New Mexico in Focus; 414; Interview with Chris Calloway

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HEALTH, EDUCATION, ENVIRONMENT AND SPIRITUAL LIFE >> Arcie: NEW MEXICO JAZZ CALLOWAY HAS BEEN ENCHANTING AS AN ARTIST AND THE LEGACY >> Arcie: HELLO AND WELCOME

IS KNOWN AS THE AGE OF BIG BANDS AND SWING MUSIC. THE COTTON CLUB IN HARLEM WAS AND CAB CALLOWAY REGULARLY APPEARING ON ITS STAGE. AN ALL-MALE BAND IN THE 30'S, A SINGER, BANDLEADER, ACTOR HIMSELF TO SCAT, CAB CALLOWAY THE HI-DE-HO ORCHESTRA ITSELF MUSICIANS LIKE DOC CHEATHAM, HIS DAUGHTER, CHRIS CALLOWAY. FOLLOWING IN HER AUNT'S SHE HAS TOURED WITH HER FATHER SHE HAS BECOME KNOWN

AND IS CURRENTLY MOUNTING IN HONOR OF HER FAMILY'S HAS BEEN GRACIOUS ENOUGH TO TAKE TIME FROM HER SCHEDULE IT IS A PLEASURE TO HAVE >> Chris: WELL, THE FIRST IT WAS THE ONLY WORLD I KNEW SOMETHING ELSE. A VERY, YOU KNOW, HE DIDN'T BEHAVE AT HOME LIKE HE BEHAVED >> Arcie: HE DIDN'T SING >> Chris: HE DIDN'T SING HAVE A BUNCH OF BIG PARTIES I GREW UP IN WHITE PLAINS, NEW

I HAVE TWO SISTERS AND MY MOM LIKE TO CALL HER A BOURGEOIS MAVEN; BLACK BOURGEOIS MAVEN. SHE BELONGED TO THE CORRECT OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN SOCIAL OF A THING. AT CHRISTMASTIME, OR EVEN LOUIE ARMSTRONG COULD BIRTHDAY. ON THE PHONE." >> Arcie: THE CAB CALLOWAY >> Chris: WELL, DADDY WAS IF THAT IS EVEN CONCEIVABLE. "HUH."

INTERESTING person IN THAT HE WAS VERY UNCOMFORTABLE IN A ONE-ON-ONE TYPE OF 5,000 PEOPLE, TOTALLY HIS PERSONALITY IS WHAT REALLY SO POWERFUL FOR PEOPLE IT WAS NOTHING CASUAL AND THAT IS WHERE, I THINK, HIS AUDIENCE. >> Arcie: HE COULD TURN HE WAS A SHOW MAN. >> Chris: HE WASN'T TO MAKE A JOKE BECAUSE,

IT WASN'T HIM BEING AT HOME STORIES, I WOULD BE AND DADDY WOULD COME HOME THAT HE FELT COMFORTABLE SO, IT WAS LIKE "MOMMY, CAN I NEVER ASK HIM ANYTHING." NEGOTIATING THINGS THAT YOU HAVE TO DO WITH TEENAGERS, HE WOULD BLOW THE WHOLE THING MYSELF, "I CAN'T STAND IT, PRETTY REGULAR. >> Arcie: WE HAVE SOME

WE SEE HIM PERFORMING. TELL ME ABOUT THIS VIDEO. >> Chris: THIS WAS FOOTAGE BECAUSE SO MUCH OF THE VIDEO THAT IS AVAILABLE ON MY DAD IS IN THE VERY EARLY PART OF HIS CAREER. MOST PEOPLE SEE HIM AS A VERY, VERY YOUNG MAN AND ALSO, THEN, AS AN OLDER MAN, SAY, WHEN HE GOT INTO THE MOVIE OF AT THE PRIME OF HIS LIFE; HE HAS TO BE LATE 40'S IS NO LONGER A BIG BAND ERA. IT IS THE ERA -- THE BIG BANDS KIND OF DIED AND WHAT DOES ABOUT TO SEE IN THIS FOOTAGE. [SCATTING] >> Arcie: WHAT IS

