Jack Casady?

[Thor]

Jack is certainly one of my favorites. Im always trying to learn more about him. It seems there isnt to much information about him. I know he was a frequent jammer with Hendrix and Mitch Mitchell(Hendrix's drummer). Mitchell and Casady were very good friends and everytime the bassist spot was open with Hendrix , Casady was discussed. IF only that would've happened. The track he is on with Hendrix , the bass is very low. I only have Surrealistic Pillow and it doesn feature alot of bass , but its been along while since IVe listened to it.

Go back and listen to it again.

Then buy 'Bless Its Pointed Little Head'.

The bass may be mixed down a little low on Voodoo Child, but
I guarantee you that was a really loud jam.

Hi all, I had to respond to this thread. I've been a Hot Tuna fan since the early seventies, I've seen them live dozens of times. Jack's always been my favorite bass player and I love Jorma too. I did see the original Jefferson Airplane once, around 1970 or so.

I've been learning to play for just under a year now(like my screen name says).

I'll be taking Jack's class at the ranch next month. Can't wait, and nervous as hell too, I've also heard he's demanding. Scared to death. Wish me luck!!

Good luck, I have always wanted to take his camp, ya lucky
bastage! Maybe one of these years. You are going to have a ball! Don't be nervous!

 

[bassist15]

Yea i know the bass is mixed down. I have the dvd of the making of Electric Ladyland and on that song Jack gets interviewed and he also has his bass plugged into the board playing along. Then the engineer boosts Jack original line . He gets such an awesome sound on it. I would recommend that dvd just for that.

 

[edmidlifecrisis]

Thanks for the encouragement. I just have butterflies but I'll be fine once I get there.

Then and now time.

Here's Hot Tuna at the Academy of Music in NYC in 1973. You don't often see photos of them in their short haired incarnation from back then but I was there.....I was also a young'un of 19 when I took this photo. I saw them at the Academy a bunch of times. Including with Papa John Creach. The Academy had Hells Angels as ushers too.....yuk.....

And now....Here's Jack playing with Hot Tuna last summer (2006) at a really horrible club called the Culture Room in Fort Lauderdale. I took this one, too, could hardly stand the place. He didn't look too happy either..he looked like he had swallowed something foul through the whole show....that's what happens when you get older.....

 

[Thor]

I've been to the Academy for a show once, but it was the
Allman Bros with Duane and Berry. 14th street, east village
right?

I did see JA with Hot Tuna opening at an outdoor festival at
Gaelic Park, in Yonkers NY. That must have been the summer
of 1971. Great show.

 

[edmidlifecrisis]

Thor

Yes, 14th Street in the village. I was attending NYU during those days and I went there many many times, and saw lots of great acts.

I was at that show too. Gaelic Park is actually in the Bronx. There was a rain delay and JA didn't want to play. But the promoters said Rain or Shine on the tickets so the audience (very stoned) got pissed off.....Grace Slick got into a shouting match with some of the audience. We were on blankets camped out a ways back just watching the thing unfold. Several girls up front dropped their tops and danced away. Ah, the good old days. I found this recently in a box, along with others, and thought I'd share with you.

 

[Passinwind]

I was at that show too. Gaelic Park is actually in the Bronx.

I was at that one too. really loud for an outdoor show of that era. IIRC, all our tires got slashed while we were at the show, and it was big fun trying to buy new tires at that time of night in that neighborhood. I saw plenty of other shows there as well.

I also was probably at that 73 Tuna show...physically at least! I went to the Academy many many times back then. I think REO Speedwagon opened for Tuna at one of em? Yeesh, I'm a geezer.

 

[Thor]

Thor

Yes, 14th Street in the village. I was attending NYU during those days and I went there many many times, and saw lots of great acts.

I was at that show too. Gaelic Park is actually in the Bronx. There was a rain delay and JA didn't want to play. But the promoters said Rain or Shine on the tickets so the audience (very stoned) got pissed off.....Grace Slick got into a shouting match with some of the audience. We were on blankets camped out a ways back just watching the thing unfold. Several girls up front dropped their tops and danced away. Ah, the good old days. I found this recently in a box, along with others, and thought I'd share with you.

Nice.

The show I went to was 71 not 72, and there was no rain.
Also, I spent the whole summer of 72 in Reykjavik, Iceland.
Bronx DOH! I should know that. I grew up in Dobbs Ferry.

