CD Brings Together Local Musicians

BY AMY J. BARRY

Wayne Manca loves Christmas music. And every year after the holiday is over, the drummer laments that he didn't make a Christmas album with all the talented musicians he's worked with over the past 48 years in southeastern Connecticut - including his many years in the New London-based rock band "After Five."

This is the Christmas that the New London native, who now lives in Norwich, made his dream come true with the release of his CD "Wayne Manca & Friends: White Wonderland" featuring more than 40 musicians from Groton, Mystic, New London, Niantic, Norwich, and Westerly, as well as several long-distance contributors from Vermont, New York City and Nashville.

Starting last February and finishing in October, Manca co-produced the CD with fellow musician James Waine Carpenter of Niantic and also credits bass player Mike Frishman of Norwich for his contributions to its production and engineering.

It was quite a logistical challenge, Manca admits, to get so many musicians-most of whom play in other bands and have regular day jobs - to lay down their tracks, which were recorded at Loco Dare Studios in Niantic and at several other area studios.

The result of this ambitious project is a polished, professional album that puts a fresh spin on Christmas classics.

"First, I decided what songs I wanted to do and then I picked musicians who would match both instrumentally and vocally," Manca explains.

He says he tried to choose a range of styles of music - contemporary, traditional, country, jazz and rock.

Manca was especially happy with the rendition of The Carpenter's "Merry Christmas Darling," featuring vocals by Laura Light of New London.

"It's a '40s swing ballad with that Peggy Lee sound and Laura did a stand-up job on that. She has a very sensual voice and paid homage to the original recording."

Many of the numbers were a family affair. On "Do You Hear What I Hear?" Manca plays drums and his daughter Marylynn, and sisters Holly Weekwerth and Sharon Bitcliffe sing back-up vocals.

Waterford resident Hilary Carboni performs on piano and his daughter Lauren Carboni sings vocals on "Christmastime is Here." On both "Frosty the Snowman" and "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus," Ron Apicelli - owner of Ron's Guitars in Groton - plays guitar, and his daughter Kym Apicelli sings lead vocals.

There is one original tune on the CD, "Unhappy Holiday," written by Jim Carpenter. Carpenter also sings the lead vocals and plays guitar on the bittersweet song about a relationship that ended before the holiday. The song is embellished by Nashville artists John Mock (originally form Montville) on Irish flute and Carole Rabinowitz on cello.

"Jim is a fantastic songwriter. He usually writes in a very different vein than Christmas music and I had to push him to do it," Manca says. "It's a great song and really tugs at your heartstrings."

Manca points out that Phred Mileski "did an incredible job" on the vocal arrangements for the New London choir, The Quaking Shepards, that sings on "O Holy Night."

Bass player Mike Palazzolo of Westerly created a collage on the inside of the CD liner ala The Beatles Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band featuring all the musicians as elves with Manca in the center as Santa.

"He grabbed peoples photos off Facebook and Photoshopped the picture, Manca says. "I think he did a great job - it's a riot."

Manca is very pleased with the end result of the project.

"I knew it would be a big job, but the best part was watching everyone make their contributions and do what they do best," he says. "I wanted to stay kind of original out of respect [for the original artists] but also let people get creative and run with it."