Paul Kantner- Jefferson Airplaine

Mike Perlowin RIP · Post by **Mike Perlowin RIP** » 29 Jan 2016 12:01 am

http://www.sfgate.com/music/article/Jef ... 791483.php

Paul Kantner, one of the giants of the San Francisco music scene, died Thursday. Mr. Kantner, a founding member of the Jefferson Airplane, was 74 and had suffered a heart attack this week.

His death was confirmed by longtime publicist and friend, Cynthia Bowman, who said he died of multiple organ failure and septic shock.

Mr. Kantner had a string of health problems in recent years, including a heart attack in March.

Paul Kantner, one of the giants of the San Francisco music scene, died Thursday. Mr. Kantner, a founding member of the Jefferson Airplane, was 74 and had suffered a heart attack this week.

His death was confirmed by longtime publicist and friend, Cynthia Bowman, who said he died of multiple organ failure and septic shock.

Mr. Kantner had a string of health problems in recent years, including a heart attack in March.
With Jefferson Airplane, Mr. Kantner pioneered what became known as the San Francisco sound in the mid-1960s, with such hits as “Somebody to Love” and “White Rabbit.”

The Airplane was renowned for thrilling vocal gymnastics by singers Marty Balin, Grace Slick and Mr. Kantner, the psychedelic blues-rock sound developed by guitarist Jorma Kaukonen and bass player Jack Casady and the LSD-spiked, ’60s-era revolutionary fervor of its lyrics.

The band was formed in 1965 in a Union Street bar called the Drinking Gourd, when Balin met Mr. Kantner and expressed his interest in creating a “folk-rock” band. It didn’t take long for the Airplane to attract a sizable local following, enough so that when fledgling promoter Bill Graham opened his legendary Fillmore Auditorium, the Jefferson Airplane served as the first headliner.

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 29 Jan 2016 5:26 am

Very sad. What a great sonwriter/ musician he was!

Joey Ace · Post by **Joey Ace** » 29 Jan 2016 7:12 am

Another great moves on.

Jorma is currently on the West Coast and has written elequent tribute to his former bandmate at
http://jormakaukonen.com/cracksinthefinish/

Will Houston · Post by **Will Houston** » 29 Jan 2016 9:03 am

Wow, bummer.. Very nice Jorma.

Will Houston · Post by **Will Houston** » 2 Feb 2016 11:03 am

I have since found out that Signe Anderson, Airplanes first female vocalist died the same day as Paul at the same age 74.

Rich Peterson · Post by **Rich Peterson** » 28 Mar 2016 5:20 am

I feel that Jefferson Airplane was the first jazz-rock fusion band. Spencer Dryden (drums) and Jack Cassidy (bass) were jazz musicians, and Paul Kantner played a comping rhythm instead of a steady repeated riff. That created a tremendous churning enrgy in their live performances. Kantner was a big influence on my music.

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 28 Mar 2016 5:28 am

I have one of his Alembic Y-cables: