Vaiano’s Paisanos Revive 1920s New York on ‘Ardo D’amore’
More than ten years ago, a few musicians crossed paths while busking on the streets of New Orleans. They live in different cities across the US and Europe today.
They have reunited to form Vaiano’s Paisanos. Tomorrow, February 25, the transatlantic stringband drops ‘Ardo D’amore’ via Jalopy Records. It serves as the first taste of an upcoming album. The project focuses on the immigrant stringbands recording in New York during the 1920s and 30s.
‘Ardo D’amore’ is a beautiful waltz first cut by tenor banjoist Frank Fazio and violinist Nullo Romani. The song brings a distinct flavor to the group’s repertoire. Rachel Meirs handles violin, mandolin, and guitar for the band. She explains the track’s arrangement and history:
“I heard ‘Ardo d’amore’ (originally recorded by Frank Fazio and Nullo Romani) thanks to a collection of songs that came by way of Todd Cambio, who also built Maxwell’s mandolin. ‘Ardo d’amore’ is a beautiful waltz, and it’s nice to have an Italian song that’s not mandolin-centric. It’s also a little cheeky for a duet – Bardi holds this one down on the guitar, while me and Maxwell take turns on melody alternating between violin and tenor banjo.”
The rest of the band includes Maxwell Poulos on mandolin, tenor banjo, and tenor guitar, alongside Van Burchfield on guitar. Quentin Bardinet and Albanie Faletta also contribute to the music. Meirs brings serious experience to the table. She has performed with Sierra Ferrell, the late Luke Bell, and Vaden Landers. Her resume includes gigs at the Brooklyn Folk Fest and the Subdued Stringband Jamboree.
The band’s name grounds the project in real family history. It honors Meirs’ great-grandmother, Fortuna Victoria Pears, whose maiden name was Vaiano. Her family traveled from Naples to New York in the early 1900s.
We would not hear any of this without dedicated crate-diggers. Record collectors salvage old 78s and pass them around through obscure blogs, burned CDs, and Discord channels. Vaiano’s Paisanos took those forgotten recordings and made them sweat again.
Vaiano’s Paisanos Instagram / Bandcamp
Jalopy Records Website / Facebook / Instagram / YouTube
