Friday, February 3, 2012

If I Get Out of These Blues Alive


Hot Tuna
Hot Tuna
1970, RCA
produced by Al Schmidt

Jorma Kaukonen - guitar, vocals
Jack Cassady - bass
Will Scarlet - harmonica

I love this album. There is nothing bad to say about it.  It's live and ass kicking. It is also known as "the broken glass album". Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Cassidy were always about the old school blues, especially their favorite blues man, the Reverend Blind Gary Davis. This album encompasses what I think of when I think of the blues, acoustic, performed in a smoky bar environment. Most of the tracks are blues standards, covers, with two Kaukonen originals on the 1st edition, and two more originals from later studio albums on the rerelease. The 12 bar blues is simple, and yet the acoustic guitar, grinding gritty bass, and harmonica play off each other in such a complex way that one is in awe that such a sound comes out of only three guys. There are other good Tuna albums, and other good blues albums, but this one will always be my favorite.

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