The Best of Hot Tuna
Encyclopedia
The Best of Hot Tuna is a Hot Tuna
compilation album released in 1998. It covers songs from all the Hot Tuna albums released on Grunt Records
. Bill Thompson, former manager of Jefferson Airplane
and Hot Tuna
helped select the songs for inclusion. The artwork on the cover is a painting of Jorma Kaukonen
and Jack Casady
made by Grace Slick
. The album was released as a double CD.
Hot Tuna
Hot Tuna is an American blues-rock band formed by bassist Jack Casady and guitarist Jorma Kaukonen as a spin-off of Jefferson Airplane. It plays acoustic and electric versions of original and traditional blues songs.- Jefferson Airplane side project :...
compilation album released in 1998. It covers songs from all the Hot Tuna albums released on Grunt Records
Grunt Records
Grunt Records is a vanity label founded in 1971 by Jefferson Airplane and distributed by RCA Records. Initially created to sign local Bay Area acts, the label later was used only for Jefferson Starship and Hot Tuna releases. The label ended use in 1987 after Grace Slick left...
. Bill Thompson, former manager of Jefferson Airplane
Jefferson Airplane
Jefferson Airplane was an American rock band formed in San Francisco in 1965. A pioneer of the psychedelic rock movement, Jefferson Airplane was the first band from the San Francisco scene to achieve mainstream commercial and critical success....
and Hot Tuna
Hot Tuna
Hot Tuna is an American blues-rock band formed by bassist Jack Casady and guitarist Jorma Kaukonen as a spin-off of Jefferson Airplane. It plays acoustic and electric versions of original and traditional blues songs.- Jefferson Airplane side project :...
helped select the songs for inclusion. The artwork on the cover is a painting of Jorma Kaukonen
Jorma Kaukonen
Jorma Ludwik Kaukonen Jr. is an American blues, folk, and rock guitarist, best known for his work with Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna.-Biography:...
and Jack Casady
Jack Casady
Jack Casady , is an American musician considered one of the foremost bass guitarists of the rock music era and best known as a member of Jefferson Airplane. First playing as a lead guitarist with the Washington D.C...
made by Grace Slick
Grace Slick
Grace Slick is an American singer and songwriter, who was one of the lead singers of the rock groups The Great Society, Jefferson Airplane, Jefferson Starship, and Starship, and was a solo artist, for nearly three decades, from the mid-1960s to the mid-1990s...
. The album was released as a double CD.
Disc One
- "Hesitation Blues" (Traditional) (from Hot TunaHot Tuna (album)Hot Tuna is the self-titled debut album by the blues-rock band Hot Tuna, released in 1970 on RCA Records, catalogue LSP 4550. It was recorded live at the New Orleans House in Berkeley, California in September of 1969. It peaked at #30 on the Billboard 200 album chart...
) – 5:05 - "Know You Rider" (Traditional) (from Hot Tuna) – 4:07
- "Winin' Boy Blues" (Jelly Roll MortonJelly Roll MortonFerdinand Joseph LaMothe , known professionally as Jelly Roll Morton, was an American ragtime and early jazz pianist, bandleader and composer....
) (from Hot Tuna) – 5:31 - "Mann's Fate" (Jorma KaukonenJorma KaukonenJorma Ludwik Kaukonen Jr. is an American blues, folk, and rock guitarist, best known for his work with Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna.-Biography:...
) (from Hot Tuna) – 5:20 - "Keep Your Lamps Trimmed and Burning" (Rev. Gary Davis) (from First Pull Up, Then Pull DownFirst Pull Up, Then Pull DownFirst Pull Up, Then Pull Down was the second album by Hot Tuna. The album was recorded live with electric instruments, instead of the acoustic instruments used on the previous album, Hot Tuna. The album rose to #43 on the Billboard charts...
) – 8:15 - "Candy Man" (Davis) (from First Pull Up, Then Pull Down) – 5:48
- "Been So Long" (Kaukonen) (Studio Version) (from "Been So Long" single) – 3:45
- "Keep On Truckin'" (B. Carleton) (from BurgersBurgers (album)-Personnel:*Jorma Kaukonen – guitars, lead vocals*Jack Casady – bass, vocals, eyebrow*Papa John Creach – violin, vocals*Sammy Piazza – drums, tympani, other percussion, vocals-Additional personnel:...
) – 3:40 - "99 Year Blues" (Julius DanielsJulius DanielsJulius Daniels was an American Piedmont blues musician. His song "99 Year Blues" appeared on the box set Anthology of American Folk Music and has been covered by Jim Kweskin, Chris Smither, Johnny Winter, Charlie Parr and Hot Tuna on their album Burgers...
) (from Burgers) – 3:57 - "Ode for Billy Dean" (Kaukonen) (from Burgers) – 4:50
- "Sea Child" (Kaukonen) (from Burgers) – 5:00
- "Water Song" (Kaukonen) (from Burgers) – 5:15
- "I See the Light" (Kaukonen) (from The Phosphorescent RatThe Phosphorescent Rat-Personnel:*Jorma Kaukonen – vocals, guitars*Jack Casady – electric bass, bass balalaika*Sammy Piazza – drums, spoons, percussion-Additional Personnel:*Tom Salisbury – conductor of strings and woodwinds on "Corners Without Exits" and "Soliloquy for 2"...
