Steve Kimock Joins Hot Tuna In New York

Hot Tuna welcomed guitarist Steve Kimock on Friday night to kick off their two-night run at The Town Hall in New York as part of their 50th anniversary tour. The legendary blues band — led by former Jefferson Airplane members guitarist Jorma Kaukonen and bassist Jack Casady — performed in their electric format with drummer Justin Guip and welcomed Kimock for large chunks of the first and second sets as well as the encore.

Hot Tuna kicked things off with the Kaukonen-penned “Been So Long,” which is also the title of his recent memoir. Next, Jack and Jorma got into some blues classics with Jelly Roll Morton’s “Winin’ Boy Blues” and Son House’s “Walkin’ Blues.” The band then turned to material from their 1973 album Burgers with “Ode To Billy Dean” and “Sea Child.” Kimock would join the band on the latter and stay on for the rest of the set of blues staples including “Hesitation Blues” (traditional) Bobby Rush’s “Bow Legged Woman, Knock Kneed Man” and Jimmy Reed’s “Baby What You Want Me To Do” to close out the set.

The second set got underway with “Serpent Of Dreams” from Hot Tuna’s 1974 album America’s Choice. After the Jefferson Airplane era song “Trial By Fire,” Kimock came out again on the rocking instrumental “Easy Now” and would stay on for the remainder of the show which included B.B. King’s “Rock Me Baby,” Kimcok’s own “Sleep Song” and the Jefferson Airplane tune “Good Shepherd.” The set came to a close with “Funky #7” which, according to Setlist.FM, contained a “My Favorite Things” tease from Kimock.

Kimock would remain with Hot Tuna for their encore, the instrumental “Water Song.” Check out video of that as well as “Winin’ Boy Blues” and “Easy Now” posted by HotF’nTuna below:

Water Song

Easy Now

Winin’ Boy Blues