Mercury Studios to release Hot Tuna acoustic three-CD boxed set for the first time out July 7, 2023

Mercury Studios continues to issue exciting live recordings that capture a diverse mix of musical legends at the height of their powers. Check out news released today about an upcoming 3CD box set focusing on Hot Tuna...Robert Kinsler

MERCURY STUDIOS TO RELEASE HOT TUNA THREE-CD BOXED SET ACOUSTIC HOT TUNA GENIUS PACKAGED TOGETHER FOR THE FIRST TIME ~OUT JULY 7~ PRE-ORDER LINK HERE

New York, NY (May 18, 2023) — Mercury Studios will release on July 7 a special three-CD boxed set of Hot Tuna, in-concert from the ‘90’s. Complete with full acoustic band—no drums—at The Sweetwater Music Hall in Mill Valley, California two nights in a row, and at Stove’s in Yokohama, Japan. Originally released by Relix in the ‘90s, then reissued/remastered with bonus tracks by Eagle Records in 2004, the box will house for the first time all three shows in one sterling package complete with poster. Singer/Songwriter/Guitarist/Author Jorma Kaukonen and bassist Jack Casady have been performing as Hot Tuna since 1969 when they were both in San Francisco’s pre-eminent rock’n’roll band, Jefferson Airplane. When the Airplane morphed into Jeffferson Starship, the pair went on as a duo and as a collective with a rotating cast to concentrate on their blues, folk, country, early pop and jams to make Hot Tuna an early forerunner of Americana . Loved by millions for decades ever since, these shows contain the best of what they’ve been known for: hot rockin’ blues, bluegrass, folk and country. (In the ‘90s, they were even doing Jefferson Airplane covers, plus covers of Elvis, Dylan, Bill Monroe and Johnny Cash!) Special guests include Grateful Dead’s Bob Weir and folksinger Happy Traum. Of special note is an exceedingly rare version of Jefferson Airplane's 1966 "Embryonic Journey" performed acoustically with no drums. Jorma has been for years now the foremost exponent of the Southeast Piedmont Blues Guitar fingerpicking style that legends like Blind Blake, the Rev. Gary Davis, Mississippi John Hurt, Brownie McGhee and Blind Willie McTell brought to prominence. His 2018 Been So Long autobiography explains his transition from Acid Rocker to Folk Blues Hero. He now is, in fact, that which he first started out emulating: the real deal…a bluesman of the finest order. And no one adds to his oeuvre like Jack Casady. Be prepared to be blown away.

Live At Sweetwater’s CD 1  January 27, 1992  Jorma Kaukonen, vocals, guitar, dobro, pedal steel  Jack Casady, bass  Michael Falzarano, vocals, guitar, mandolin, harmonica  Guests include Bob Weir, guitar, vocals; Pete Sears, keyboards; Wavy Gravy and Maria Muldaur, vocals.    1) Whinin’ Boy Blues  2) Great Change  3) Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out  4) I Know You Rider  5) Embryonic Journey  6) Trouble In Mind  7) Bank Robber  8) I See The Light  9) I’ll Be There For You  10) True Religion  11) I Belong To The Band  12) Maggie’s Farm  13) That’s All Right Mama  14) Been So Long  15) Genesis  16) Ice Age  17) Praise The Lord And Pass The Snakes Live At Sweetwater’s CD 2 January 28, 1992  Same instrumentation with Happy Traum replacing Wavy Gravy, plus the additions of Bobaloo (bass) and Keith Corssan (sax). 1) Hesitation Blues  2) Dime For Beer  3) Trial By Fire  4) Death Don’t Have No Mercy  5) 99 Year Blues  6) San Francisco Bay Blues  7) Too Many Years  8) Blue Moon Of Kentucky  9) Ain’t Got No Home  10) Good Morning Little Schoolgirl  11) Walkin’ Blues  12) Third Week In The Chelsea  13) My AK-47  14) Parchman Farm  15) Folsom Prison Blues Live In Japan CD 3  January 1997  Stove’s  Yokohama, Japan  Jorma Kaukonen, vocals, guitar  Jack Casady, bass  Michael Falzarano, guitar  Pete Sears, keyboards  Harvey Sorgen, drums    1) Walkin’ Blues  2) Parchman Farm  3) True Religion  4) Been So Long  5) Uncle Sam Blues  6) Vampire Woman  7) Follow The Drinking Gourd  8) Keep Your Lamps Trimmed And Burning  9) Let Us Get Together  10) Third Week In The Chelsea  11) 99 Year Blues  12) Ice Age  13) San Francisco Bay Blues  14) Folsom Prison Blues  15) Mann’s Fate

