St. Catharines, ON Acoustic Folk Duo FOR ERNEST Release “Found and Seen” in the Name of Love and Hope
Exploring the contents of our grandparents’ houses as children can be a profound sensory experience, a journey back in time for our imaginations, and a map of clues to who we are, where we came from, and who we can become. For Michael Saracino, it was the wonderment of his childhood discoveries of Christmas cards from Duke Ellington, scribblings from Louis Armstrong on a Blue Note napkin, and his grandfather Ernest’s own simple words of advice that molded those deep, lasting impressions. In his lifetime, Ernest Orlando was a part of establishing the Toronto Jazz Society along with lifelong friend, pianist & composer Norm Amadio, which helped bring touring jazz musicians to the city, which brought touring jazz musicians into Canada and provided them a place to perform.
“If you want to play music forever, that’s great”, Ernest had told Michael as a boy. “Just make sure you have a plan.”
When Ernest passed, Michael Saracino’s desire to make music a lifelong pursuit was solidified. Today, after a decade of writing songs and performing across three continents, he and his partner in both music and life, Tara Lynn Stanclik, have their musical plan, and it’s all in the name of For Ernest, now based in St. Catharines, ON. Following the success of their first EP Buildings, released in July 2023, acoustic folk duo For Ernest, featuring Michael on guitar and vocals, and Tara on keyboard and complementing harmonies, is already finishing up their second EP, Additions.
Despite their musical plan, For Ernest’s latest single, “Found and Seen” is one that ironically began with an accident. While rehearsing a more somber song about a relationship at its end, “a slip-up on one of the chords suddenly allowed a more hopeful progression to emerge, and a new melody followed”, Michael explained. The lyrics for the new song came just as quickly as the chord slip, echoing that drastic breakthrough in transformation from despair to hope:
“Now the fog is rolling out
And breaks in the clouds are easing my doubt
Heart is wide, my eyes are clear
And they are locked on the one who has melted my fear
And now I’m…
Whole and hopeful, found and seen
You’re a fire in my winter and the first breath of spring.”
Michael and Tara admit that the words were written in under an hour and are taken from their own experience in meeting eight years ago and feeling truly seen for the first time, after failed relationships and a period of reflection.
“It came from a song about endings, yet had the energy of fresh beginnings, so we decided it would become a closely connected follow-up, a sequel of sorts, about a new hope blossoming after some time spent alone.”
Once the lyrics were set, Michael and Tara called upon Niagara-based banjo player Dave Matthews to put the final touches on the recording.
“He added a rolling banjo line to float over the top of the entire song and reinforce the wave of calm and joy. Once he recorded his parts in our little barn studio, the song felt complete.”
Though “Found and Seen” was not originally part of Michael and Tara’s plan, its origin honors an evolution from loss into hope and inspiration, while paying tribute to jazz patron legacy Ernest Orlando. As Michael said of the chance chord-slip,
“It was as though the song was always there, and we just had to be aware enough to get out of its way.”
Care to introduce yourself?
We are Michael Saracino & Tara Stanclik; Partners in music and life. We are a duo from the Niagara region that is centered around male/female vocals, acoustic guitar, keyboards, and live looping.
Tell us about the process of recording “Found and Seen.”
It’s an accidental love song of sorts. We were rehearsing for a concert, and running through a more somber song of ours, which is about knowing a relationship is at its end. A slip-up on one of the chords allowed a more hopeful progression to emerge and a new melody quickly followed. It was as though it was always there and we just had to be aware enough to get out of its way. It came from a song about endings, yet had the energy of fresh beginnings, so we decided it would become a closely connected follow-up (a sequel of sorts) about a new hope blossoming after some time spent alone. The lyrics came as quickly as we could jot them down, taken from our own experience in meeting 8 years ago. We recorded everything in our little barn studio that we’d built over the pandemic and the song felt complete with the addition of a floating banjo line by Niagara-based banjo player Dave Matthews.
Who was the first and most recent Canadian artist to blow you away?
Mike: I would have to say Rush was the first. I started as a drummer at age 9 and my dad let me hear what Neil Peart was doing behind a kit and my mind was blown wide open.
Tara: If I’m being totally honest, the first Canadian artist who really influenced me as a child was Fred Penner! I actually got to see him on tour just a few years ago. It was both nostalgic and very enjoyable. The way he engages with an audience is so authentic.
Tara & Mike: The most recent Canadian artist to blow us away (based on our most recent concert experience) was Aysanabee. He was the supporting act for Dan Mangan, and we weren’t very familiar with his work going into the show. Aysanabee’s voice, his conversations with the audience, and his writing were so beautiful that we became instant fans.
What’s an album that you have in your collection that would surprise people?
Mike: Kind of Blue by Miles Davis
There’s not much to suggest to an audience that I would listen to Miles Davis. Our music doesn’t sound jazz-influenced and the album was recorded decades before my birth so that might be a surprise. My dad turned me onto Led Zeppelin, Rush & Pink Floyd while at the same time, my grandpa was introducing me to Art Blakey, Max Roach & Miles Davis.
Tara: Pléiades by Madrigaïa
I’m quite fascinated by the power of harmony and the human voice. This is a Canadian female music collective from the heart of Manitoba’s French-speaking community. They create choral music from the many different cultures they represent. It is quite beautiful and unlike anything I’d heard prior.
You’ve been making music for a bit of time now, what’s one piece of advice you can offer to those starting out?
Put your whole heart into it without expectation. If you love what you create, that will be evident in your performance. Write as much as you can and go to open mics. It’s an industry you have to truly love to stay the course. It is certainly not easy to navigate and without that inherent desire to create and/or perform, it quickly becomes untenable. Respect what you do, and surround yourself with a community that fosters this type of calling.