>> Chris: WHAT IS HIS LEGACY? MY UNDERSTANDING MY FATHER CAME ALONG DURING A PERIOD OF TIME WHEN ECONOMICALLY AND SOCIALLY, AFRICAN AMERICAN PEOPLE WERE NOW AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE ARMSTRONG, LENA HORN, DUKE FLETCHER HENDERSON, THEY WERE -- THEY WERE SO PRIVILEGED TO BE IN THE POSITIONS THAT THEY WERE IN, THEY TRAVELED AND THEY NEVER FORGOT WHERE THEY CAME FROM. THEY WERE AN HOUR AND A HALF GAVE IT THEIR ENTIRE LIFE.

IT WAS THEIR ENTIRE REASON MY FATHER, WHEN I WORKED A TERRIBLE PERSON. I THOUGHT HE EXAGGERATED THINGS CAME FROM AND WHY ABOUT OPENING YOUR WHOLE ENTIRE LIFE TO GETTING ELSE. AND THAT WAS HIS PERSONA AS A PERFORMER. THEN HE WAS DICTIONARY WHERE HE COULD TALK THERE IS NO QUESTION, THE MAN

HE WAS A PIONEER. HE BROKE THROUGH. IN MANY BECAUSE OF THE PERSONA THAT THE WAY HE LOOKED. HE WAS THE FIRST PERSON TO BE TOTALLY TREND SETTING. THEN, MY DAD WAS ABLE TO BRIDGE A DEMOGRAPHIC THAT BEGAN WITH FOUR YEAR OLDS AND ENDED >> Arcie: YOUR FATHER WAS >> Chris: YES, 30 YEARS AGO. >> Arcie: THIS WAS ON THE ED >> Chris: IT WAS. >> Arcie: I WANT TO SHOW MR. SULLIVAN: LET'S HAVE

♪ NOW, FOLKS, HERE'S A CHICK ♪ SHE'LL BLOW MINNIE THE MOOCHER ♪ NOW, SHE CAN SWING ♪ I'M TALKING ♪ HI-DE-HI-DE-HI-DE-HO ♪ Audience: ♪ WAY-AY-AY-HAY-AY-AY-AY ♪ ♪ HI-DE-HI-DE-HI-DE-HO ♪ ♪ HERE'S CHRIS ♪ ♪ HERE'S CHRIS ♪ ♪ HERE'S CHRIS. ♪ ( applause )

♪ OH, WE AIN'T GOT ♪ MAYBE WE'RE RAGGED AND FUNNY ♪ ♪ BUT WE TRAVEL ALONG, ♪ SIDE BY SIDE ♪ ♪ WE DON'T KNOW ♪ MAYBE IT'S TROUBLE ♪ BUT WE TRAVEL ALONG, ♪ SIDE BY SIDE ♪ ♪ IN ALL KINDS OF WEATHER ♪ ♪ WHAT IF THE SKY ♪ JUST AS LONG ♪ IT DOESN'T MATTER ♪ WHEN THEY'VE ALL ♪ WE'LL BE THE SAME ♪ JUST A-TRAVELIN' ALONG, ♪ SIDE BY SIDE ♪ ♪ HI-DE-HI-DE-HI ♪ ♪ SIDE BY SIDE. ♪

[CAPTIONED.] >> Arcie: SO, CHRIS, WHAT IS >> Chris: YOU KNOW, I HAVE TO TELL YOU, I REALLY GET MY DAD WAS, I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE OF THE GENERATION, DEMONSTRATIVE IN TERMS SO, HE WAS A TASK MASTER. HE WAS HARD TO PLEASE. >> Arcie: HE DIDN'T COMPLIMENT >> Chris: NO, HE DIDN'T. IT REALLY DOES. >> Arcie: SO, HOW DID YOU END DID YOU END UP IN SANTA FE.