) – 4:15 - "Living Just for You" (Kaukonen) (from The Phosphorescent Rat) – 3:18
- "Easy Now" (Kaukonen) (from The Phosphorescent Rat) – 5:10
- "Sally Where'd You Get Your Liquor From" (Davis) (from The Phosphorescent Rat) – 2:56
Disc Two
- "Hit Single #1" (Kaukonen) (from America's ChoiceAmerica's ChoiceAmerica's Choice was the fifth album by the American blues rock band Hot Tuna, recorded in 1974 and released the following year. The first of the "Rampage" trilogy albums recorded by the now power trio, it marked a major shift in musical direction by the group...
) – 5:13 - "Serpent of Dreams" (Kaukonen) (from America's Choice) – 6:51
- "Sleep Song" (Kaukonen) (from America's Choice) – 4:23
- "Funky #7" (Jack CasadyJack CasadyJack Casady , is an American musician considered one of the foremost bass guitarists of the rock music era and best known as a member of Jefferson Airplane. First playing as a lead guitarist with the Washington D.C...
, Kaukonen) (from America's Choice) – 5:47 - "Hot Jelly Roll Blues" (Bo CarterBo CarterArmenter "Bo Carter" Chatmon was an American early blues musician. He was a member of the Mississippi Sheiks in concerts, and on a few of their recordings...
) (from Yellow FeverYellow Fever (album)-Additional Personnel:*Nick Buck – synthesizer on "Bar Room Crystal Ball"*John Sherman – 2nd guitar on "Baby What You Want Me to Do"-Production:*Hot Tuna – producer*Mallory Earl – producer, engineer*Pat Ieraci – production coordinator...
) – 4:21 - "Sunrise Dance with the Devil" (Kaukonen) (from Yellow Fever) – 4:28
- "Bar Room Crystal Ball" (Kaukonen) (from Yellow Fever) – 6:52
- "I Wish You Would" (Billy Boy ArnoldBilly Boy ArnoldBilly Boy Arnold is an American blues harmonica player, singer and songwriter.-Biography:...
) (from HoppkorvHoppkorv-Personnel:*Jorma Kaukonen – vocals, guitar*Jack Casady – bass*Bob Steeler – drums, percussion-Additional Personnel:*Nick Buck – keyboards*John Sherman – 2nd guitar on "Bowlegged Woman, Knock-Kneed Man"*Karen Tobin – background vocals-Production:...
) – 3:10 - "Watch the North Wind Rise" (Kaukonen) (from Hoppkorv) – 4:39
- "It's So Easy" (Buddy HollyBuddy HollyCharles Hardin Holley , known professionally as Buddy Holly, was an American singer-songwriter and a pioneer of rock and roll...
, Norman PettyNorman PettyNorman Petty was an American musician, songwriter, and pioneer record producer who helped shape modern popular music, including pop and rock....
) (from Hoppkorv) – 2:35 - "Song from the Stainless Cymbal" (Kaukonen) (from Hoppkorv) – 4:02
- "Genesis" (Kaukonen) (from Double Dose) – 4:27
- "Rock Me Baby" (Joe Josea, B. B. KingB. B. KingRiley B. King , known by the stage name B.B. King, is an American blues guitarist and singer-songwriter.Rolling Stone magazine ranked him at No.3 on its list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time. According to Edward M...
) (previously unreleased) – 7:36 - "Extrication Love Song" (Kaukonen) (from Double Dose) – 5:20
Personnel
- Jorma KaukonenJorma KaukonenJorma Ludwik Kaukonen Jr. is an American blues, folk, and rock guitarist, best known for his work with Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna.-Biography:...
– guitars, vocals - Jack CasadyJack CasadyJack Casady , is an American musician considered one of the foremost bass guitarists of the rock music era and best known as a member of Jefferson Airplane. First playing as a lead guitarist with the Washington D.C...
– bass - Will Scarlett – harmonica
- Sammy Piazza – drums
- Papa John CreachPapa John CreachPapa John Creach played for Jefferson Airplane , Hot Tuna, Jefferson Starship, Jefferson Starship - The Next Generation, the San Francisco All-Stars , The Dinosaurs , and Steve Taylor...
– violin - Bob Steeler – drums
- Nick Buck – synthesizer
Production
- Paul Williams – producer, compilation, tape research
- Bill Thompson – compilation, assistant
- Ray Loughren – assistant, sequencer
- Jim Cooperman – assistant
- Brian Mayer – assistant
- Bill Lacey – audio restoration
- Mike Harty – digital transfer
- Michael Drexler – digital transfer
- Dalita Keumurian – project director
- Dave Cohen – essay
- Tori Larkey – vault research
- Jack Rovner – creative director
- Henry Marquez – art direction
- Grace SlickGrace SlickGrace Slick is an American singer and songwriter, who was one of the lead singers of the rock groups The Great Society, Jefferson Airplane, Jefferson Starship, and Starship, and was a solo artist, for nearly three decades, from the mid-1960s to the mid-1990s...
– illustrations - Mike Diehl – design