Mebanesville, Town & Country

13 Tracks

… SEVEN new recordings, SIX remastered reissues ...

1. Never on Sunday, Manos Hatzidakis, 1960

2. Canto di Stelle, traditional

3. Daylight / Guns & Drums, Steven Stills, 1980, and Joseph B. Geoghegan, 1867, after traditional

4. Summertime, George Gershwin & Dubose Heyward, 1934

5. Mafia Maffia, con MIchela Musolino Pino Veneziano, 1978

6. Here Comes the Sun, George Harrison, 1971

7. Panis Angelicus, Louis Lambillotte, 1825

8. Give Me Wings, traditional

9. Corazon Espinado, Fher Olvera Sierra, 2000

10.Great Seneca, Sherry Lea & Larry Vellani, 2010

11.Blood, Jody McCall, 2011

12.Bella Ciao, Mondine e Partigiani, traditional

13.Oil in My Vessel, with Joe Thompson, traditional

25 Musicians

Alice Clark Brower, Hillsborough, NC – violin, voice: 2, 5, 7, 12

Anthony Holderied, Carrboro, NC - percussion: 1, 3, 4

Bob Brower, Hillsborough, NC - upright bass: 2, 5, 7, 12

Chuck Hodson, Mebane, NC – mandolin: 2

Currie Wayne Clayton, Jr., Mebane, NC – bass, guitar, papoose, percussion, violin: 3, 4, 6, 9, 10, 11

David Shore, Durham, NC - percussion: 5

Deb White, Hillsborough, NC - violin: 2

Don Porter, Mebane, NC - bass, electric guitar: 1, 3, 4, 9, 11

Fernando Suárez-González, Mebane, NC - accordion, piano: 3, 4, 6, 9, 10

Hal Engler, Chapel Hill, NC - guitar: 7, 13

Ira Diamont, Chapel Hill, NC – guitar: 2

Iryna Tkachenko, Chapel Hill, NC - mandolin, melodica, voice, xylophone: 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10

Jamey Tippens, Hillsborough, NC - accordion: 2, 12

Jane Davis, Hillsborough, NC - violin, voice: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13

Jody McCall, Mebane, NC - bass, voice: 6, 11

Joe Thompson, Mebane, NC - voice: 13

Joff Coe, Chapel Hill, NC – bass, guitar: 7, 13

Larry Duckworth, Hillsborough, NC - percussion: 7, 10, 13

Larry Vellani, Mebane, NC - banjo, guitar, mandolin, voice: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13

Lori Oshrain, Efland, NC - percussion: 2

Michela Musolino, Cliffside, NJ – voice: 5

Mike Gasperino, Mebane, NC – acoustic & electric guitar, voice: 4, 6, 8

Nettie Lassiter, Hillsborough, NC – pennywhistle: 2, 12

Paul Mitchell, Hillsborough, NC – banjo, violin: 2, 13

Peggy Boswell, Mebane, NC – pennywhistle: 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13

Sherry Lea, Graham, NC - bodhran, voice: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 12, 13

Album Dedication - Chuck Hodson

Dedicated in loving memory to Charles Bernard “Chuck” Hodson, II (1953 – 2017) ~ musician, chef, neighbor, collaborator, fellow traveler, friend ~

https://mebanesville.com/about-chuck-hodson

3 Recording Engineers

7 new recordings, 1 remastering, by Currie Wayne Clayton, Jr., Currie's Kitchen, Mebane, NC; 4 re-masterings of Bryan Baker & Elon Studios, Elon, NC; 1 re-mastering of Joff Coe, Grand Ole Joffre Studios, Hillsborough, NC

Album Design

Album design by Will Winsemann, Winter Park, FL. Album art by Kathleen Citrolo Gwinnett, Burlington, NC & Jude Waechter Lobe, Mebane, NC. Album photography by Dave Carlton, Chapel Hill, NC, Gerry Byrne, Durham, NC & Maureen Melita, Poughkeepsie, NY.

Town & Country - Track by Track

1. Never on Sunday, Manos Hatzidakis, 1960

… featuring Anthony Holderied, percussion; Don Porter, bass; Iryna Tkachenko, melodica & voice; Jane Davis, violin & voice; Larry Vellani, guitar; Peggy Boswell, pennywhistle; Sherry Lea, voice. Music in beautiful black-&-white, maybe needing a little rest here & there, from Ποτέ την Κυριακή, Pote tin Kyriaki, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Never_on_Sunday.