On a sadder note, about 10 years ago I came home from work
and found my wife had decided to clean out my junk drawer.
Unfortunately, that included all the ticket stubs I had saved
for all the old concerts I went to over the years of the 70's. It
is probably the only thing she ever did that I have not
forgiven her for. Allman Bros, Jethro Tull, Chuck Berry opening
for Frank Zappa, The Dead about 4 times, Santana, Clapton,
Cat Stevens, Bonnie Raitt, Yes, JA, Hot Tuna, Mahavishnu
Orchestra. Derek and the Dominoes, Johnny Winter, J. Geils,
Concert for Bengladesh. Doobies before that BungHole signed on.

I start getting physically ill thinking about it, as I don't keep
a diary. My memory is so bad I forget to write in one. But
the packet had all the dates and venues.

 

[jerry]

We all probably went to some of the same shows, after the Fillmore closed I went to the Academy of Music a lot. Saw Tuna there too. Good times good times.
Once when I saw the Airplane in Central Park chicks were dropping their tops, so Grace did too, man, I dug that.

 

[jumbosilverette]

Here's some vintage Jack with Jorma Kaukonen (Hot Tuna) circa '69.

Great clip. We're working on HT's version of Hesitation Blues right now. Thanks for posting the link.

 

[edmidlifecrisis]

You guys are giving me flashbacks. I started going to the Fillmore in high school, and switched to the Academy after the Fillmore closed. I also saw many great shows at both venues and also up at the Capitol Theater in Portchester, NY as I am from New Rochelle. The Capitol had The Byrds, Johnny Winter, and others. My other favorite act at the time was Renaissance. They had an awesome bass player, BTW, Jon Camp, who played a Rickenbacker. I have pictures of them, too, saw them a bunch of times.

I saved many many of my ticket stubs, they're in a photo album. I lost a bunch but stilll have lots of them, including some Tuna tickets from the Academy and a few Fillmore stubs and Carnegie Hall (can you say CHICAGO AT CARNEGIE HALL?). I even have one from the Powder Ridge Festival, the Woodstock wannabe festival in Connecticut that was cancelled at the last minute. And from Watkins Glen, a weekend at the racetrack of the Grateful Dead, the Allman Brothers, and The Band. Maybe I should scan the rest of them!!! I guess I'm a geezer, too, Wind.

Did any of you go to the summer Skating Rink concerts in Central Park? I saw some great shows there, too, including Mahavishnu and others, for about a buck and a half admission.....

The under forty crowd is probably snoring about now. Sorry folks!!

edmidlifecrisis

 

[matrok]

Let 'em snore, they missed out!

 

[edmidlifecrisis]

Guys

I'm going to hijack this thread once. Just for laughs. Then I'm done except for talking about Jack. You guys made me do it.....

 

[Garage Amps]

What's his bass?

I guess it's an early Alembic, because what else had that many controls on it?

 

[Lobster11]

II want to chime in with a +1 on the instructional video. If you don't have it, you've gotta get it. I have star-studded "instructional" videos from a bunch of famous players, and Jack's is head-and-shoulders above the rest. In it, he and Jorma play a song or part of a song, then Jack goes back and breaks down what he was doing and what he was thinking in particular passages. In some ways it is great "music" instruction as much as bass-in-particular instruction, and I was just overwhelmed by the number of musical ideas I came away with in addition to particular techniques and other tips and tricks. I can watch it again and again and come away with new stuff every time. I recommend this video to anyone at any level: No matter where you are, you'll come away with a headful of ideas -- not to mention inspiration.

 

[bassist15]

Im 16 , Im not snoring at the stories of the concerts. I love hearing about old concerts. It all the music I listen to but will never have the chance to watch the act live. PLease keep sharing.

 

[gmbass]

I first saw Hot Tuna at Brooklyn College '77 or '78.Never heard a bassist solo before Jack A totally innovative
and unique musician,Jack sets the standard.Jack Wails!!

 

[jerry]

Ah the Schaffer fest in Central Park, even if you couldn't afford the HUGE dollar fifty ticket price, you could sit on the big rock above the rink and listen for free.

 

[dougjwray]

Back to Jefferson Airplane at Gaelic Park (in the Bronx). This is crazy-- I was there, too! What happened was that a hippie lady named Sunshine, who I believe was in the Airplane's entourage, got onstage and said "maybe if we take our shirts off, the rain will stop" (kind of a widespread theory during the era ); Grace was wearing a tie-dye dress with straps and she stripped to the waist. No bra, of course. A photo later turned up in Creem magazine.
After awhile, the rain got so bad that the concert was postponed until the next day, when they gave a free concert in Central Park. Eric Andersen was the opening act, playing solo. I remember that before the show, Johnny Barbata, the Airplane's drummer, was strolling through the crowd. He was wearing the same psychedelic shirt that Duane Allman used to wear a lot (Duane's pictured wearing it on the "Layla" album... it was the one with the seahorse/butterfly design). I asked Johnny where he got it, because I wanted to get one, and he gave me a blank look.
Ah, memories...
Ticket stubs... yes, I have a collection too, including an untorn ticket from the Doors at Madison Square Garden (January 1969).

