Hot Tuna — Vinyl Replica Collection [Deluxe Edition 8CD Box Set] (2012) MP3

Formed as a side project by two Jefferson Airplane members, they became a solid blues-rock unit with a cult following on the jam band circuit. Hot Tuna is an American blues band formed in 1969 by guitarist/vocalist Jorma Kaukonen and bassist Jack Casady. Deluxe Vinyl Replicas by Culture Factory constitute high quality reissued compact-discs which reproduce all the components of the original LPs and are their exact replicas in compact-disc size (5.3 x 5.3 inches), with authentic single or gatefold cardboard jackets and paper sleeves. In addition to the above, each compact-disc Deluxe Vinyl Replica includes a black finish CD complete with the original label to give it the look and feel of the original record album. The music is encoded using state of the art, high definition remastering in 96 kHz / 24 Bit audio. Brand new, original, factory-shrinkwrapped, limited edition CD release.

Begun as an acoustic spinoff of the Jefferson Airplane, Hot Tuna eventually became the full- focus of founding members Jack Casady and Jorma Kaukonen, emeg as a popular touring act of the 1970s. The two were lifelong friends, growing up together in Washington, D.C., and playing in the group the Triumphs. After high school, guitarist Kaukonen and his government-service parents relocated to the Philippines, but he returned to the U.S. in for the advent of psychedelia, landing in San Francisco and co-founding the Airplane in 1965. Bassist Casady joined not long after, and together they helped lead the group to massive success during the late \’60s.

Hot Tuna — originally dubbed Hot Sh*t, much to the chagrin of their label, RCA — first began taking shape in 1969, while both Casady and Kaukonen were still active members of the Jefferson Airplane; in fact, their first performances were sandwiched between regular Airplane gigs. As a trio rounded out by harmonica player Will Scarlet (and occasionally including Airplane members Marty Balin and Spencer Dryden), Hot Tuna debuted in 1970 with a low-key self-titled LP of traditional blues and rag recorded live at the New Orleans House in Berkeley; by the following year\’s more rock-inspired First Pull Up, Then Pull Down, their roster included violinist Papa John Creach, concurrently a full- member of the Airplane, and drummer Sammy Piazza. Minus Scarlet, a third album, Burgers, appeared in 1972.

By the appearance of 1974\’s The Phosphorescent Rat, both Casady and Kaukonen had officially exited Jefferson Airplane; by this Creach, who elected to remain with the Airplane, was no longer in the group. With 1975\’s America\’s Choice, Piazza too was gone, replaced by drummer Bob Steeler; Yellow Fever appeared that same year, with Hoppkorv following in 1976. Keyboardist Nick Buck signed on for 1978\’s Double Dose, but Hot Tuna subsequently announced their breakup, closing out the first phase of their career with 1979\’s Final Vinyl.

In the wake of the group\’s demise, Kaukonen released a solo LP, Jorma, and later joined the new wave unit Vital Parts; Casady also fronted a new wave group of his own, SVT. In 1984, both returned to their roots: Casady joined fellow Airplane alums Balin and Paul Kantner in the KBC Band, while Kaukonen reverted to the acoustic folk and blues of his formative years. Finally, Casady and Kaukonen played a handful of club dates under the Hot Tuna aegis, re-fog on a more concrete basis in 1986; by 1990, their ranks included singer/multi-instrumentalist Michael Falzarano, a veteran of many early reunion shows.

That year Hot Tuna released Pair a Dice Found, their first collection of new studio material in over a decade; a series of live releases followed, including 1992\’s Live at Sweetwater, 1997\’s Splashdown Two, and 1999\’s And Furthurmore.. In the years to follow, Hot Tuna continued to play several live shows a year in various configurations. A single-disc best-of from the RCA years, Keep on Truckin\’, was released in 2006. The group\’s first studio album in 20 years, Steady as She Goes, recorded at Levon Helm\’s studio in Woodstock, New York, and produced by Larry Campbell, was released on Red House Records in 2011.

1970 — Hot Tuna 00:47:15

1971 — First Pull Up, Then Pull Down 00:44:11

1972 — Burgers 00:37:52

1973 — The Phosphorescent Rat 00:37:45

1975 — America\’s Choice 00:44:53

1975 — Yellow Fever 00:39:46

1976 — Hoppkorv 00:36:06

1978 — Double Dose (2CD Set) 01:21:19