2. Canto di Stelle, traditional

… featuring Alice Clark Brower, violin; Bob Brower, double bass; Chuck Hodson, mandolin; Deb White, violin; Ira Diamont, guitar; Jane Davis, violin & voice; Larry Vellani, guitar & voice; Lori Oshrain, percussion; Paul Mitchell, banjo & violin; Peggy Boswell, pennywhistle; Sherry Lea, voice. Originally recorded & released 2006, Bryan Baker, engineer, Elon Studios, Elon, NC. The oldest Mebanesville recording on this CD, Canto di Stelle is an original musical reimagining of melodies and lyrics attributed to Alfonso Maria de' Ligouri (1696 - 1787), Nullo Romani (c. 1880 - 1950), and Pete Seeger (1919 - 2014), which, like these three gifted Italian and American artists, stands the test of time--and timelessness.

3. Daylight / Guns & Drums, Stephen Stills, 1980, and Joseph B. Geoghegan, 1867, after traditional

… featuring Anthony Holderied, percussion; Currie Wayne Clayton, Jr., violin; Don Porter, bass; Fernando Suárez González, accordion; Jane Davis, violin & voice; Larry Vellani, banjo, guitar, mandolin & voice; Peggy Boswell, pennywhistle; Sherry Lea, bodhran & voice. Much of the anti-recruitment text dates from the Kandyan Wars (1796 - 1818), between the former British Empire & the Kingdom of Kandy in present-day Sri Lanka. Definitely not your grandmother's Johnny marching home. May we not be fooled again!

4. Summertime, George Gershwin & Dubose Heyward, 1934

… featuring Anthony Holderied, percussion; Currie Wayne Clayton, Jr., guitar; Don Porter, bass & guitar; Fernando Suárez González, accordion & piano; Iryna Tkachenko, mandolin & voice; Jane Davis, violin & voice; Mike Gasperino, guitar; Larry Vellani, guitar & voice; Peggy Boswell, pennywhistle; Sherry Lea, voice. Surely one of the most powerful, as well as best-loved, 20th century, English-language arias.

5. Mafia Maffia, con Michela Musolino , Pino Veneziano, 1978

… featuring Alice Clark Brower, violin & voice; Bob Brower, double bass; David Shore, percussion; Jane Davis, voice; Larry Vellani, guitar, mandolin & voice; Michela Musolino, voice; Sherry Lea, voice. Michela Musolino has been an inspiration to us since we first worked & toured with her in 2008. Originally recorded & released 2008, Bryan Baker, engineer, Elon Studios, Elon, NC, Michela & Larry prepared the piece for Anthony Fragola's consideration as part of the soundtrack for his original documentary film, "Un Bel Ricordo," the trailer for which you can see here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adRCm26uGB0. Pino Veneziano (1933 - 1994) was a powerful force of nature in the mid 20th century Sicilian singer-songwriter world, who only knew to speak truth-to-power--whether political or romantic. For a bit more about Pino, visit http://pinoveneziano.altervista.org/. For more about Michela & her artistry, visit https://www.michelamusolino.com/.

6. Here Comes the Sun, George Harrison, 1969

... Currie Wayne Clayton, Jr., percussion; Fernando Suárez González, piano; Iryna Tkachenko, voice; Jody McCall, bass; Larry Vellani, guitar & voice; Mike Gasperino, acoustic & electric guitars & voice.

7. Panis Angelicus, Louis Lambillotte, 1825

… featuring Alice Brower, violin & voice; Hal Engler, guitar; Jane Davis, violin & voice; Joff Coe, bass & guitar; Larry Duckworth, percussion; Larry Vellani, guitar, mandolin & voice; Peggy Boswell, pennywhistle. Originally recorded & released 2008, Bryan Baker, engineer, Elon Studios, Elon, NC. The penultimate verse of Tommaso d'Aquino's (1225 - 1274) sacred poem "Sacris Solemniis" has inspired many composers through the centuries. Lambillotte's is perhaps the most accessible for congregational singing, from Nicola Montani's 1926 "St. Gregory Hymnal." For more about Louis Lambillotte (1790 - 1855), visit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Lambillotte.

8. Give Me Wings, traditional

… featuring Iryna Tkachenko, Jane Davis, Larry Vellani, Mike Gasperino, from the singing of the Badgett Sisters, Yanceyville, NC https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Badgett_Sisters. Larry and Peggy first met the singing Badgett Sisters in the early 1980's at the annual "Fiddler's Picnic," held from 1977 to 1987 on the grounds of the Alamance County Historical Museum south of Burlington, NC. Even with the passing of her two sister-partners, Connie Badgett Steadman continues to create new music and perform https://www.ncpedia.org/steadman-connie-marie-badgett.

