the fingerstyle highway.


It’s funny……most of our employees have been here for a long time……long enough that we can all joke about how we wait till the last minute to finish things off. But you know what……I’m OK with it and I’d guess we all are……it has become our modus operandi… we all work good in a pinch and under pressure. As we get ready to leave for the day and look around this beautiful place that we call the Fur Peace Ranch…it is looking great and we’re ready….everything on the list…….ok, well almost everything……has been crossed off. So………….let the workshops begin and all the good times and good eating that come with them……it’ll be nice to see our people again.

Tags: Fur Peace Ranch, Fur Peace Special Events, Guitar Workshops, Jorma Kaukonen // 2 Comments »