 

[dougjwray]

Back to Casady.
Anthony Jackson always names him as a primary influence.

 

[Thor]

You guys are giving me flashbacks. I started going to the Fillmore in high school, and switched to the Academy after the Fillmore closed. I also saw many great shows at both venues and also up at the Capitol Theater in Portchester, NY as I am from New Rochelle. The Capitol had The Byrds, Johnny Winter, and others. My other favorite act at the time was Renaissance. They had an awesome bass player, BTW, Jon Camp, who played a Rickenbacker. I have pictures of them, too, saw them a bunch of times.

I saved many many of my ticket stubs, they're in a photo album. I lost a bunch but stilll have lots of them, including some Tuna tickets from the Academy and a few Fillmore stubs and Carnegie Hall (can you say CHICAGO AT CARNEGIE HALL?). I even have one from the Powder Ridge Festival, the Woodstock wannabe festival in Connecticut that was cancelled at the last minute. And from Watkins Glen, a weekend at the racetrack of the Grateful Dead, the Allman Brothers, and The Band. Maybe I should scan the rest of them!!! I guess I'm a geezer, too, Wind.

Did any of you go to the summer Skating Rink concerts in Central Park? I saw some great shows there, too, including Mahavishnu and others, for about a buck and a half admission.....

The under forty crowd is probably snoring about now. Sorry folks!!

edmidlifecrisis

I'm getting a buzz on for sure! The Capitol? Sure! I saw the loudest concert I have ever seen there. James Gang with
Dale Peters and Jim Fox. The stage was literally a whole wall
of Marshall stacks. I trully believe that I suffered major ear
damage that night. Also saw the Edgar Winter's White Trash there with Jerry LaCroix. That blues/R&B line-up kicked major butt, 'I've got News for You!'.

Let 'em snore, they missed out!

II want to chime in with a +1 on the instructional video. If you don't have it, you've gotta get it. I have star-studded "instructional" videos from a bunch of famous players, and Jack's is head-and-shoulders above the rest. In it, he and Jorma play a song or part of a song, then Jack goes back and breaks down what he was doing and what he was thinking in particular passages. In some ways it is great "music" instruction as much as bass-in-particular instruction, and I was just overwhelmed by the number of musical ideas I came away with in addition to particular techniques and other tips and tricks. I can watch it again and again and come away with new stuff every time. I recommend this video to anyone at any level: No matter where you are, you'll come away with a headful of ideas -- not to mention inspiration.

Yeah, his breakdowns are very good, and he defines why he
will play the same riff in a different position to achieve a
different voicing or tonal effect. Good reminders of some
basic but extremely effective tricks of the trade. Also a
great refresher course when you are feeling dull and lacking
inspiration, I agree.

Im 16 , Im not snoring at the stories of the concerts. I love hearing about old concerts. It all the music I listen to but will never have the chance to watch the act live. PLease keep sharing.

The geezers are happy to reminisce for your benefit!

Back to Jefferson Airplane at Gaelic Park (in the Bronx). This is crazy-- I was there, too! What happened was that a hippie lady named Sunshine, who I believe was in the Airplane's entourage, got onstage and said "maybe if we take our shirts off, the rain will stop" (kind of a widespread theory during the era ); Grace was wearing a tie-dye dress with straps and she stripped to the waist. No bra, of course. A photo later turned up in Creem magazine.
After awhile, the rain got so bad that the concert was postponed until the next day, when they gave a free concert in Central Park. Eric Andersen was the opening act, playing solo. I remember that before the show, Johnny Barbata, the Airplane's drummer, was strolling through the crowd. He was wearing the same psychedelic shirt that Duane Allman used to wear a lot (Duane's pictured wearing it on the "Layla" album... it was the one with the seahorse/butterfly design). I asked Johnny where he got it, because I wanted to get one, and he gave me a blank look.
Ah, memories...
Ticket stubs... yes, I have a collection too, including an untorn ticket from the Doors at Madison Square Garden (January 1969).

I propose we head over to the Miscellanous forum and have
Ed post a thread called 'Show Your Old Concert Ticket Stubs!'
That would be a great thread!!!!!

Back to Casady.
Anthony Jackson always names him as a primary influence.

I think I missed a post.