TERRY CALLIER

TERRY CALLIER AT THE EARL OF OLD TOWN

Time Traveler Recordings

Terry Callier, guitar/vocals.

Recorded on October 24, 1967, the great guitarist and baritone-smooth vocalist, Terry Callier, was performing solo at Chicago’s intimate and historic folk club called, The Earl of Old Town.  It was recorded by the now historic producer and venue owner, Joe Segal.  This year would have been Segal’s 100^th birthday.  He is heralded as one of the few club owners who opened his stages to a host of eccentric and gifted jazz musicians and folk performers. Segal is also the founder of Chicago’s beloved Jazz Showcase club where he recorded performances by a vast treasure of celebrated, soon-to-become, legendary, jazz musicians.

The thing about this Terry Callier recording is that it was made before his first record release.  He was still paying dues and performing whenever and wherever he could. He was a mere twenty-two years old when he performed at The Earl of Old Town on Chicago’s North Side, near the Cabrini-Green public housing projects.  He played on that tiny stage where others like Jerry Butler and Curtis Mayfield also performed, before becoming icons themselves. Many performers grew up in the now torn-down Cabrini-Green public housing projects, including Major Lance and Ramsey Lewis.

Back in the 60’s, a few African American artists played on the Old Town main drag, many opening for folk legends like Pete Seeger, Steve Goodman or Tom Paxton including Oscar Brown Jr., and the pre-Brazil ’66 vocalist, and Herb Alpert’s soon-to-be wife, Lani Hall. Callier would have been five years away from signing with the powerhouse record company, Chess Records when he showcased his talents.  Between 1967 and his death in 2012, he released fifteen albums.

Despite the inattentive crowd buzzing with conversation as a background for this recording, Callier gives us 100% of his talent.  He opens with the familiar “Work Song” written by Nat Adderley and Oscar Brown Jr., followed by a rousing solo performance of “Willie Jean.”

Terry Callier’s set list for this Earl of Old Town performance features a blend of traditional pieces, ballads, of course the Blues, some jazz tunes, and 1960s folk compositions.  He even included a Pop music hit record, “Hang on Sloopy” retitled on this album as “My Girl Sloopy.”

His melancholy rendition of “Last thing on my Mind” shows off his marvelous vocal ability and his mastery of his guitar instrument, combining the folk music of the 1960s with a jazz sensibility.

 “Joe (Segal) was the first person to say, ‘What you’re doing is folk jazz.’ That was Joe Segal’s description, and I thought, yeah, that’s it! It’s never the same way twice,” Terry Callier recalled in a 1977 interview.

This is a double disc album release. It includes a 24-page booklet with historic photos of this master musician and vocalist, along with memoir essays from Sunny Callier, his son, from Mark Ruffin, (program Director of Real Jazz Series XM), and producer Zev Feldman.

I love to hear Terry Callier sing the blues.  On Disc #2, he opens with “Deep Elem Blues” and follows this with “900 miles.”  His rhythm guitar is impressive, along with his improvised, single-string strumming.  On “900 Miles” he sets the groove on his guitar.  When his voice enters, his slow, folksy presentation of this heartfelt ballad touches my spirit.  At the end, the once noisy crowd bursts into appreciative applause. There is some distortion on this recording, but the energy and excitement that Terry Callier puts into this presentation is formidable.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yz6KxA_48Q4&list=RDyz6KxA_48Q4&start_radio=1

Here is an excursion into the history of American folk/jazz music of the 1960s, back when Peter, Paul and Mary were popular along with Bob Dylan, Simon & Garfunkle, and the Kingston Trio.  Terry Callier was certainly headlining the folk/jazz movement that developed from a Flower Power era.  He was part of the Hippy music, the Age of Aquarius movement that swept our nation. Terry Callier is an unforgettable artist from that era.  This album documents his beginning roots, before he attained international success and appreciative recognition.

Reviewed by Dee Dee McNeil

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