BY Karen Gadiel
Last winter, a relatively new musical group, “Nuthin’ Special,” played at a Facebook Live concert at the Lodi Historical Society. Awed by that performance, one audience member said, “Wow! I’d pay money to hear them again!” Full disclosure—that was me. And I will. The group is playing a benefit concert for the Hector Refugee Project on Sunday, July 23 at 4 p.m. at the Lodi Historical Society to help raise funds for the support of a Ukrainian family of four who came to live in Interlaken about four weeks ago.
There’s something amazing about being in a room filled with harmonious music, played by six seasoned musicians who’ve been practicing their art, separately and together, for a very long time. The blend of voices and instrumentation is something they continue to intensively work on. Every week without fail.
“I call us ‘Americana Coustic,” jokes Stan Ink, the group’s newest member, who seems to exchange his guitar for a banjo and back again on alternate songs. He also writes some of them.
“We’re a bit of a melting pot,” says Gary Laino, the band’s music director, who listens closely as he plays, despite his fingers flying over his strings as he sings and picks out a complicated harmony. The whole group stops at his direction to listen to each other as they rehearse, working together to iron out the balance, the order of solos, and the rhythm.
“Everyone brings something to the group,” Laino says. “We all came in with different backgrounds. Caroline (Caroline Hoover, who plays guitar) comes from a folk tradition. Mindy (Mindy Fitzsimmons, mandolin) brought Irish music. Nancy (Nancy Learn, piano and songwriting) and Stan (who also takes care of their sound system) made us better right away. And Jeff (Jeff Cornell, upright bass and banjo, who also provides the venue for their weekly rehearsal) is the glue.”
“Jeff gets a lot of credit for beginning the group in the first place and hanging in there until everyone showed up,” Hoover says. In fact, Cornell hosted jam sessions in his house in the hills above Watkins Glen every year for at least eight years. When Laino began attending at Cornell’s invitation about five years ago, the music played was mostly gospel and bluegrass. “There was a main group and the new people would be around the outside,” he says. But in the course of the evening, everyone would get a chance to propose and play a song or two.” Things changed drastically during the pandemic, as the older members of the group dropped out. “After COVID the people on the outskirts became the group.”
The group’s name was something of a joke, because they had to come up with something before they did their first concert together. They spent about 45 minutes of rehearsal time playing with a long list of suggested names, but nothing seemed right. “Then one of the guys suggested a derogatory name and we all said, ‘That’s it!’”
And they kept meeting, the core group expanding a little. Together they evolved into a polished group, ready to play in a variety of musical styles including folk, Celtic, bluegrass, gospel, and blues. Since the pandemic began to lift in 2021 they’ve played at a variety of venues from the Smith Opera House in Geneva to a foster grandparents’ picnic, to a book signing, to an impromptu session at a brewery. As word gets out, more opportunities to play are presented.
One striking aspect of the group is the interaction between the musicians. “Possibly our age,” Laino hazards. “In our 20s, there was all this pressure to put bands together, but as I got older, I realized it’s just about the music. Everyone’s open to playing what everyone else wants to play. It’s an organic thing. This band is always going to be evolving. We’ve done performances where one person couldn’t make it and we just do the performance. It’s always worked. It’s how this group is. We’re good friends now.”
Singer-songwriter Nancy Learn, some of whose work might be described as “modern folk with local connections,” says she loves hearing her music performed by the group. And she particularly appreciates working with Laino. “He’s such a talent. I’m usually nervous, but he’s not afraid to be the first one out there [with a solo]. He’s very brave.”
They’ve been working for several weeks on their playlist for the July 23 concert, for which they’ve all volunteered their time. “I have fun when I do this,” Laino says. “And it’s right up our alley. This is a good opportunity for us because it’s doing something good.”
For more information about the group, contact Laino at 607-594-6373 or Hoover at 607-379-1800. The Lodi Historical Society venue is a former church on the corner of Route 414 and Grove Street. The building is handicap accessible. Suggested donation for the concert is $15 at the door. Refreshments, including cheese from Lively Run Goat Dairy in Interlaken (the host family) will be available.
