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Jorma Kaukonen Blue Country Heart |
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Track List
1. Blue Railroad Train |
(Columbia) Ok, guitarist extraordinaire
Jorma Kaukonen is probably best known to most people as a founding
member of the '60s rock band Jefferson Airplane, and later on, along
with fellow Airplane member Jack Casady, formed the blues band Hot Tuna.
That being said, 22 years since last being
signed to a major label, much to his own amazement, at age 61, Jorma is
now once again signed to a major label, and has released his first
project on Columbia, titled Blue Country Heart- an album of
Depression-era country songs.
Before you think- ah, here comes the parade
of bandwagon jumpers riding in on the coattails of O Brother- be
forewarned, this isn't the case with either Jorma or Blue Country Heart.
Long before there ever was a Jefferson Airplane, Jorma listened to
and played this kind of music, and amassed an extensive
record collection of it along the way. He became enamored of it as a
child when his father got their first phonograph and a Jimmie Rodgers
album. His work with Hot Tuna also provided him the outlet to play the
music that is his passion- Piedmont and Delta blues, which is in fact, a
close cousin to country music.
Jorma admits though, that because of the O
Brother phenomenon, the record label was probably a little nicer to him
than they might ordinarily be, since this album would undoubtedly appeal
to the fans of that CD. However, he goes on to say "I enjoyed playing
rock & roll, but I'm coming full circle, because I kind of started out
doing this when I was a kid. When I look at a retrospective of all I've
done, I can see the commonality in it."
The roots of the Blue Country Heart project
itself, was born a couple of years ago, after then-Atlantic A&R man Yves
Beauvais caught a show Jorma did at BB King's in NYC. Yves asked Jorma
what his dream project would be, and Jorma told him it was to do a
"period album" of old time country songs with his pals Sam Bush, Byron
House & Jerry Douglas. Yves told Jorma he'd give it some thought and get
back to him. After a few months went by and Jorma didn't hear back from
Yves, he just shrugged it off as an "oh well..." However, a short time
later, he did get a call from Yves, asking Jorma if he was still
interested in doing the album, and explained why he hadn't gotten back
to him sooner- he was no longer with Atlantic, and was now working for
Columbia. Jorma said he most definitely was still interested, Yves told
him to call his friends to see if they were interested in doing the
project, and Jorma's dream project was set in motion.
Blue Country Heart was recorded in
Nashville at Masterlink Studio, with producer Roger Moutentot. The 13
songs that appear on Blue Country Heart were whittled down from nearly
200, from not only the participants' private collections, but
from Columbia's music archives. Jorma
is joined by Sam Bush (mandolin & fiddle), Jerry Douglas (dobro &
Weissenborn), Byron House (bass), and on the tracks "Bread Line Blues"
& "Just Because," Bela Fleck (banjo). The album was recorded live,
with all musicians in the same room, sitting in the round, using
actual vintage instruments from the era. No overdubs or splicing were
used, and the songs evolved as they played them, with no particular
pre-conceived "arrangements" in mind.
The songs that were ultimately selected
and make up Blue Country Heart, are excellent choices indeed, that
vividly paint a picture of the place in time from which they came, a
lesson in American history set to music. Like O Brother, the songs
aren't clearly bluegrass, blues or country, but come from a place before
the lines and boundaries were formed, and the music contained all the
elements, when musicians both black and white borrowed and learned from
each other- and played their music together.
Jorma chose songs by Jimmie Rodgers,
"Waiting For A Train" (a trying to get back home lament), "Those Gambler
Blues" (a maudlin slow, bluesy- almost ragtime dirge to a lover that
died), and the lilting love ballad "You And My Old Guitar." He chose the
Delmore's "Blue Railroad Train" and the dreamy "Blues Stay Away From
Me." The joys of raising a little cain down by the river are covered on
"Governor" Jimmy Davis' "Red River Blues."
Among the more obscure tracks are "Breadline
Blues," a political song skewering candidates running for office that
pledge that if each wins there would be no more breadlines and life will
be better. "Prohibition Blues" is a riotous song about the effects
of prohibition and how bootlegging was making everybody rich- but at the
same time warning that some of that bootlegged liquor just may make you
go blind. "I'm Free From The Chain Gang Now" with it's lovely melody,
tells the tale of a man falsely accused of a crime and sent to prison to
work the chain gang. After serving his years, he's finally set free, but
harbors no ill will, instead looking forward to picking up and getting
on with his life with the woman that's waited for him. The CD closes
with Washington Phillips' sweet, pondering lullabye to the dearly
departed, "What Are They Doing In Heaven Today?"
Jorma's laid back vocals, easy arrangements
and the stellar musicianship of all parties involved, makes Blue Country
Heart the perfect soundtrack for a lazy, hot summer night, sitting on
the porch imagining the world in simpler times. For those just
discovering a love for this kind of music through O Brother, Down From
The Mountain, or Patty Loveless' Mountain Soul, I recommend not missing
out on this gem and add it to your collection. For those that have long
been fans of this music, and may already be very familiar with these
songs- don't pass on it. Jorma and friends breathe a wonderful new life
into them.
Jorma has stated, "I'm certainly going to
stay in this genre because, the more I do it, the more I discover and
the more exciting it is for me. I've been familiar with this music all
my life, but I've never really gotten into it before like I'm getting
into it now. There's a lot of stuff left to learn. There's still a bunch
of ore left in the mine, and I plan on doing a lot more mining."
Let's certainly hope so!
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AnnMarie
Harrington Take Country Back July 2002