The Tremperskill Boys
Maybe all rivers lead to Jordan? Then so goes the Tremperskill.
The Tremperskill Boys are a new band playing old Catskill Mountain folk tunes and dances, Irish and other ethnic tunes, blues and fresh songs about life in the hills.
The Tremperskill Boys premiered at the Pleasant Valley Meeting House on May 16th, 2009. The program was sponsored by the Andes Society for History and Culture. The packed audience heard Ginny Scheer play flute while John played and sang about love, life and hope was gently touching while other songs prompted rhythmic foot tapping. There is no other place in Andes with the excellent acoustics of Pleasant Valley Meeting House. This venue has many of the same qualities of the West Kortright Center and is so seldom used.
They band played again Memorial Day at the Alumni Dance.
Let me introduce the group.
The lead fiddler and the group’s founder, John Jacobson, a born and raised Delaware County musician has plenty of energy and enormous love of Catskill Mountains, to share with the band and any audience. John has been playing more than 30 years with variety of local fiddle and dance performers such as Kathy Shimburg, Erik House, Peter Blue, Ernie Scheck and the Little Victory Players. Last summer he worked with adored local performing artist, Hilton Kelly playing Hilt’s tunes and calling dances in a program sponsored by Catskill Folk Connection designed to allow musicians to learn, play and record live music lead by Mr. Kelly. This summer John is hoping to reach a broad audience with in his incredible voice, fiddling, and songs. Being part of a group of musicians who love music and are willing to reach further than their comfort zone while supporting each other. John’s a storyteller who relishes other musicians stories. Jams at John’s always includes good food, laughter, “ya, you’ve got it’, and music for the many. John has many passions: fly fishing, hiking, drawing and photographing the natural world, writing articles and music, stream clean-ups and family.
Playing claw-hammer banjo Ed McGee was the first band member to start playing with John regularly. Ed is a member of the Stoddard Hollow String Band playing the claw-hammer style typical of Appalachian old time music. Claw-hammer banjo adds both rhythm and drive. Mr. McGee is inspired by old time southern players such as Fred Cockerham who played with Tommy Jarrell an old time fiddler from northwestern North Carolina. He’s also an Andes Central School teacher. Children who stop over love to see him, which says kids like him. No better compliment for a teacher. Enjoying the outdoors is of great value to Mr. McGee, as it is for the other members of the band.
On the acoustic guitar and vocals, is John Van Benshcoten with deep ancestral ties to Catskill Mountains and Delaware County. Like John Jacobson he knows the people the places and the challenges of Delaware County. He knows the trees, the soils, the fish and something about farming. One of his musical mentors is Bill Keith, well known bluegrass banjo player currently of Woodstock, who traveled and played with Bill Monroe back in 1963. John has played and sung in many other venues pleasing audiences with his earthy, bluesy style on banjo and guitar. Since he has been recently elected as mayor of Margaretville, John has to carefully spend his time. With a new wife Kate, a demanding job and a recent job change in politics John may need one of Mr. Obama’s Blackberries.
Ginny Scheer flutist and one of the founders of the full-fledged regional folk life center, known as the Catskill Folk Connection is also an administrator for the Manhattan School. The school is unique in that it provides frequent opportunities for metropolitan children to participate in rural life predicated on the belief that what we come to know and understand we will value.
Ginny began to play for the best reason a young girl can have, the boy she fancied in 5th grade played the flute. She said she was not a “diligent student”. After college Ginny discovered New England contra dancing but didn’t find opportunities to play here. “So I started a folk music project at the Manhattan Country School that brought together Hilt and Stella Kelly, the Sidekicks, and Peter Blue with our elementary students. At first we worked on a lot of Catskill folk songs with Herb Haufrecht, but it soon became clear the kids wanted to try the instruments. The musicians have been teaching their instruments ever since to our 5th graders who then perform at Kirkside Retirement Home”. About herself Ginny says “Playing with the Tremperskill Boys is the fulfillment of my own dream since coming to the Catskills over 30 years ago to play with a group of like-minded musicians who are tolerant of the things I still have to learn.”
Ginny is sometimes accompanied to practice by her son Jose’, but is always accompanied by Sally a good natured brown Retriever, who remains the nemesis of our cat Sassy.
Several years ago Ben Murdock’s grandfather gave Ben his accordion (the French spelling indicating a “button accordion”… a term widely used among button pushers according to Ben) with the hope Ben would learn to play. Ben didn’t play, instead leaving his gift as a dust collecting curio. “Not until I began playing the harmonica on a whim did I realize the similarities in the instruments and the wasted potential sitting on my end table. I picked the thing up and gave it a squeeze and began researching the construction, tuning and history of the instrument.” Ben began learning tunes and began sharing what he’d learned by performing for his grandfather. Then his grandfather told stories about his great-grandfather, an Irish sheep herder who learned harmonica first, while out tending sheep. Ben’s great-great grandfather grew as a masterful Irish accordion player. Ben musicianship grows as he plays. He continues to be inspired by stories of his family playing especially those stories about Friday night dances in the living room. Mr. Murdock and the other Tremperskill Boys look forward to playing contra and round and square dances. Two very different styles easily learned by ‘no experience’ dancers.
Peter Lederman is Tremperskill’s own sweetheart second fiddle. Former ‘Brooklyn boy’ our pickle-ball player aficionado, was “snagged 20 years ago by Cripple Creek” (away from his classical roots). Peter plays with speed, talent and gusto. Now with heart and home dug deep down in Delaware County, Peter in addition to family, friends and playing fiddle has time to volunteer his sailing skills on a vessel navigating the Hudson River after building his own boat. As a musician, Mr. Lederman has grown from recalcitrant boy to an old time fiddler via harmonica to shakuachi (or Japanese bamboo flute) to old time fiddler. Peter loves people and music. He relishes the company of other musicians and looks forward to performing when his audience will have the opportunity enjoy his earthy lilt.
Self taught but “getting a few free lessons from my ‘tent neighbors’ at the Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival” is how Amy Leiberman describes how she learned the mandolin. Amy says her grandfather played but as a child she didn’t play. Then she received her mandolin from an ex-boyfriend who had an instrument from his grandfather which was refurbished. Ms. Leiberman says she is inspired by David “Dawg” Grisman, Sam Bush and Ronnie McCoury. Peter introduced Ms. Leiberman to the group where she expressed jitters about her ability and for no reason. Settled comfortably and working hard to protect Delaware County farmland Amy manifests sunshine in her personality and mandolin playing. Amy willingly extends herself in friendship to other band members and is fun. It’s likely she will inspire her audience on May 16 at Pleasant Valley Meeting House Co RT#1 Andes.
The Tremperskill Boys play without the aid of electronics. The instruments are made of wood and wire by skilled craftspeople with the intention of projecting sound without enhancement. You may see microphones and possibly a monitor, which is a box that mirrors the sound so the musicians can hear themselves when they start playing larger venues but they are intent on not amplifying what the audience hears. Many find listening to their type of instrumentation a better experience and clearly reflecting the intention of the authors of the music both instrumental and vocal. The Tremperskill Boys hope you’ll agree.
This article in a different form appeared in Walton Reporter and The Catskill News. CC-J Work Email
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