2019 NAMM Show: Gibson, Taylor Guitars, Tascam

Only hours away from my arrival to cover Media  Day at the 2019 NAMM Show. There continues to be news releases detailing some of the top-tier talents and music products coming to Anaheim this week...

GIBSON: NAMM 2019 DAILY EVENTS AND ARTIST APPEARANCES IN ROOM #207 ANNOUNCED GIBSON’s NAMM JAM OPENING PARTY SET TO KICK-OFF THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2019 AT CITY NATIONAL GROVE OF ANAHEIM

In 2019, after more than a century, GIBSON artists, players and enthusiasts will experience the all American-made instrument brand rejuvenated. The guitar of choice for artists in rock, pop, country, blues, folk, jazz and beyond, the new GIBSON era celebrates iconic models while looking to the future with instruments that will nurture new players across generations, genders and genres of music. GIBSONwill showcase the new line-up and artist collaborations at NAMM in Anaheim, CA, January 23-27. Peter Frampton will perform at City National Grove of Anaheim on Thursday, Jan. 24. On Wednesday, January 23 the GIBSON experience will launch with a media preview (3 p.m.) in the NAMM lobby followed by a special surprise for guests around the 4:45 p.m. hour. Beginning Thursday, January 24, the GIBSON space in Room #207 will feature daily events from artist performances, Q&A’s and new product debuts from GIBSON icons and upstarts (starts 10 a.m. daily, see schedule below).  Robby Krieger performing at the NAMM Show in 2014. He returns to the event this week. Later Thursday night (Jan. 24), GIBSON will kick-off their opening party--NAMM Jam at City National Grove of Anaheim (7:30 p.m.) with live performances from Billy Gibbons, Nancy Wilson, Peter Frampton, Robby Krieger, Emily Wolfe, Black Pistol Fire, Cam, Jared James Nichols and more while Jimmy Vivino, Kenny Arnoff, Daryl Jones and Jeff Young round out the house band. Following is the daily schedule for GIBSON artist appearances at NAMM 2019 (Room #207):  For more information on GIBSON, visit: WEBSITE | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE About Gibson: Gibson Brands, the world’s most iconic guitar brand, has shaped the sounds of generations of musicians and music lovers across genres for more than 100 years. Founded in 1894 and headquartered in Nashville, TN, Gibson Brands has a legacy of world-class craftsmanship, legendary music partnerships and progressive product evolution that is unrivaled among musical instrument companies. The Gibson Brands portfolio includes Gibson, the number one guitar brand, as well as many of the most beloved and recognizable music brands, including Epiphone, Kramer, Steinberger and Gibson Pro Audio division brands Cerwin Vega, KRK Systems and Stanton. Gibson Brands is dedicated toquality, innovation and sound excellence so that music lovers for generations to come will continue to experience music shaped by Gibson Brands. Learn more at http://www.gibson.com and follow us onTwitter, Facebook and Instagram. Taylors Guitars Booth to host performances during NAMM Show White Buffalo will perform at the Taylor Guitars booth on Saturday, Jan. 26 at 5 p.m. Taylor Guitars always offers a diverse range of talented artists in its booths during the NAMM Show. Over the years I've caught many amazing performances at Taylor while getting a chance to play some of the Southern California-based guitar maker's fine instruments too! Below is the just-announced lineup of artists set to perform on Thursday, Friday and Saturday of this week, with links to learn more about the musicians and/or catch performances of them posted on YouTube... Thursday, Jan. 24 3 p.m. - El David  https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/latin/8485489/el-david-aguilar-latin-grammys-red-carpet 4 p.m. - Bad Flower - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLX34h450Ss 5 p.m. - Lights  - http://music.iamlights.com/ Friday, Jan. 25 3 p.m. - Snuffy  & Sara - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I44WkxpeoNo 4 p.m. - Molly Miller -  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCpMBH35-F0&t=88s 5 p.m. - Daniel Marly aka Bambaata https://www.last.fm/music/Daniel+Bambaata+Marley/+wiki Saturday, Jan. 26 3 