Well it ain't The Allman Brothers Band and The Jefferson Airplane, but tonight's show at the House Of Blues with the Derek Trucks Band opening for Hot Tuna is the next best thing. While the young guitar whiz Derek Trucks enjoyed a really big 1999 by joining his Uncle Butch Trucks in the ABB, the kid also keeps his own jazz-rock-fusion band going on the side for times like these.
Hot Tuna has been a venerable rock-blues institution for thirty years-ever since guitarist Jorma Kaukonen and bassist Jack Cassidy started up the project to keep busy when their main band, the Airplane, was temporarily grounded. Actually, this show would have been a perfect New Year's Eve gig but just because it's happening a month early doesn't mean that these guys won't be rocking well after midnight. Trucks demonic slide guitar style is reminiscent of none other than the late Duane "Skydog" Allman and the band's instrumental motifs hark back to the Allman's extended jazz-blues-rock compositions like "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed."
Hot Tuna should bounce back and forth from Jorma's acoustic country-blues fingerpicking to out-and-out electric rock 'n' roll with plenty of old favorites throughout the set. Yes, guitars are the instrument of choice for the evening and there should be a fair amount of instrumental excess along the way (read: jamming) but the vibes should be mellow and dancing is encouraged. So haul out your tie-dye shirt or at least wear your those faded blue jeans you've got stashed away in the closet, Messrs. Trucks, Kaukonen and Cassidy are gonna rock away yer blues all night long (or at least until one o'clock in the morning).
by Mitch Myers
copyright 1999 New City Communications, Inc.