Guitarist strikes chord with crowd
Jefferson Airplane founder, Kaukonen, plays at Wadsworth
By Rodney Tanaka
Daily Bruin Staff
Guitarist Jorma Kaukonen performed onstage with Janis Joplin in
the 1960s. He founded the band Jefferson Airplane. Yet the roots of
his career reside with a different group: the Boy Scouts.
"This Boy Scout troop I was with was loosely affiliated with a
Presbyterian church and there was a retreat somewhere in North
Virginia," Kaukonen says. "I dragged my guitar along and they had a
little talent show.
"That was probably my first performance in front of people," he
adds. "I didn’t really play well back then but I didn’t have stage
fright. They kind of had to drag me off the stage."
Kaukonen participates in a show loaded with talent Friday night
in "The Guitar Summit," at the Veterans Wadsworth Theater. The
concert features four guitarists with diverse musical
backgrounds.
"Kenny (Burrell) is the father of jazz-electric guitar in many
respects," Kaukonen says. "Manuel (Barrueco) is the current young
classical guy and Stanley (Jordan) is truly an inventive and
awesome musician."
His fellow performers may not share Kaukonen’s folk-blues style
of guitar playing, however he does sense the chemistry among the
group and appreciates their influence.
"Since we all do such different stuff, and being alive is such a
learning process at all times anyway, I’ve been learning a lot of
things," Kaukonen says. "When I’m stringing my guitar, I’m
remembering things from the night before. I predict that within the
next six months or so there probably will be some new things
cropping up (in my music)."
The concert title suggests a meeting where the guitarists deal
with earthshaking topics. Kaukonen views himself as a messenger
rather than an ambassador.
"There are a lot of really great musicians that none of the
people will ever hear of because they don’t travel," Kaukonen says.
"The rest of us travel so we get to carry the message in a way.
Hopefully we can fire, to borrow a phrase from a circus, children
of all ages up with what we’re doing."
Kaukonen discovered the fire for music at a young age. His
family exposed him to a variety of instruments, but the guitar gave
a voice to a shy child.
"What I liked was the fact that it was something you can do
yourself," Kaukonen says. "It was a way to relate to people without
talking because at the time I wasn’t a real(ly) talkative guy."
As the years passed Kaukonen’s shyness faded and his
appreciation for the guitar grew.
"I think music is important for everybody because I think it’s
really a part of our make-up," Kaukonen says. "The guitar just
happens to be my way to relate to this common thread."
"I like the guitar because it’s such a personal instrument," he
continues. "The guitar is portable, it tends to be a complete
instrument unto itself. It’s a nice companion."
Kaukonen’s distinguished companionship onstage dates back
further than the Guitar Summit. In the early 1960s he discovered
musical tastes with Janis Joplin, which led to a stint as her
back-up guitarist.
"It was really great because at the time her voice was so pure,
she was such a pure blues musician," Kaukonen says. "It was just
great music. I don’t think that either one of us realized what it
had to do with what was going to come."
Joplin went on to become a music legend. Kaukonen moved on to
form another successful collaboration, the band Blind Thomas
Jefferson Airplane, with his college friend Paul Kantner and Marty
Balin.
"I got involved with the guys and started having fun and it
proved to be a very seductive art form," Kaukonen says. "Before I
knew it we were successful."
The band changed personnel and shortened its name to Jefferson
Airplane. They were recently inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall
of Fame. Kaukonen attributes his success and longevity to a
combination of good health and good taste in music.
"The music that I play is timeless in a lot of ways," Kaukonen
says. "I do a lot of songs from the ’20s and they’re as good today,
I think, as they were back then."
The guitarist anticipates a positive reception to his style of
music at UCLA.
"I like college dates a lot," Kaukonen says. "I think the
audiences in general tend to be, if not receptive, at least open to
what’s going on."
CONCERT: "The Guitar Summit" on Friday, March 8 at the Veterans
Wadsworth Theater at 8 p.m. Featuring a center stage lecture with
Kenny Burrell at 7 p.m. TIX: $33.50, $30.50, $11 for students. For
more info, call (310) 825-2101.Comments to
webmaster@db.asucla.ucla.edu