p.m. - Daniel Donato - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=es5C5RB4BQs 4 p.m. - Trey Hensley - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TpJiiQVs3g 5 p.m. - White Buffalo - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Kk3fVmPxOk D’Angelico NAMM Stage Packed with Performances From January 24th to the 27th, D’Angelico Guitars’ NAMM Booth 212AB will feature performances from some of music’s biggest stars such as Bob Weir, Robert Randolph, Jonathan Butler, and Brandon “Taz” Niederauer. Performances are every hour on the hour starting at noon or 1 p.m., lasting twenty-five minutes per set. Each set will be live-streamed by Relix Magazine. Thursday, January 24th, 2019 12:00 PM — The Spirit Fingers 1:00 PM — Fabrizio Sotti 2:00 PM — Tony Bruno 3:00 PM — Kerry Marshall with Mac Ayres 4:00 PM — Jonathan Butler 5:00 PM — Brandon Taz Niederauer 7:00 PM — Bob Weir and Wolf Bros** private event Friday, January 25th, 2019 1:00 PM — Allan Harris 2:00 PM — Zane Carney with Yoav Eshed 3:00 PM — Phony PPL 4:00 PM — Brandon Taz Niederauer 5:00 PM — Robert Randolph Saturday, January 26th, 2019 12:00 PM — Ruby Leigh Pearson Lit’l Miss Country 1:00 PM — Adam Miller 2:00 PM — Chris Mazuera & Curt Henderson and Special Guests 3:00 PM — Melanie Faye 4:00 PM — Erick Walls 5:00 PM — Fabrizio Sotti **All sets are open to all NAMM attendees unless otherwise marked. Tascam Debuts Model 24 Mixer and more at  NAMM 2019 TASCAM will be  pulling the wraps off their new and hottest products at this year's NAMM show, including some new, as yet unseen surprises. At booth 18910 in the North Hall of the Anaheim Convention Center, TASCAM will be showcasing their brand new Model 24 digital multittrack recorder. Offering 24 tracks of 24-bit, 48 kHz audio capture (22 channels and a stereo main mix) and 22 playback tracks via either USB 2.0 or to the unit's onboard SD Card recorder, the Model 24 delivers quick, easy one-touch recording and includes transport controls, auto and manual punch in/out, and overdub capability. With color-coded knobs, faux-wood sides, and a retro design, the Model 24 is reminiscent of vintage TASCAM products but it's based on the company's industry-leading digital Portastudio technology, as evidenced by its LCD screen and digital recording and Bluetooth® input features. Regular demos of the Model 24 will be shown throughout the day each day of the show. In addition to the Model 24, TASCAM will be unveiling several other new products for professional audio, DSLR video, and installed AV applications. Come by and get a first look at some brand new cutting edge surprises. The TASCAM booth will also be hosting the debut of Gig Performer 3.0, the innovative, feature-rich software platform that transforms your plug-ins into a powerful live performance system. Paired with TASCAM's US-20x20 USB interface, Gig Performer 3.0 offers a complete live performance solution for taking control of your setup. Also at the TASCAM booth, join Nuclear Blast Records, home of Slayer, Death Angel, Accept, Hammerfall and other great metal artists. Nuclear Blast will be hosting a listening station featuring vinyl spun on custom TEAC turntables, as well as giving away slipmats, and other cool swag. Orange County based Burger Records, will also be hosting at the TASCAM booth this year. One of the major forces behind the cassette revival, Burger Records will be hosting a cassette rewind contest, and giving away copies of some of their current releases. And Blue Coast Records, the premier DSD and high resolution audio label, will be joining TASCAM again this year, using the opportunity to showcase their recordings on the TASCAM DA-3000 Stereo Master Recorder. Elsewhere at the booth, the stage will host sets by celebrated singer-songwriter RT Valine, as well as a performance by San Diego's Beebs and her Moneymakers, Gramm-nominated producer/guitarist Johnny K (Disturbed, 3 Doors Down), and Odyssy featuring DJ Johnny Juice of Public Enemy. Between musical performances, check out demos of Model 24, Gig Performer, and presentations on high-resolution recording from Blue Coast's Cookie Marenco and Earful Productions' Jim Stern, as well as DW Fearn and the Hazelrigg Brothers.

