Chapter 3

What is Celestial Navigations? There is only one way to explain 'Celestial Navigations'. It is an experience... combination of eloquent, unforgettable narrative accompanied by haunting, stirring music. It is the result of a collaboration between accomplished stage and screen actor Geoffrey Lewis and electronic musicians Geoff Levin. It transcends all known categories. It has no limitations when it comes to age groups or backgrounds. The History Of Celestial Navigations It was 1969, Geoffrey Lewis and Geoff Levin met at Celebrity Central, a performing art center in Los Angeles run by the Church of Scientology. At that time they were both involved at the center doing stage productions, Lewis acting and Levin producing and playing guitar for various performers there. Lewis was in the first play produced at the centre's theater. One evening during open mic Levin saw Lewis perform one of his original stories. Levin made a decision then and there that he had to perform with Lewis. In early spring of 1970 Levin and Lewis formed a group with singer/songwriter Jack Skinner, (guitar and bass). They used the Celebrity Centre theater as a showcase to form the 'Great American Entertainment Show'. In that show Lewis sang songs and played drums, did a few comedy skits and more importantly, told a few stories. In effect, they had formed the first version of Celestial Navigations. Up to this point, there was no music accompanying the stories. The group did several performances at Celebrity Centre. They were humorously billed as 'Jack Armstrong, Mom and apple pie'. By the summer of 1970 Jack decided he wanted to pursue other interests. Around the same time Levin was working with David Campbell a classical violist/violinist. The duo was playing Bluegrass music busking for the movie lines of Westwood. David joined the group replacing Jack. Keyboardist Bud Pomeroy joined the group adding electric piano and accordion to the sound. Now the group consisted of Geoffrey on drums, David on violin/viola, Geoff on guitars, and Bud on keyboards. By this point, Geoffrey Lewis and Geoff Levin had written about 35 or 40 songs. They were performing songs and stories and some instrumentals as well. This was also the period where underscoring the stories was started. One of the earliest stories was called 'Tony' about a little lion cub at the zoo. Jack rejoined the group and with five people they played the Ice House (in Pasadena). Also Around this time the group played a club in Hollywood call the Odyssey and they started to get interest from record companies. They cut there first studio demo for Elektra Records. In late 1970 they turned down a record deal with Elektra as Levin and Campbell got an offer to play on an album with folk artist Jimmy Spheeris on Columbia Records. The two went to New York and helped arrange, record and produce the record. When they returned they continued to perform with Geoffrey Lewis for special events, concerts using any excuse to be seen. The trio's interest in the group was based on love for the art form and love of Lewis' stories. In the meantime, Geoffrey Lewis' acting career took off! (films with Clint Eastwood etc...). Levin was now touring and recording with Jimmy Spheeris and working with another musician, a top banjo player, Larry McNeeley (Glen Campbell show). By 1975 Levin was also busy composing music for film and commercials. At the same time David Campbell started arranging for artists like Carol King and Linda Rondstadt and w