"Pill Hill" is an area of Brookline, Massachusetts, named for the unusually large number of doctors living in the neighborhood. Once the O'Callahan clan moved in, it was never quite the same. Jay O'Callahan is a master storyteller with an intelligent, gentle, and assured voice. He immediately sets his scene and wanders on with wonderful tales of cookies, Dickens, "can ball,"... Read More

Jay O'Callahan creates a story of steelworkers in the 1930s in his lively storytelling style. This is not a static text, and the told-tale has a unique dynamic force. O'Callahan created this story of a Polish-American family after hours of kitchen-table conversations in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The story--composed for the Steel Festival in September 1999--is rapid and complex.... Read More

This unusual piece of storytelling from master storyteller Jay O'Callahan is less a story for children of all ages than it is a cautionary tale for environmentalists aged 10 and up. In a blend of straightforward narrative and classic O'Callahan embroidery, we hear the story of Dick Wheeler, the "great auk man," who traveled the migratory route of that seabird, hunted to... Read More

This title gives listeners an interesting perspective in O'Callahan's style and craft. As always O'Callahan's telling is warm and engagaing. It has starkly simple music--most;y a drum beat or a piano tune and a recording quality that current technology makes sound outdated, although the quality is quite good. detracts from O'Callahan's warm, engagaing telling.The oversized... Read More

This title gives listeners an interesting perspective in O'Callahan's style and craft. As always O'Callahan's telling is warm and engagaing. The oversized character voices and exuberant style noted in later tales are less prominent here. The story shows the mythical sources of O'Callahan's work and reveals the same kind, compassionate view of the world that continues as a... Read More

Exuberance! It's the key to the spell woven into each story this master storyteller recounts. All events, all characters become extraordinary as he fuses the magic of whispers and drawn-out syllables with urgent commands and emphatic shouts. Songs and chants enliven dire and triumphant circumstances in each of the three stories. Once again, O'Callahan proves himself a master at... Read More

Jay O'Callahan's remembrance of his uncle will stun listeners with its sincerity and drama. In this biographical sketch O'Callahan recounts Father Joe O'Callahan's life as chaplain aboard the carrier USS Franklin during bombing raids in the South Pacific during WWII. His later life as a teacher at Holy Cross is woven through the war incidents and young Jay's relationship with... Read More

Every minute of Jay O'Callahan's tale projects a sense of delight. This is his style--he projects the wide-eyed, wonder-filled view of his characters. His enthusiasm is engaging but doesn't overwhelm. His variety of pace and timing is astute. The main story of Jeremy and his boyhood dream of giving gifts is a charmer. O'Callahan unfolds the story with measured steps as he... Read More

Storyteller Jay O'Callahan tells four original stories which began as entertainment for his children and now have become part of his repertoire. These are gentle, clever, rambling tales with a childlike point of view. They're characterized by occasional poetic phrases which delight the adult listener. O'Callahan uses a few different voices and whistles now and then. He... Read More

These three stories are drawn from different periods of childhood and chronicle the changing currents in the storyteller's own life. They serve, as well, as period pieces of American social and political life. Unlike O'Callahan's previous recordings, this one has an audience of secondary school and adult listeners. The stories are classic O'Callahan, showcases for his... Read More

Who are your village heroes? Under the spell of O'Callahan, the listener is transported to meet and understand many characters. Careful listening is required to follow the episodic tales; each is filled with men, women and children whose voices maintain distinction, clarity and character. For a storyteller to carry through successfully such a sustained live performance is... Read More