Heirlooms Brings Its Blend of Old and New to Bridge Street Live Sunday

The left hand creeps up the neck to add a moving subtext to the guitar’s open-chord tuning. A partially clenched right hand hits the strings just hard enough to add a percussive edge to the subtle textures. Soon, a soaring tenor eases in.

“I am just a poor boy, I am just a lonely book on your shelf

Wrapped in twine, along the spine, just enough rope to hang myself"

Jesse Stanford could easily be a lone troubadour but soon the music swells with an electric guitar and keyboard, violin, bass and drums build to an orchestral-like fullness. An ebb and flow follows as the instrumentalists play with texture and dynamics.

It’s just one song from Heirlooms, a band that brings its own take on the deep roots of Americana musical traditions to Sunday.

The band pays homage to the past in other ways and, as its website indicates, is intrigued with the lingering parts of Hartford’s history as “a small river port town.”

But despite the musical maturity and love of yesteryear, Heirlooms itself is a young band. None of its members have reached 30 and the band’s beginnings go back only to 2009, when Stanford was still living in Collinsville, near drummer Neal Spencer.

Both graduated from Farmington High School – Stanford in 2000 and Spencer two years later. But their friendship really grew when they were both active in New Haven area bands. Both also happen to be special education teachers, Stanford in Waterbury, Spencer at Farmington Valley Diagnostic Center in Avon.

“We just have similar passions,” Spencer said.

So in 2009, when Stanford was working on writing songs to record a project, Spencer would often listen and add percussion.

“I’ve always been attracted to his ability to capture images in lyrics,” Spencer said. “I’ve always loved that.”

The two would also spend time in town, trying out some material at places like the open mic at LaSalle Market.

“The community of Collinsville is so supportive,” Stanford said.  

Soon guitarist Thomas Servidone and Justin Kearney, who grew up together in Rocky Hill, began recording and contributing.

Not too long after a Craigslist ad for a violin player caught the attention of Ciara Cohen.  A music teacher in Hartford, she is classically trained but jumped at the chance to do something different with her music.

“I was so excited,” she said about the first time she played with the other musicians.

And it wasn’t just her. As they recorded in late 2009 and 2010, the musicians felt a deeper connection.

“It kind of organically grew from humble beginnings,” Stanford said. “In making this record we realized we had something much bigger on our hands.”

Kearney said he was also thrilled when Servidone introduced him to the recording sessions and when the band materialized, even if he felt a little out of his element on keyboard rather than guitar.

“I was looking to expand musically,” he said. “We really liked Jesse’s music too.”

Later bassist Brendan Cox was added to the mix. 

And when someone suggested the name Heirlooms, it just fit perfectly with their love of combining new and old, Stanford said.

Stanford, for example, listened to singers like John Prine and Joni Mitchell growing up. And most band members cut their teeth on their share of classic rock. At the same time modern bands like Wilco and more experimental groups, such as Broken Social Scene have caught the ears of members.

Stanford likes to call Heirlooms’ music New Americana.

“For us that kind of embodies that we have one feet in very traditional kinds of music,” Stanford said.” At the same time we’re really getting into a lot more modern experimental electric music. We’ve got these two opposite form of music that influence us.”

Currently the band has a four-song EP, the result of the 2009 and 2010 recordings, and is working on a new, even more collaborative album.

And the band has played quite a few live shows, gaining a following in Hartford and elsewhere.

Sunday they will be at Bridge Street in Collinsville with John Parson and Simsbury resident Carrie Johnson, a long-time songwriter, performer and music teacher, including at the Avon-based Music Time!! With Miss Carrie.

Dave Martin, another Farmington native, plays with Johnson and also contributed some guitar for the Heirlooms project. Sunday he will sit in with the band for a few songs as well.

“Jesse’s super creative,” he said, adding that the band is “a lot of fun to play with because they’re really expressive.”

“The band has a great way of creating a vibe in the room,” said Pat Ryan, entertainment and publicity director at Bridge Street Live. “Their subtle yet potent sound creeps up on you, in a good way. They are a hardworking band and I'm excited about their return to Bridge Street Live.”

That show, Sunday March 27, will begin at 8 p.m. Tickets are $12 and $22. Log on to www.41bridgestreet.com/calendar/index.php?id=109 for more information. 

Keep track of the Heirlooms and hear some music at www.heirloomsmusic.com.