Last winter, a relatively new musical group, “Nuthin’ Special,” played at a Facebook Live concert at the Lodi Historical Society. Awed by that performance, one audience member said, “Wow! I’d pay money to hear them again!” Full disclosure—that was me. And I will. The group is playing a benefit concert for the Hector Refugee Project on Sunday, July 23 at 4 p.m. at the Lodi Historical Society to help raise funds for the support of a Ukrainian family of four who came to live in Interlaken about four weeks ago.
There’s something amazing about being in a room filled with harmonious music, played by six seasoned musicians who’ve been practicing their art, separately and together, for a very long time. The blend of voices and instrumentation is something they continue to intensively work on. Every week without fail.
“I call us ‘Americana Coustic,” jokes Stan Ink, the group’s newest member, who seems to exchange his guitar for a banjo and back again on alternate songs. He also writes some of them.
“We’re a bit of a melting pot,” says Gary Laino, the band’s music director, who listens closely as he plays, despite his fingers flying over his strings as he sings and picks out a complicated harmony. The whole group stops at his direction to listen to each other as they rehearse, working together to iron out the balance, the order of solos, and the rhythm.
“Everyone brings something to the group,” Laino says. “We all came in with different backgrounds. Caroline (Caroline Hoover, who plays guitar) comes from a folk tradition. Mindy (Mindy Fitzsimmons, mandolin) brought Irish music. Nancy (Nancy Learn, piano and songwriting) and Stan (who also takes care of their sound system) made us better right away. And Jeff (Jeff Cornell, upright bass and banjo, who also provides the venue for their weekly rehearsal) is the glue.”
“Jeff gets a lot of credit for beginning the group in the first place and hanging in there until everyone showed up,” Hoover says. In fact, Cornell hosted jam sessions in his house in the hills above Watkins Glen every year for at least eight years. When Laino began attending at Cornell’s invitation about five years ago, the music played was mostly gospel and bluegrass. “There was a main group and the new people would be around the outside,” he says. But in the course of the evening, everyone would get a chance to propose and play a song or two.” Things changed drastically during the pandemic, as the older members of the group dropped out. “After COVID the people on the outskirts became the group.”
The group’s name was something of a joke, because they had to come up with something before they did their first concert together. They spent about 45 minutes of rehearsal time playing with a long list of suggested names, but nothing seemed right. “Then one of the guys suggested a derogatory name and we all said, ‘That’s it!’”
And they kept meeting, the core group expanding a little. Together they evolved into a polished group, ready to play in a variety of musical styles including folk, Celtic, bluegrass, gospel, and blues. Since the pandemic began to lift in 2021 they’ve played at a variety of venues from the Smith Opera House in Geneva to a foster grandparents’ picnic, to a book signing, to an impromptu session at a brewery. As word gets out, more opportunities to play are presented.
One striking aspect of the group is the interaction between the musicians. “Possibly our age,” Laino hazards. “In our 20s, there was all this pressure to put bands together, but as I got older, I realized it’s just about the music. Everyone’s open to playing what everyone else wants to play. It’s an organic thing. This band is always going to be evolving. We’ve done performances where one person couldn’t make it and we just do the performance. It’s always worked. It’s how this group is. We’re good friends now.”
Singer-songwriter Nancy Learn, some of whose work might be described as “modern folk with local connections,” says she loves hearing her music performed by the group. And she particularly appreciates working with Laino. “He’s such a talent. I’m usually nervous, but he’s not afraid to be the first one out there [with a solo]. He’s very brave.”
They’ve been working for several weeks on their playlist for the July 23 concert, for which they’ve all volunteered their time. “I have fun when I do this,” Laino says. “And it’s right up our alley. This is a good opportunity for us because it’s doing something good.”
For more information about the group, contact Laino at 607-594-6373 or Hoover at 607-379-1800. The Lodi Historical Society venue is a former church on the corner of Route 414 and Grove Street. The building is handicap accessible. Suggested donation for the concert is $15 at the door. Refreshments, including cheese from Lively Run Goat Dairy in Interlaken (the host family) will be available.
