Trimmed and Burning

• Artist: Hot Tuna
• Rating:
• Release Date: 1995
• Total Time: 78:07
• Genre: Rock

Review

Prior to the (mostly) complete catalog overhaul of Hot Tuna's late-'60s and '70s output on CD, the U.K.-based Edsel imprint served up this excellent 16-track anthology. One general observation is that although the Jefferson Airplane offshoot wasn't scoring "hits" per se, the tune stack of Trimmed and Burning seems to concentrate on deeper LP sides, as opposed to selections that might be considered somewhat more anticipated. One of the major omissions -- if not the major omission -- is the absence of material from the combo's debut, the live "unplugged" Hot Tuna (1969). Instead, the proceedings commence with the edgy update of the Rev. Gary Davis folk-blues staple "Keep Your Lamps Trimmed and Burning" and Jorma Kaukonen's (guitar/vocals) "Been So Long" -- both derived from the amped-up concert collection First Pull Up, Then Pull Down (1971). The rest of the contents are lifted from the band's studio releases, the notable exceptions being two acoustic instrumentals -- Kaukonen's pre-Jefferson Airplane composition "Embryonic Journey" and the bluesy "Killing Time in the Crystal City" -- from Hot Tuna's posthumous "classic" era concert outing Double Dose (1978). Otherwise, there are primarily adeptly chosen representatives from 1972's Burgers ("Water Song" and "Sunny Day Strut"), 1973's The Phosphorescent Rat ("Soliloquy for 2," "Corners Without Exits," and "In the Kingdom"), 1975's America's Choice ("Hit Single #1," "Sleep Song," as well as "Serpent of Dreams"), 1975's Yellow Fever ("Bar Room Crystal Ball"), and 1976's Hoppkorv ("I Can't Be Satisfied," "Watch the North Wind Rise," and "Song from the Stainless Cymbal"). ~ Lindsay Planer, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Keep Your Lamps Trimmed and Burning	Rev. Gary Davis	Hot Tuna	(8:10)
Been So Long (Lyrics)	Jorma Kaukonen	Hot Tuna	(3:42)
Sunny Day Strut	Jorma Kaukonen	Hot Tuna	(3:12)
Water Song	Jorma Kaukonen	Hot Tuna	(5:14)
Soliloquy for 2	Jorma Kaukonen	Hot Tuna	(3:41)
Corners Without Exits (Lyrics)	Jorma Kaukonen	Hot Tuna	(3:36)
In the Kingdom (Lyrics)	Jorma Kaukonen	Hot Tuna	(5:24)
Hit Single #1	Jorma Kaukonen	Hot Tuna	(5:12)
Sleep Song (Lyrics)	Jorma Kaukonen	Hot Tuna	(4:23)
Serpent of Dreams (Lyrics)	Jorma Kaukonen	Hot Tuna	(6:51)
Bar Room Crystal Ball	Jorma Kaukonen	Hot Tuna	(6:51)
I Can't Be Satisfied	Muddy Waters	Hot Tuna	(3:47)
Watch the North Wind Rise (Lyrics)	Jorma Kaukonen	Hot Tuna	(5:07)
Song from the Stainless Cymbal	Jorma Kaukonen	Hot Tuna	(3:58)
Embryonic Journey	Jorma Kaukonen	Hot Tuna	(2:18)
Killing Time in the Crystal City	Jorma Kaukonen	Hot Tuna	(6:41)

Credits

Bob Steeler (Drums), Mallory Earl (Engineer), Hot Tuna (Producer), Jorma Kaukonen (Guitar (Acoustic)), Felix Pappalardi (Producer), Steve Mantoani (Engineer), Nick Buck (Synthesizer), Tom Salisbury (Woodwind Arrangement), Sammy Piazza (Spoons), Jack Casady (Guitar (Bass)), Dennis Hetzendorfer (Assistant Engineer), Harry Maslin (Engineer), Ray Thompson (Engineer), Sammy Piazza (Percussion), Don Gehman (Associate Producer), Allen Sudduth (Assistant Engineer), Pat Ieraci (Project Coordinator), Tom Salisbury (Conductor), Joern Kroeger (Design), Gail Collins (Associate Producer), Sheila Taylor (Assistant Engineer), Mallory Earl (Mixing), Jorma Kaukonen (Guitar), Steve Malcolm (Assistant Engineer), Mallory Earl (Producer), Tom Salisbury (Mixing), Don Gehman (Mixing), Harry Maslin (Producer), Betty Cantor (Mixing), Jorma Kaukonen (Vocals), Sammy Piazza (Drums), Steve Mantoani (Assistant Engineer), Mark Paytress (Liner Notes), Allen Zentz (Engineer), Papa John Creach (Violin), Don Gehman (Engineer), Pat Ieraci (Production Coordination)