Hot Tuna - Original 1970 US RCA Victor label 9-track LP - Indianapolis Pressing

Original 1970 US RCA Victor label 10-track LP - the debut album by San Franciscan blues-rock trio featuring 2/3's Jefferson Airplane members, an all-acoustic pre-World War II era country blues set - recorded live at the New Orleans House in Berkeley, California in September 1969.

Vinyl has the generic orange company labels with left label white vertical outline 'RCA' logo and solid 'Victor' logo to the right - labels has "TMK(s) Registered..." lower label text. Vinyl has machine stamped matrix information:
Side 1: XPRS 0650 35s (6 o'clock) I (12 o'clock) A1 (9 o'clock)
Side 2: XPRS 0651 35s (6 o'clock) I (12 o'clock) A1 (9 o'clock)
Suggesting that this is an early pressing from RCA's now defunct pressing facility in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Vinyl is housed in the original photographic inner sleeve - ultimately in a thick back pasted picture cover.

Condition: VG+(+) (Vinyl and Labels)/VG+ (Inner Sleeve)/VG+(+) (Cover):
Vinyl is bright and shiny - has been used directly from the paper inner sleeve and has subsequently a little fine, thin and very superficial sleeve inflicted wear - nothing needle induced. Side has slightly too many marks for a near mint grading - Side 2 is near mint.

Labels does not display any signs of play or handling and are graded mint - vinyl is overall close to near mint/excellent.

Inner sleeve has light inevitable vinyl outline - very few signs of handling but for a few marginal wrinkles - a 1 lower seam split - graded straight VG+.

Front cover center is nice - a very light degree of wear and superficial creasing, only affecting the very surface of the cover. Back cover center has hardly any signs of handling or storage.
Seams are intact - top with almost no wear. Spine has a little horizontal lower crack - bottom seam only a little more pronounced wear against opening - not worn through though.

Corners have only very light rubbing - a simply very nice cover with only marginal imperfections - graded close to near mint/excellent - overall a simply very nice copy.

Tracklisting:

Side 1:
1. Hesitation Blues (Traditional) 5:05
2. How Long Blues (Leroy Carr) 3:24
3. Uncle Sam Blues (Traditional) 5:04
4. Don't You Leave Me Here (Jelly Roll Morton) 2:50
5. Death Don't Have No Mercy (Rev. Gary Davis) 6:10

Side 2:
Know You Rider (Traditional) 3:59
2. Oh Lord, Search My Heart (Rev. Gary Davis) 3:47
3. Winin' Boy Blues (Jelly Roll Morton) 5:25
4. New Song (for the Morning) (Jorma Kaukonen) 4:55
5. Mann's Fate (Instrumental) (Jorma Kaukonen) 5:20

Recorded September 16 to 24, 1969, New Orleans House, Berkeley

Credits:
Jorma Kaukonen - acoustic guitar, vocals
Jack Casady - bass guitar
Additional personnel
Will Scarlett - harmonica

Technical Credits:
Al Schmitt - production
Allen Zentz - engineer
Pat Ieraci - master of the machines
Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady - arrangements

Artwork:
Margareta Kaukonen - painting
Mike Frankel - photography
Gut - art direction