The original name of the band now called
Chicago, as well as the title of their first album, released in
1969:
"The name of this endeavor is simply 'The Chicago Transit Authority.' For the last thirteen months, these seven individuals have performed in Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco as the C. T. A."1:
Daniel Seraphine, drums
James Pankow, trombone
Peter Cetera, bass and lead vocals
Walter Parazider, woodwinds and background vocals
Lee Loughnane, trumpet and background vocals
Terry Kath, guitar and lead vocals
Robert Lamm, keyboard and lead vocals
(
James William Guercio, producer)
Disc One
- Introduction(Kath)
- Does anybody really know what time it is? (Lamm)
- Beginnings (Lamm)
- Questions 67 & 68 (Lamm)
- Listen (Lamm)
- Poem 58 (Lamm)
Disc Two
- Free Form Guitar (instrumental) (J W Guercio)
- South California Purples (instrumental) (Lamm)
- I'm a Man (Winwood/Miller)
- Prologoue: August 29, 1968 (J W Guercio)
- Someday (August 29, 1968) (Pankow/Lamm)
- Liberation (Pankow)
The opening notes of the Introduction are a religious experience: we are presented with a new sound, merging jazz and rock. Our appetites are whetted, and we are not disappointed.
On the second disk, we are given two experiments in sound, and a passable cover of a Spencer Davis Group hit. Finally, we are reminded of the tragic, violent events of August 29, 1968, when the Chicago Police Department turned itself loose on a crowd of anti-Vietnam War protesters outside the Democratic National Convention.
The whole world is watching...The whole world is watching...The whole world is watching...The whole world is watching...
Sadly, the band's first album was to be the pinnacle of their musical achievement.
1liner notes, written by J W Guercio