>> Chris: SANTA FE CONNECTION. I WAS DOING A ONE-WOMAN SHOW CALLED LADY DAY AT EMERSON'S ABOUT BILLY HOLIDAY. I HAD TOURED WITH IT HIS NAME IS MARTIN PLATT, WHILE TOURING ENGLAND, MARTIN FOUND OUT HE HAD JUST GOTTEN FOR THE SANTA FE -- NEW MEXICO REPERTORY THEATER. TO YOU AGAIN." GOT TO THE NEW MEXICO THEY WERE JUST AN OPEN-HEARTED GROUP OF PEOPLE. WAS AND HOW THEY WERE GOING

THEY WERE RIGHT THERE WORKING AT THE HILTON HOTEL THE SHOW AND SEE LAURIE, JUST THIS PLACE, I WOULD MOVE HERE LEAVING." DAY, WENT BACK HOME, CAME BACK TO SANTA FE IN THREE WEEKS IT HAS BEEN EIGHT YEARS. >> Arcie: WHAT DID YOU LEARN HELPED YOU UNDERSTAND WHO TO UNDERSTAND. DURING THIS YOU WERE; THAT YOUR FATHER'S >> Chris: A PERSONALITY

AND ENERGY, IF YOU WOULD, LIKE IN ORDER TO GROW, THIS IS ONE OF THE LAWS OF NATURE, THINGS AND I WAS BASICALLY WALKING AROUND IN MY DAD'S SHADOW. WASN'T CLEAR. AND I ALWAYS JOKE AND SAY, CHRIS CALLOWAY." THAT KIND OF THING. FROM HIM. TO SANTA FE WHEN I DID. I MEAN I HAD BEEN GETTING OUT AND I WASN'T WALKING OUT AND I WORKED EVERY SINGLE HOTEL IN SANTA FE.

HAD TWO PART-TIME STEADY DAY JOBS. >> Arcie: HOW DO YOU GET USED TO THAT? >> Chris: YOU DON'T. >> Arcie: WORKING AT LINCOLN CENTER, I IMAGINE ELSE YOU WORKED WITH BESIDES >> Chris: WELL, I WAS REALLY PRACTICE THAT I WAS VERY MUCH THEN I HAD HEARD THIS KIND IN SANTA FE. AND I CAME TO FIND OUT THAT IT WAS VERY TRUE AND VERY THE GROWTH THAT WAS ABLE

AND HAVE A BAD DAY OR BAD STRETCH, YOU COULD HIT THAT REALLY A BRUTAL EXPERIENCE. SO THAT MY DEPRESSION IT WAS VERY BRUTAL. IT WAS VERY METAPHORIC WITH THERE IS THIS, FOR ME, THERE WAS THIS KIND OF ENERGY THAT I WOULD HIT THE GROUND OKAY, YOU ARE REALLY OKAY." DOWN ON THE GROUND WHERE TO GET TO MY REAL BOTTOM POINT. AND THE GENTLENESS OF THAT IS WHAT LET ME REALLY GROW IN ORDER FOR ME TO HONOR

MY FATHER OR HONOR MY PAST, MYSELF FIRST. AND SO I AM TOTALLY INDEBTED >> Arcie: ARE YOU THERE NOW? >> Chris: YES. >> Arcie: YOU HONORED YOURSELF YOUR FATHER'S MUSICAL LEGACY >> Chris: YES, BECAUSE WE HAVE MY DAD, AS VERY MANY BLACK MEN OUT OF HIS ERA, WAS NOT A SAVVY BUSINESS PERSON RESPECTFULLY AND SO OUR FAMILY FOR THE RIGHTS TO MY DAD'S AND IMAGE. AND WE HAVE GOT THAT BACK, BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN IN COURT. NOW WE HAVE THE CAB CALLOWAY OF THE ARTS, WHICH IS A MAGNET

