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James Callahan - Other Projects
 Jim Callahan, a native of Baltimore, MD was
recently voted "Best Regional Song Writer" and "Best Regional Producer" in the Music Monthly 2004 Readers Poll, Published January 2005 (Vol. 22 No.1 Issue #244).
Jim began playing acoustic music to audiences at age 14.
In the late 70's/early 80’s, he played regional colleges and coffeehouses with a
blend of New Wave and Folk, he called "New Folk." He played numerous dates
including supporting performances for Folkways Recording
Artist Gary Greene, landed a spot on the regional Cable TV
program "The Pub Presents" and did numerous radio interviews in the area.
"I've changed musical styles and direction (not to mention my hair)
more times than I can remember. The real 'shit and giggles' is that no matter what I
do musically or how many times I crash and burn, I always wind up in the same recovery
zone; alone, with nothing more than my acoustic guitar and a recurring case of
insomnia. The fact of the matter is, that at heart - I am and always will be a
Folkie. If you were to dig up my old High School Year Book, you would find under my
picture in the 'what I want to be when I grow up column' the two word phrase 'Folk Singer' (No kidding). The man to my right is
mostly responsible (Gordon Lightfoot). Growing up everyone else was into Van Halen,
AC/DC and what have you. Me? I preferred Gordon
Lightfoot, Phil Ochs, Don
McClean, Harry Chapin, Bob Dylan,
and Neil Young. Most of my "Techno Fans"
don't see the connection. To me its simple. Everyone raves about 80's Techno
and waves the banners of the 'minimalist movement'. When you think about it,
what is more minimal than an acoustic guitar, a voice and a sleepless night? To me
Acoustic? Synth? There's not that much of a distinction. So, this is my list of
Acoustic and other song writing projects. They range in style and genre, I've tried
to explain them below. To sum it up quickly I guess I'd have to quote
Morrissey. Below you'll find, the songs that
made me cry and the songs that saved my life". -James Callahan
Jim
Callahan "Little Ballads of the Big Heap"
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Tracks
 | Ballad of the Big Heap |
| The Scorpion Departs but Never Returns |
| I Want to Dance With You |
| Don't Be Afraid of the Rain |
| Ships |
| When You Sing |
| Falling Rain |
| Don't Be Afraid of The Rain |
| Others . . . |
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"Little Ballads
of the Big Heap"
Little Ballads of the Big Heap is a wonderful blend of lyrical
introspective writing and melodic coastal sounds combining synth-pop elements with folk
and alternative rock.Jim returns to his roots combining all his musical influences
and varied instrumentation. The CD includes original material plus a remake of Phil
Ochs "The Scorpion Departs but Never Returns".On the CD Jim is responsible for
vocals, 6 & 12 string acoustic and electric guitars, bass, keyboards, piano, drum and
Kurzweil programming and harmonica. Additional Musicians include:Tony
Prescott - vocals, electric and acoustic guitars, keyboards, piano, bass, drum
programming, songwriting and collaboration.
Andy Dwyer - Drums (Special thanks to Andy) and Jillanne
Lynn - Backing vocals (Don't be Afraid of the Rain), and cover photography.
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Jimmy and
The Dreamers "Charm City Beat"
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Tracks
| Charm City Beat |
| I Don't Know That Song Anymore |
| I Can Tell |
| Baltimore Oriole |
| Memory Lane |
| Armageddon Bop |
| She Never Said Goodbye |
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| CHARM
CITY BEAT was inspired by the sounds of the early 60's Liverpool/Mersey
scene, which I was studying, during the recording sessions. I learned a great deal about
the Mersey sound by purchasing early recordings (mostly vinyl LP's off eBay). I also
started collecting issues of UK's "Mersey Beat" Magazine. I tried to mix
the Mersey artists stylization's with similar Baltimore Rock and Roll sounds from
the same era (a la "The Buddy Dean Show" - most people are familiar
with this from the John Water's film "Hair Spray"). Anyway the
combination of the two Baltimore (aka Charm City) and Liverpool (and the iconic Mersey Beat Magazine) led to the album's title
"Charm City Beat." I tried to employ authentic
and/or reproduction instrumentation from the era (Hofner style bass, semi hollow body
guitars, tube amp modeling etc.) It's no accident that one of the two songs
covered on the album "I Can Tell" was performed by Liverpool's tragic
Rory Storm and the Hurricanes (one of my favorites). Ironically, the other cover tune
1944's "Baltimore Oriole" was previously covered by George Harrison.
In a later interview this CD was mentioned and I was asked
"Who is your favorite Beatle?", my answer was "Pete Best", to me he's
the musician's, musician. I can relate to him more than I can relate to John, Paul,
George or Ringo (even though I love that line-up as well). As for the
songs themselves; from the depressed crooner sounds on "I Don't Know That
Song Anymore", "She Never Said Goodbye", and the gospel influenced
"Memory Lane" to the straight forward Rock & Roll sounds of the
title track "Charm City Beat" and "Armageddon Bop",
this CD, like Baltimore - simply, is what it is. I'm not sure what I
captured, if anything. But to me this was a true living lesson in music history.
I'd recommend that every songwriter go on a circa '59 - '62 music tangent.
As a sidebar, the liner notes of the CD described this CD as
having the "Mersey Beat Sound". I received an email from a guy, who
claimed to be Mersey Beat's Bill Harry. The email read "The sound was NEVER called Mersey Beat during the early 1960s. It was
always called the Mersey Sound or the Liverpool Sound. Mersey Beat was the name of the
paper, so to call the sound Mersey Beat is an anachronism." To be
honest I didn't know what an anachronism was - I looked it up and it had something to do
with something that can't exist simultaneously or some nonsense. At first I
was a little miffed - I thought, "I can call my sound whatever the hell I
want". Then it occurred to me, holy shit if this really was an email from Bill
Harry then he's read the liner notes of this CD, maybe he's even listened to it! So this
album may or may not have been critiqued by Mersey Beat founding father and John Lennon
Art School chum, Bill Harry. Now my question is, if the email was from a Bill
Harry but not the "Bill Harry" is that an anachronism?
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