The Speakeasy

In the early 1970s, when I first moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts from Detroit to pursue my musical career, there existed what you might call an entertainment triangle that was bordered roughly by Harvard Square on the north, Inman Square to the east and Central Square on the south. There, all manner of saloons and nightclubs featuring live entertainment nightly were plying their trade competing for the endless supply of young people with a thirst for music and cheap drinks.

One such establishment, The Speakeasy, was an unassuming double-wide storefront just off Mass. Ave. on Norfolk Street in Central Square run by Peter Kastanos, a World War II vet who loved the blues and was known as “Speakeasy Pete” to regulars. It had the dark, lived-in, film-noir atmosphere of a place where serious drinkers had congregated for a long time. In other words, it was a proper saloon, the real deal.

As a congenial, no-frills spot, “the Speak” became a favorite of local blues fans and a kind of clubhouse for blues musicians from all over. Many young, aspiring players began learning their craft in earnest on its stage with the huge advantage of being able to watch (and often play with) blues greats who were still at the top of their game, such as Hubert Sumlin, Otis Rush, Luther Johnson, Big Walter Horton, Albert Collins, James Cotton and Big Mama Thornton.

Some stars came to town without a band and Speakeasy Pete would get on the phone and round up a group of local blues players to back them up. I was one of the usual suspects, so I got to play with some of my favorites (always at the last minute and with little or no rehearsal). The Boston area has always had a large roster of really talented musicians, so the gigs always sounded great; they also gave us an opportunity to play together in different combinations and several bands started through that process.

Many of the musicians from those shows went on to notoriety in their own right, among them Tom Principato, Ronnie Earl, Ron Levy, Sarah Brown, Dave Maxwell, Dennis Brennan, Bob Margolin, Derek Dyer, Chuck Purro, Tuffy Kimball, Billy Colwell, Peter Goff, Steve “T Blade” Berkowitz and Paul Lenart. My old friend and bandmate Rosy Rosenblatt started The 11th Hour Band to play these last minute gigs and I’m pleased to say we are still making music today under the name 11 Guys Quartet. Another side project (started by Steve Berkowitz) was a loose organization called The Blue Lodge, which was a monthly blues jam session at the Speak and later at The Tam in Brookline. This club of local musicians lasted for years and always resulted in a night of fun and frivolity enjoyed by all.

Like all good things, however, it was destined to end. There was a bank next door which owned the land under The Speakeasy and they got the idea that a parking lot would be more beneficial for their business than a saloon. In the end, they withdrew the lease and eventually demolished the building. After that, Pete moved his operation northwest to Lowell, where he opened The Downtown Lounge with his loyal retainer Barney. That lasted for a while and I played there a few times, but it never regained the same vibe as the original place in Cambridge.

Pete eventually retired and moved to Sarasota, Florida, where he passed away on March 7, 2004. He has a well-earned place in the history of the Boston music scene to this day, though, because he was a great friend to the blues musicians of his era.

(by Bill Mather)

Bassist Bill “The Coach” Mather was an original member of The James Montgomery Band, formed in 1970 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. They recorded two albums for Capricorn, one for Island and toured extensively until the late ‘70s before separating to pursue other musical projects. He lives in Brookline, Massachusetts and plays and records with 11 Guys Quartet.