Customer Reviews

Quah

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is one of those albums which stay with you over the years. I've been listening to this work now for some 24 years and it's still as fresh, new, and satisfying as the day when it was first released. It features some of Jorma Kaukonen's finest, most thoughtful and exquisitely executed guitar work, poetic lyrics and memorable, haunting melodies melded together in a number of fine original songs, and a number of covers that are just as good as they can get. Also added are the vocal talents of bassist Tom Hobson on two of the songs on the B-side. Devotees of wooden music, San Fransisco music, all music, will find this album a delight.

This is an album that I had on vinyl many years ago. I thought of it one day after seeing a Hot Tuna CD in a local record store, so decided to pull it out of the archives to see how it sounded after all these years. Aside from the snap, crackle, pop of old vinyl and a worn stylus, I found I loved the album as much as I ever did, if not more. The hunt began. I found it at a small, obscure shop, in the town I live in. I listen to it several times a week. Now I'm hungry for more. There'll never be another Quah, but Jorma's fine acoustic blues picking and warm, earthy voice shine through in all of his work. I am looking foreaward to the release of his new CD, and am glad to know that he's still around, sharing his talent with all of us.

This is an album of delightfully spare acoustic guitar pieces with strong folk and R&B influences. It is worth the price for the guitar work alone. Although the few songs sung by Tom Hobson are an acquired taste, there is pleasure in every track. There is even a few Hot Tuna tunes thrown in for good measure.

check out tomhobson.com for more about tom, about whom too little is known. He was many things but NOT, to my knowledge, a bassist, as described above.

Kaukonen and Hobson have perfected the acoustic sound, along with Kaukonen's superb songwriting you have perfect musical fusion with this duo. By far the best cd in my collection, my personal favorite out of all of my cd's. If you like music then you'll like this guaranteed, unbelievable, definitely one of the best if not the best album ever recorded in my opnion.

Jorma's soaring guitar from the Airplane lands on earth with some truly beautiful melodies and words. This album really shines a light on one part of the genius that built the Airplane.

The first three songs, Genesis, I'll Be All Right, and Song For The North Star are gems.

Not long ago, I rediscovered this classic album. Jorma is, in my opinion, one of the finest acoustic guitarists. Some tracks, like "I Am the Light of this World" and "I'll Be Alright" are both spirited and spiritual. It's a true joy in this fast-paced world to ease back into Quah.

Long ago a friend introduced me to this oddly titled album with the exploding bird on the cover, played by that ex-Airplane guitarist - and who the heck was Tom Hobson? Never you mind - thank you forever, friend - the album is varied and perfect in its imperfections. Folk balladry, blues, "sweet Hawoooooian sunshine": clean acoustic guitar at its best, Jorma singing from the heart ("Genesis" breaks mine every time, even with strings) - perhaps his album of a lifetime (are there others that match?). Thanks for letting the ol' modern technology work its wonders on this masterpiece.

THIS album and "6 & 12 STRING GUITAR", by Leo Kottke and "MY GOAL'S BEYOND", By John Mclaughlin, are of course the 3 acoustic masterpices of history.
On this one you'll find Jorma Kaukonen at one of his bests.
There isn't a higlight, all of the songs on this recording are truly beautiful, but my personal favorite is "HAMAR PROMENADE" whit great guitar overdubs and great vocals too.
But there is of course a weakness: that's a horrible Tom Hobson (a folk guitarist and a singer, the only guest on this album) song, called "SWEET HAWAIIAN SUNSHINE", boring and a bit stupid.
The answer to the obvious question about the name of the album is as follows: Jorma was walking in San Francisco on a street where some people had karate fightings, and there was Grateful Dead's drummer Mikey Hart breaking a pile of bricks and when Jorma saw him, he thought that the noise Mickey was making was just Quah.
Anyway, if you love guitar, and if you know what the word MUSIC means, you have to BUY THIS !

After almost 25 years, this album is a necessity in your collection, although you are not a fanatic on acoustic blues-gospel fingerpicking guitar. Jorma has never ever played with that feeling and precision.