FOR THE ARTS. AND THIS FABULOUS TOUR WHICH A BAD WRAP. PLAYED THE PIANO. WILL BE TO SHOW HIS MUSIC AND SHOW THE KIND OF BAND THAT BACK TO THE FORE. >> Arcie: THAT IS WHAT YOU'RE >> Chris: I AM SO PSYCHED. >> Arcie: YOU'RE THE BAND >> Chris: AND I REPRESENT YOU MENTIONED MY AUNT BLANCHE IN THE YEAR 2001 COMPLETES WITH MY AUNT BLANCHE

IN THE EARLY 20'S. RECORDING OF BLANCHE CALLOWAY >> Arcie: THAT IS PRETTY >> Chris: IT IS GREAT STUFF. >> Arcie: WASHINGTON POST SAYS OF CARRYING ON FAMILY AND THIS IS "LOUISVILLE TIMES." "MS. CALLOWAY IS AND IMAGINATIVE PHRASING WERE WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH? >> Chris: 55 CITIES. >> Arcie: WHAT DO YOU HOPE >> Chris: THAT THERE IS THIS ABOUT A STYLE OF ENTERTAINING. AND IT IS ABOUT PEOPLE COMING INTO A VENUE IN ONE CONDITION EXUBERANCE; TO THIS JOY,

TO THE STYLE OF IT. SECTION AND JITTER BUGS AND LEAVING FEELING BETTER. LEAVING, FEELING UP, LEAVING THAT BAD. BE OKAY. >> Arcie: DO YOU SCAT. >> Chris: [SCATTING] NOT LIKE MY FATHER. HE WAS LIKE >> Arcie: WHEN YOU ARE UP DO YOU SOMETIMES FEEL THE PRESENCE OF YOUR FATHER? >> Chris: FUNNY YOU SHOULD IT WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT YOU CAN SEE THAT I DO VERY

ALL OF A SUDDEN, IT FLEW OUT OF MY HAND. DADDY. OF WAY THAT YOU KNOW. OF PEOPLE, JUST A WHOLE BUNCH BACK THERE AND AUNT BLANCHE IS FEEL THEM, AND I DO KNOW THAT [SINGING] [HI-DE-HI-DE-HO] >> Arcie: HOW LONG DO YOU WANT

>> Chris: WELL, I THINK I WILL TO WRITE SOME MUSIC. I HAVEN'T WRITTEN MUSIC AND WRITE SONGS AND TELL WORK AND MARRIAGES THAT DIDN'T ACCOMPLISHED THINGS. PARENTS, OUR JOURNEY TOWARDS OUR JOURNEY TOWARDS OUR FULL AND I FEEL VERY MUCH LIKE I HAVE ALWAYS FELT THAT STEINEM, THAT WHOLE WOMEN'S OF PEOPLE WHERE THE FIRST

GENERATION THAT WASN'T GOING IN A PLACE OF, WELL, IF I DON'T DO IT LIKE MY MOM OF TRYING TO FIGURE THIS THING OUT WITH NO LITTLE HANDY GUIDE OR ANYTHING. BUT I AM PROUD OF IT AND PROUD OF WHAT I HAVE ACCOMPLISHED MY DAD BEFORE HE PASSED AWAY. I JUST FEEL AS AN ARTIST, IT TO SHOW PEOPLE HEALING. >> Arcie: YOU SHOW PEOPLE THE PROGRAM. >> Chris: IF MY SKIN WILL HOLD TO GIVE IT ALL MY SHOT.

I LOVE IT HERE. >> Arcie: THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> Chris: THIS IS A CAB [SINGING] ♪ One, Two, One, Two, Hey ♪ ♪ Hey. ♪ Uh-huh. ♪ Listen now here, Jack. Are you a solid bringer down? ♪ You just take it real slow, ♪ Are you hip to the jive? ♪ Are you hip to the jive? ♪ Are you hip, are you hip, ♪ Are you hip to the jive?