Dead & Company set dates for 2017 Fall Tour

The music of the Grateful Dead truly lives on through the powerful performances of Dead & Company. Read my review of the group's terrific performance at Irvine Meadows in July 2016 here. I first caught the band earlier that year at a strong performance at the Fabulous Forum; you can read my review of that show here.

Check out the media release before on details on the troupe's next series of concert dates...

Tickets on Sale Beginning Saturday, September 16, 2017, at 10 a.m.

Fresh off their highly acclaimed summer tour, DEAD & COMPANY has added a fall leg to its 2017 tour beginning with two shows at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, November 12, and Tuesday, November 14, and running through Friday, December 8, at the BB&T Center in Sunrise, Florida. Tickets go on sale for most concerts starting Saturday, September 16, at 10 AM through Ticketmaster, unless otherwise noted. Tickets for the Orlando and Sunrise concerts go on sale Saturday, September 23, at 10 AM. A full listing of tour dates can be found below.

Dead & Company performing at Irvine Meadows on July 26, 2016.
Photo: Bob Steshetz

The celebrated group features original Grateful Dead members Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann and Bob Weir alongside singer/guitarist John Mayer, Allman Brothers’ bassist Oteil Burbridge and Fare Thee Well and RatDog keyboardist Jeff Chimenti. Continuing in the tradition of the Grateful Dead, the group draws from the Dead’s vast catalog of songs and is taking the iconic music catalogue to new heights.

To ensure fans get tickets in their hands directly, Fan Registration will be available for the fall tour dates beginning today, September 7, at Noon ET, through Ticketmaster’s Verified Fan program; supplies are limited, further information here. Presale opportunities will be available beginning Tuesday, September 12, at 10 AM.  

American Express® Card Members can purchase tickets before the general public beginning Tuesday, September 12, at noon through Friday, September 15, at 10 PM in all markets except in Orlando and Sunrise, Florida. In Orlando and Sunrise, American Express® Card Members can purchase tickets before the general public Tuesday, September 19, at noon through Friday, September 22, at 10 PM.

Dead & Company has once again partnered with CID Entertainment to offer VIP Experiences & Seamless Packages on tour including a premium concert ticket with early venue entry, a limited edition, screen printed poster, and a commemorative concert ticket and case. For full package details, visit CID Entertainment.

Check deadandcompany.com for complete ticketing information.

The inaugural Dead & Company tour, in the fall of 2015, kicked off with two sold-out shows at the legendary Madison Square Garden, which Billboard dubbed as "magical,” followed by three highly successful U.S. tours. Dead & Company is “potent enough to enrapture the faithful and convert the skeptical” (Boston Globe).

Dead & Company Fall Tour 2017 Dates:

SUN    12-Nov             New York, NY            Madison Square Garden                 

TUE     14-Nov            New York, NY            Madison Square Garden     

THU    16-Nov            Philadelphia, PA        Wells Fargo Center**

FRI      17-Nov             Boston, MA                TD Garden    

TUE     21-Nov            Washington D.C.       Capital One Arena    

WED   22-Nov            Hartford, CT               XL Center**

FRI      24-Nov           Detroit, MI                  Little Caesars Arena 

SAT     25-Nov            Columbus, OH           Nationwide Arena    

TUE     28-Nov           Charlotte, NC             Spectrum Center      

WED   29-Nov           Atlanta, GA                 Philips Arena 

FRI      1-Dec               Dallas, TX                   American Airlines Center    

SAT     2-Dec              Austin, TX                   Frank Erwin Center**

TUE     5-Dec              New Orleans, LA       Smoothie King Center          

THU    7-Dec              Orlando, FL                Amway Center++     

FRI      8-Dec              Sunrise, FL                 BB&T Center++

**Tickets are not available through Ticketmaster for these concerts.

++Tickets go on sale Saturday, September 23, at 10 AM.