The Mystics

Formed in Brooklyn during the closing years of the 1950s, the white vocal ensemble known as the Mystics—comprising Al Contrera, Al Cracolici, Phil Cracolici, George Galfo, and Bob Ferrante—achieved their solitary major national success in 1959 via the Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman composition “Hushabye.” The exceptional quality of that lone chart entry, together with the caliber of the material that followed (even though wider commercial breakthrough remained elusive), sustained interest among doo wop collectors for years and ultimately prompted a return to activity in the early 1980s.

The Mystics’ trajectory mirrors the classic pattern for many distinguished doo wop acts whose brief yet meaningful chart presence yielded decades of recognition. Their roots lay in the Bensonhurst neighborhood of Brooklyn, the same white ethnic enclave that produced such other vocal outfits as the Passions, the Four-Evers, and the Classics. Originally called the Overons, the quintet featured Al Cracolici (baritone, born April 29, 1936), Joe Stroble (lead), George Galfo (second tenor, born 1940), and Bob Ferrante (first tenor, born 1936). When the original bass singer departed in 1956, Al Contrera (born January 8, 1940) took his place; later, after Joe Stroble exited, Phil Cracolici (born September 17, 1937) assumed the lead role.

In 1958 the members consulted a dictionary and settled on the name the Mystics. Shortly afterward, an engineer who overheard one of their local studio attempts introduced them to manager Jim Gribble, already representing the Passions. Impressed by their polished sound, Gribble quickly signed the group and arranged an introduction to Bob and Gene Schwartz of Laurie Records, a label enjoying success with other New York-area white vocal acts. A recording contract followed within two months, yet the Mystics’ path soon diverged.

The Schwartzes found the group’s initial effort, the romantic ballad “Adam and Eve,” insufficiently striking and postponed its release. Gribble then arranged a meeting with Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman that produced “A Teenager in Love,” only for the label to assign the song instead to its Bronx-based act Dion & the Belmonts. Still without a debut single, Gene Schwartz urged the writers to fashion something akin to the Elegants’ current nursery-rhyme hit “Little Star,” resulting in “Hushabye.”

Issued in May 1959, “Hushabye” remained on the charts for nine weeks and reached number 20. The track stands as a quintessential example of the style, its luminous harmonies enhanced by the crisp guitar work of Bucky Pizzarelli and Al Caiolla plus the restrained drumming of Panama Francis. Later versions appeared from Jay & the Americans and the Beach Boys, establishing the song as a rock standard, though the original performance has remained unmatched.

The fall 1959 follow-up “Don’t Take the Stars” displayed more intricate harmonies and a memorable melody yet managed only a two-week stay at number 98. Additional singles fared worse: the traditional “All Through the Night,” featuring a young Paul Simon on second tenor, and “The White Cliffs of Dover,” which showcased falsetto by Jay Traynor (later the original Jay of Jay & the Americans). Both failed to chart. Gene Schwartz, impressed by the Mystics’ recording of “Over the Rainbow,” considered an album of 1930s and 1940s standards; after the group cut “Paper Moon” and “Red Red Robin” (the latter now lost), the project was reassigned to Dion under the title Wish Upon a Star.

Such setbacks did not diminish the members’ satisfaction in performing live, an activity they continued with local popularity in New York even as national hits eluded them. From 1960 onward they assumed most of their own arranging duties. Phil Cracolici eventually departed for a solo career and was succeeded on various sessions by Ralph Lizano (composer of “Darling I Know Now”), Eddie Shotz, and Paul Simon, who contributed tenor and occasional lead parts during the period between his Tom & Jerry work and the later Simon & Garfunkel era.

The Laurie contract concluded in the early 1960s, yet the group sustained local performances through the remainder of the decade before a temporary breakup. Renewed interest generated by the early-1970s nostalgia movement brought Phil Cracolici, Al Cracolici, and Al Contrera back together with new personnel; in 1981 they released a well-received album on Ambient Sound. A 1982 appearance on the PBS series Soundstage, part of a doo wop installment, introduced them to fresh listeners. Like the Cadillacs, the Mystics ultimately moved well beyond one-hit-wonder categorization to become a lasting presence among rock vocal groups.