Southern Music Collection

Phil & Foster: Live at Callaghan’s – The Music Comes Alive at That Southern City by the Bay

phil foster cover3

“When the lights go down in the city
And the sun shines on the bay
I want to be there in my city
Ooh, ooh”

……oh wait, wait, wait, (oh wait!)

Wrong city by the bay and definitely wrong song!

journey phil fosterWe are not talking about that other city by the bay – we are talking about the one Phil & Foster call “home” – Mobile, AL.

The city by the bay I am referring to is a long journey from San Francisco, the city highlighted in that classic late 70’s song. I am referring to another place which is blessed with its very own distinctive, vibrant culture, arts, food, people and yes, music.

Numerous local bands and venues bring a special identity to this other city by the bay, Mobile, Alabama. The music scene in Mobile and its neighboring communities has a deep-rooted history of great music. Each Wednesday night, at one particular place called Callaghan’s, all things seem to align at this “Southern City by the Bay”.

Callaghan’s Irish Social Club, located in the historic Oakleigh District, and its thriving music lineups have been featured in several magazines and websites around the country. Music artists such as Jason Isbell, Alabama Shakes, John Moreland, St. Paul & the Broken Bones have packed out this popular location. It’s also home to some spectacular award winning hamburgers.

Rarely does one go to a Wednesday night show when the place isn’t packed with music fans. In fact, the crowd of regulars are called “The Wednesday Night Club”.

01Phil Proctor and Stan Foster at Callaghan’s Irish Social Club in Mobile, AL

You must arrive early, because several people have the same thing in mind – visiting with new and old friends, enjoying the food and drink, benefiting from great service and listening to music performed by some the area’s very best musicians, Phil & Foster. Award winning guitarist Phil Proctor (he plays a mean mandolin too; also known for his work in Phil & Walon) and acclaimed bassist Stan Foster (known for his work with Rollin’ in the Hay and husband of Donna Hall Foster of the legendary band Wet Willie) form the duo, accompanied by beloved musician Jose Santiago on congas.

Phil & Foster have a long history of performing with several musicians from around the region. One of the special treats one can expect on a Wednesday night at a Phil & Foster show is a number of musical guests who join them on stage. A mixture of classic tunes and Proctor/Foster originals fill the evening with no shortage of great music.

19275102_1940064479602782_4827483645634668244_n“Live at Callaghan’s!” by Phil & Foster

On July 6, 2016, Phil & Foster and friends recorded “Live at Callaghan’s!”. The results from these kinds of live recordings don’t always turn out as desired. Thankfully, “Live at Callaghan’s!” successfully captures the Wednesday night magic that regularly comes alive each week. Phil, Stan and Jose are joined by several talented musicians, including Stan’s wife, Donna Hall Foster on the Rick Carter penned “Alabam”; Andy MacDonald of the band Fat Man Squeeze lends his vocals and guitar on the tracks “Horseshoes” and “Freeborn Man”; The brilliant trumpet playing of Chip Herrington performs on “On the Platform” (a song by Phil Proctor and his daughter Maggie) and the Hank Williams, Sr. classic “Hey Good Looking”. Numerous tracks feature Joel Andrews on percussion and the always delightful Sister Sara Smith adds her flute to Stan Foster’s “Used to Do Me Right”. That track and Proctor’s “On the Platform” also feature Rick Hirsch on guitar.

14Phil Proctor and Stan Foster at Callaghan’s Irish Social Club in Mobile, AL

Hirsch (acclaimed musician, owner of Studio H20 and also a member the Alabama and Georgia Music Halls of Fame) engineered “Live at Callaghan’s” with Will Isherwood and co-produced it with Proctor and Foster.

August 2017’s Spotlight Music of Month at The Southland Music Line was an easy decision. In recent years, instead overly critiquing music, I have often avoided the Lester Bangs or Robert Christgau method and looked for the positive without pointing out everything that’s wrong with an album. Phil & Foster’s “Live at Callaghan’s!” has provided me with a bit of home when traveling around the globe. This “bit of home” is what makes “Live at Callaghan’s!” work. The best thing about it is it’s honest approach. We all know what we love about the duo and it’s all here on the new release. They are tailor made for this type of live disc and as a fan I would love to hear a “Live at Callaghan’s!, Vol. 2”. I enjoyed the music so much that I haven’t found anything negative to say about it. I have now listened to the new release a couple dozen times.

Thank you guys for a wonderful addition to my music collection of 2017, one that I can listen to frequently, and I will…..

20543881_1963616220580941_6342733979985414317_o
To Purchase The Music of Phil & Proctor:
Phil & Foster: Live at Callaghan’s!” can be found at iTunes & Amazon.
Or you can pick up a copy at Picker’s Paradise, Mobile Records and Dr. Music or at any Phil & Foster show.

Links:
Click Here to Like Phil & Foster on Facebook.


The Marlow Boys:
Phil Proctor and Stan Foster are also part of The Marlow Boys – an award winning Mobile, AL based band with Karl and Joe Langley.
Click Here for photos of The Marlow Boys.
Click Here to Like The Marlow Boy on Facebook.

Click Here to purchase The Marlow Boys’ music.

.

© The Southland Music Line. 2017. All rights reserved

©The Southland Music Line

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to top button