John Kahn, born in Memphis in 1947, was a true multi-instrumental musical prodigy. From a young age, he played piano, organ, guitar, horns, ultimately becoming a pillar of the San Francisco music scene as one of its most respected acoustic and electric bassists. His career spanned decades, collaborating with artists such as Mike Bloomfield, Nick Gravenites, Al Kooper, and Maria Muldaur. He also produced albums for Brewer and Shipley and contributed to-and produced their iconic track- “One Toke Over The Line”.
John eventually joined forces with Jerry Garcia as a founding member of the Jerry Garcia Band, Old and In The Way and Legion of Mary. The two grew into lifelong friends and creative partners, spending countless hours making music, sharing ideas and deepening their artistic bond.
John's wife, Linda Kahn, carries many stories detailing their years of music and art making. Their home was a gathering place-filled with instruments, canvasses and the steady hum of creative energy. Sadly, John passed away shortly after Jerry, but his legacy endures in the music, and thanks to Linda's dedication, in John's original visual artwork.
John's art is uniquely layered-most pieces built from a dozen or more layers.
Through Linda Kahn's generosity, we are excited to share and offer selections from John's body of work. The images are printed on Hot Press Bright, a fine art paper, thick and porous, that captures all the nuances of John’s art. Each print includes John’s hand drawn signature and is offered as a numbered edition.
Below is a link to a Reddit interview with Linda following John’s demise. Her love for him and passion for his talent shines through her recollections of her life with John Kahn and Jerry Garcia.
"I am Linda Kahn, wife of late John Kahn. AMA! • r/jgb". reddit. 2 August 2017.