9. Corazon Espinado, Fher Olvera Sierra, 2000

… featuring Currie Wayne Clayton, Jr., bass, acoustic & electric guitar & percussion; Don Porter, electric guitar; Fernando Suárez González, accordion; Iryna Tkachenko, voice & xylophone; Jane Davis, violin & voice; Larry Vellani, acoustic guitar & voice; Peggy Boswell, pennywhistle.

10. Great Seneca, Sherry Lea & Larry Vellani, 2010

… featuring Currie Wayne Clayton, Jr., bass, electric guitar & papoose; Fernando Suárez González, accordion & piano; Jane Davis, violin & voice; Larry Duckworth, percussion; Larry Vellani, guitar & vocal; Peggy Boswell, pennywhistle; Sherry Lea, voice. The annual Spirit Lecture Series welcomes a distinguished female scientist to the rostrum at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) in Research Triangle Park, NC. Scientist, educator, and public servant, Brad Collins commissioned Mebanesville to provide a soundtrack for his video montage that runs immediately before the introduction of the speaker. You can watch a version of the slideshow with Larry & Sherry's music under "Streaming Video" on this site.

11. Blood, Jody McCall, 2011

... featuring Currie Wayne Clayton, Jr., electric guitar; Don Porter, electric guitar guitar; Jane Davis, violin & voice; Jody McCall, bass & voice; Mike Gasperino, acoustic guitar; Larry Vellani, mandolin; Peggy Boswell, pennywhistle. According to Jody, this song was born and bred through late night-to-early morning sessions in Chuck Hodson's Jackson Street rehearsal space.

12. Bella Ciao, Mondine e Partigiani, traditional

… featuring Alice Clark Brower, violin; Bob Brower, upright bass; Jamey Tippens, accordion; Jane Davis, hand percussion & voice; Larry Vellani, guitar & voice; Nettie Lassiter, hand percussion & pennywhistle; Peggy Boswell, pennywhistle; Sherry Lea, voice. Originally recorded & released 2009, Joff Coe, II, engineer, Grand Ole Joffre Studios, Hillsborough, Elon, NC. Our interpretation begins with lyrics from the experience of "le mondine," female rice-workers from the Po River region of northern Italy, followed by anti-fascist lyrics from la Resistenza Italiana, 1943 - 1945. For more about the music of the mondine, as well as the partigiani italiani, explore the work of Giovanna Daffini (1914 - 1969), http://www.enciclopediadelledonne.it/biografie/giovanna-daffini/. For more about the origins of the folk melody, visit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bella_ciao and https://www.repubblica.it/2008/04/sezioni/spettacoli_e_cultura/ballata-bella/ballata-bella/ballata-bella.html?refresh_ce and https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mishka_Ziganoff and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0KbSFYbTxA.

13. Oil in My Vessel, with Joe Thompson, traditional

… featuring Hal Engler, guitar; Jane Davis, violin; Joe Thompson, voice; Joff Coe, bass; Larry Duckworth, percussion; Larry Vellani, mandolin & guitar; Paul Mitchell, banjo; Peggy Boswell, pennywhistle; Sherry Lea, voice. Originally recorded & released, 2008, Bryan Baker, engineer, Elon Studios, Elon, NC. We were so honored & fortunate that Joe Thompson (1981-2012) was our neighbor, friend, travel & gig companion, and fellow musical shape-shifter for more than a dozen years. A great, brief, written intro to Joe, as with so many things respectfully passed, can begin here, at the end, https://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/02/arts/music/joe-thompson-dies-at-93-fiddler-of-string-band-legacy.html. But, by all means, don't stop there in learning about Joe, his fiddling, his singing, and his legacy. Another fascinating, eloquent, de-cluttering tracing of our interwoven, North American, musical bloodlines from the 18th into the 21st century, and Mr. Joe and his family's happenstance & hinge-play can be enjoyed here, https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/05/20/rhiannon-giddens-and-what-folk-music-means?fbclid=IwAR3dWb0C21kaytTQIkJ05f72_8iJosHyedCaBxfZshx-1P0CZJkt2vgWG2Q , as well as here https://soundcloud.com/larry-vellani/joe-thompson-retrospective-roots-rampage-with-triangle-slim-2017_01221900 . and http://www.folkstreams.net/film-detail.php?id=278 ... "Amen. Well, alright."