Jefferson Starship Family Galactic Reunion

[Photo of Grace Slick]

The Jefferson Airplane kick continues. Last week, walking past BB King's Blues Bar on 42nd Street on the way home from work, I saw that Bo Diddley was playing. I'd missed him last year, and his set was almost over. I got to watch through the glass for a couple of minutes and get a flavor of his set and band. Hopefully he'll survive long enough for me to hear him close up.

Looking at the club's upcoming shows, The Jefferson Starship Family Galactic Reunion and Country Joe are slated to play on February 17. Wow. Just after blogging about hearing them in 1992, here they are, just a few blocks away from home.

Given commitments at home, its unlikely that Friday of next week, I'll be at the concert, but its comforting to know that they're close at hand.

Tonight I'm listening to Surrealistic Pillow (DCC vinyl). Ah, wonderful. Certainly a contender with Crown of Creation for their strongest album.

I've relistened to the debut, and am still non-plussed. Then my beat up copy of Volunteers was just too crackly to play. And The Worst of Jefferson Airplane really doesn't work for me. Their material really works best in the original album context. The mastering of this compilation (vinyl original) didn't impress either, and my copy is pristine (another $1 bin find).

The mono After Bathing at Baxters underwhelmed, but tonight my VG condition stereo original 1S Hollywood pressing is actually sounding great. The album's status as pyschedelic masterpiece is making more sense now. I'm just getting to the end of "Won't You Try Saturday Afternoon" as I write. Somehow I picked up a beat up Airplane collection (four titles) from one particular $1 bin, and despite the damage, the music is shining through on all but the orange label Volunteers. Testament to RCA engineers and the sturdy late '60s vinyl...oh, and the music too.

Next stops will be their live material, then the remaining studio albums: Bark, Long John Silver, Bless its Pointed Little Head, and the Jefferson Airplane Loves You 3 CD set for the unreleased material.