Quah (album)
Encyclopedia
Quah is the first solo album by Jorma Kaukonen
of Hot Tuna
and Jefferson Airplane
. The album was recorded with Tom Hobson. The initial plan was to have side-A be Kaukonen and side-B be Hobson. However, RCA
felt that Hobson's recordings would not be accepted by the public. Initially the record was planned to be released in mid-1973, but because of the issues with Hobson, Kaukonen returned to the studio to record new tracks for side B in May 1974. Only "Blue Prelude" and "Sweet Hawaiian Sunshine" of the original 1974 release feature Hobson's lead vocal, although he also plays guitar on "I'll Let You Know Before I Leave." On the CD reissue, Hobson is featured on all bonus tracks except for "Lord Have Mercy."
In 1980, Grunt Records reissued the album with a different cover that used the photographs that were originally used inside the gatefold. In 1987, Relix Records released the album under license from RCA. It was released on vinyl and was one of the first CDs released by an independent record label in the USA. The first Relix version was pressed in Switzerland, then Japan and finally manufactured in the USA. Relix also released a remastered and graphically revised version in the late 1990s with computer improved tracks from the original masters. BMG (incorporating the former RCA) re-released the original album on CD in 2003, along with the bonus tracks featuring Hobson.
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:...
of 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 :...
and 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....
. The album was recorded with Tom Hobson. The initial plan was to have side-A be Kaukonen and side-B be Hobson. However, RCA
RCA
RCA Corporation, founded as the Radio Corporation of America, was an American electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986. The RCA trademark is currently owned by the French conglomerate Technicolor SA through RCA Trademark Management S.A., a company owned by Technicolor...
felt that Hobson's recordings would not be accepted by the public. Initially the record was planned to be released in mid-1973, but because of the issues with Hobson, Kaukonen returned to the studio to record new tracks for side B in May 1974. Only "Blue Prelude" and "Sweet Hawaiian Sunshine" of the original 1974 release feature Hobson's lead vocal, although he also plays guitar on "I'll Let You Know Before I Leave." On the CD reissue, Hobson is featured on all bonus tracks except for "Lord Have Mercy."
In 1980, Grunt Records reissued the album with a different cover that used the photographs that were originally used inside the gatefold. In 1987, Relix Records released the album under license from RCA. It was released on vinyl and was one of the first CDs released by an independent record label in the USA. The first Relix version was pressed in Switzerland, then Japan and finally manufactured in the USA. Relix also released a remastered and graphically revised version in the late 1990s with computer improved tracks from the original masters. BMG (incorporating the former RCA) re-released the original album on CD in 2003, along with the bonus tracks featuring Hobson.
Side One
- "Genesis" (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:...
) – 4:19 - "I'll Be All Right" (traditional, arranged by Rev. Gary DavisReverend Gary DavisReverend Gary Davis, also Blind Gary Davis, was an American blues and gospel singer and guitarist, who was also proficient on the banjo and harmonica...
, Kaukonen) – 3:08 - "Song for the North Star" (Kaukonen) – 2:52
- "I'll Let You Know Before I Leave" (Kaukonen) – 2:17
- "Flying Clouds" (Kaukonen) – 4:07
- "Another Man Done Gone" (Ruby Pickens Tart, Vera HallVera HallAdell Hall Ward, better known as Vera Hall was an American folk singer, born in Livingston, Alabama, United States. She is best known for her song "Trouble So Hard" .-Biography:...
, John LomaxJohn LomaxJohn Avery Lomax was an American teacher, a pioneering musicologist and folklorist who did much for the preservation of American folk songs...
, Alan LomaxAlan LomaxAlan Lomax was an American folklorist and ethnomusicologist. He was one of the great field collectors of folk music of the 20th century, recording thousands of songs in the United States, Great Britain, Ireland, the Caribbean, Italy, and Spain.In his later career, Lomax advanced his theories of...
) – 2:54
Side Two
- "I Am The Light Of This World" (Davis) – 3:46
- "Police Dog Blues" (Blind Arthur BlakeBlind Blake"Blind" Blake was an American blues and ragtime singer and guitarist.-Biography:...
, arranged by Kaukonen) – 3:45 - "Blue Prelude" (Gordon JenkinsGordon JenkinsGordon Hill Jenkins was an American arranger, composer and pianist who was an influential figure in popular music in the 1940s and 1950s, renowned for his lush string arrangements...
) – 4:05 - "Sweet Hawaiian Sunshine " (Tom Hobson) – 2:42
- "Hamar Promenade" (Kaukonen) – 4:34
2003 CD Reissue Bonus Tracks
- Lord Have Mercy (Kaukonen) – 3:19
- No Mail Today (Blind Johnny Davis) – 4:47
- Midnight In Milpitas (Kaukonen) – 2:14
- Barrier (unknown) – 4:42
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:...
– vocals on all tracks except Tom Hobson tracks, "I'll Let You Know Before I Leave", and "Lord Have Mercy", acoustic guitar on all tracks except "Sweet Hawaiian Sunshine" and "Barrier", 12-string slide guitar on "Another Man Done Gone" - Tom Hobson – vocals on "Blue Prelude", "Sweet Hawaiian Sunshine", "No Mail Today", and "Barrier", acoustic guitar on "I'll Let You Know Before I Leave", "Blue Prelude", "Sweet Hawaiian Sunshine", "No Mail Today", "Midnight in Milpitas", and "Barrier"
Additional Personnel
- Edward Neff – fiddle on "Flying Clouds"
- Teressa Adams, Melinda Ross – celli on "Genesis", "Song for the North Star", and "Flying Clouds"
- Nancy Ellis, Miriam Dye, Don Ehrlich, Mary Jo Ahlborn – violas on "Genesis", "Song for the North Star", and "Flying Clouds"
- Thomas Heimberg – viola on "Flying Clouds"
- Nathan Rubin, Thomas Halpin, Daniel Kobialka, Carl Pederson, Eva Karasik, Anne Kish – violins on "Genesis", "Song for the North Star", and "Flying Clouds"
- Mischa Myers – violin on "Flying Clouds"
- Arthur Krehbiel – french horn on "Flying Clouds"
- Gene Tortora – dobro on "Sweet Hawaiian Sunshine"
- Tom Salisubry – strings arranger, strings conductor
Production
- 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...
– producer - Pat Ieraci (Maurice) – production coordinator
- Mallory Earl – recording engineer, mixing engineer
- Margareta Kaukonen – cover
- Jim Marshall – photography
- Recorded at Wally Heider'sWally Heider StudiosWally Heider Studios was a recording studio in San Francisco, California between 1969 and 1980, started by recording engineer and studio owner Wally Heider.-History:...
, San Francisco