venerdì 28 giugno 2013

Review of Quah by Jorma Kaukonen, BMG 2003



Jorma is a great man, a legend for rock and the fingerpicking blues. Just remeber one name, only one name and it would be enough for his career: Jefferson Airplane. This would be enough for immortality.
But Jorma is not only Jefferson Airplane. Jorma is an acoustic guitar, he is the fingerpicking, Jorma adores the Reverend Gary Davis, Jorma is one who wants to play and that beyond the hippies, beyond "peace and love" things he wants to make only one thing: play his music.
In 1974, after having left Jefferson, he publishes this records that is his first album, a sparklinggem titled Quah. Jack Casady, other ex member of the Jefferson Airplane, produces it. Quah is a record of other times, practically only voice and guitar and it contains Genesis, one of the most beautiful ballads and others classical as Police dog blues, I'll be alright, Song for the North Star and I Am the Light of This World, always by Rev Gary Davis. This recorf is simply perfect, it has no weakness and it transudes talent, simplicity, honesty and coherence on every groove
My edition is the one reprinted in 2003 with the add-on of 4 unpublished works: Lord Have Mercy (Kaukonen), No Mail Today (Blind Johnny Davis), Midnight In Milpitas (Kaukonen) and Barrier. In this case the unpublished works add few to a cd than is perfect, but they are always appreciated. Historical record, is true, but how much we have to learn 40 years later from it if it is already essential for whoever wants to play the acoustic guitar and the fingerpicking blues. I believe that Quah belongs to the cultural baggage of every guitarist: Jorma shows a marvelous competence and a fluidity, listening to him playing is pure pleasure.

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