Search - Town Criers :: Live in San Francisco

Wow--a fascinating, highly entertaining document

Dave | United States | 05/17/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Released in April of 2007 thanks to Collectors' Choice Music, "Live in San Francisco" is an archive release culled from one or more live performances, from either 1963 and/or 1964, of the Town Criers, a folk quartet that included the now-legendary Marty Balin of the Jefferson Airplane. The fact that Marty did in fact go on to become a crucial founding member of that seminal '60s band is clearly what the big guys at Collectors' Choice Music are banking on to sell this CD.



I'm pretty positive that some, if not all, of this material has been bootlegged in the past, but Collectors' Choice Music claims this to be the first time anything from the Town Criers featuring Balin has been officially released, which certainly appears to be true.



And this is indeed a fascinating document well worth the CD issue. The sound quality is extremely good, and although there is clearly some splicing going on, presumably between different gigs, an excellent job was done at preserving this material, and all the songs are even in true stereo. Marty handles the majority of the lead vocals on the disc, and although he's not *quite* as distinctive here as he would become with the Airplane, Balin already proves to be a powerful, confident vocalist. The opening song "Daddy Roll 'Em" begins with a slightly out-of-tune banjo riff, and although the out-of-tuneness was probably unintentional, it actually adds a compelling edge to this excellent number which finds Balin singing with great authority. Balin demonstrates remarkably vocal versatility within the song "900 Miles", delivering the introductory verse with a remarkably tender croon, then at the drop of a hat switching to a commanding near-bellow. The frantic "Hellbound Train" is also gripping. Balin has one solo composition, "99 Years To Go", which is livened up by its prominent and intelligent use of percussion, used to coincide with the song's chain-gang theme, although curiously, the song fades out after about 2 & ½ minutes. The other members--Larry Vargo, Bill Collins, and Jan Erickson, supply solid harmonies and often chip in with lead vocals, but by and large, the focus is agreeably kept on Marty. Be aware that all the music here is truly FOLK music, with nylon-stringed guitars, no electric instruments whatsoever, and no drums.



Also adding greatly to the disc's entertainment value are Marty's lively, often hilarious (if corny) monologues between songs, which actually take up roughly ¼ of the entire disc's less-than-31-minute running time. Balin was clearly the spokesman of the group, and it's a striking contrast to hear how fluid he sounds here when speaking to the audience compared to his interview bits on the "Fly Jefferson Airplane" DVD where he says "y'know" practically every five seconds.



Overall, "Live In San Francisco" is a fascinating precursor to Marty's work on the first couple Jefferson Airplane albums, and a must-have for all fans of Balin's amazing career.



"

The Voice

Robert Piercy | San Jose, CA | 06/26/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"What immediately struck me when I first heard this recording was how well developed Marty's voice was, even at this early stage. The pure clarity and timbre, the passion, the vibrato, all those characteristics that Jefferson Airplane fans would later come to appreciate in Marty's singing are all there. It's without the later soulful Otis Redding influence but it's the same lyrical voice that many heard on the Airplane's early recordings like Surrealistic Pillow. There's also a bit more youthful enthusiasm but that's understandable considering Marty's only around 21 yrs. old here. The guy's been in the music business a long time!



The group itself and the songs are typical of the pop folk music of the times and rather unremarkable. It's Marty's voice and persona that carry the group and make you want to listen, giving an interesting historic prequel to his later career."