Close your eyes and
listen...
...sounds of a mandolino playing beautiful Italian music evoke a scene...
For some it's a weekend festa with bambinos perched on
their fathers shoulders to view a traditional doll dance...
Unforgettable memories of loved ones and
the hometowns from which they came...
It sends others down narrow Venitian canals on a gondolla built for two...
Still others conjure images of a lazy Sunday afternoon at Nana's house sipping homemade wine and taking in the delicious smells of her kitchen...
"It's the beautiful sounds of a mandolino...
the authentic sound of Egidio Faiella"
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The Faiella family hails from the Abruzzo & Campania regions of Italy.
Mandolin playing has been a very proud tradition in the Faiella family for generations.
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...was born in the
town of Introdacqua in 1907 near the city of Sulmona, Italy. In 1923, at the age of sixteen, he made
his journey to the United States. His wife,
Mary Bove Faiella (Grandma), a daughter of
Luigi Bove (Great-Grandfather also known as my Tuda),
hails from the Campania region of Italy. Mary was born in the town of Cervino outside of the city
of Naples, Italy. James and Mary met here in America. Settling in the Steel Mill town of
West Aliquippa located north of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, they raised two sons Joseph Anthony and
Eugene Benny and one daughter Rose Marie. "Jimmy" Faiella passed away in 1981 and his wife Mary
passed away in 1998... they are deeply missed by our family and friends.
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Beautiful Memories of West Aliquippa, Pennsylvania...
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Mary (Grandma) cooking incredibly delicious Sunday feasts... Afterwards her husband Jimmy playing beautiful
Italian and Italian-American music on his mandolin
accompanied on the acoustic guitar by his youngest son Benny (Dad)... together entertaining the entire family
while Aunts, Uncles & close friends enjoyed the music! At other times "Ole" Jimmy & "Little" Benny (also called little Eugene) often traveled
from house to house, celebrating... enjoying life & spreading love & happiness through their music! Those days are
deeply missed by our family & friends, to be certain.
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Thankfully, Those Beautiful Sounds Are Still Here Today...
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Egidio offers you the truly beautiful
sounds of Italian and Italian-American music as only performed on the mandolin...
In the 21st Century, the long forgotten sounds of the mandolin are still very much alive & well in the Faiella family!
Those who have heard him play know that he surely plays from the heart!
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American-Italian Mandolinista
I'm Made In The U.S.A.! BABY!
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Egidio was born and raised in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania in the United States of America.
This American-Italian mandolinista only knows of Old World Italy through his childhood memories of visiting his
grandparents. Although he's never been to Italy, he vividly remembers beautiful Italian melodies from his
childhood days... when he was a little boy, he actually thought everyone's grandpa played the mandolin! Young Egidio was
captured by the beautiful sounds of the mandolin and fell deeply in love with the music he heard because music was surely in his blood!
That's right, musical talent surely is in the blood... Benny (aka; Eugene) was taught by his father, the late James Egidio "Jimmy" Faiella, how to play
the acoustic guitar, helping pave the way for his success and eventually spending more than half of his life as a
professional guitarist. Benny is the founder and rhythm guitarist of the
musical group The Jaggerz. In 1970, their Billboard #1 hit song
"The Rapper" (written by local rock legend
Donnie Iris and
featured on Time/Life's Sounds Of The Seventies Collection) thrust this Pittsburgh-Beaver County group into the
national spotlight. "The Rapper" ultimately sold over 2.5 million copies worldwide!
Egidio didn't begin to seriously play the mandolin until mid 1996. He says, "After my Grandfather passed away in
1981, my Grandmother gave me his mandolin. It actually collected dust in my closet for long periods. I only played it once or
twice a year at special family gatherings and I only knew a handful of grandpa's favorites."
Like many children and grandchildren of Italian decent, Egidio was born and raised on American culture and music. Egidio
makes it clear, "I've literally recorded and produced MANY different styles of music throughout my life and I can
honestly say that NOTHING remotely compares to the feelings I experience when I play my mandolin... I close my eyes and feel
like a little boy again all over again... It's the GREATEST feeling!"
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Egidio Was Re-Inspired By A Priceless Homemade Recording...
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Inspired in early 1996 by a priceless homemade recording of his grandfather playing his mandolin and acoustic guitar.
This rare recording was created in the early 1970's by Uncle Joe Faiella. Egidio has mastered the feel and beautiful tones of the
"Italian Folk Style" of Mandolin
playing. The most emotional song for Egidio is an original musical composition entitled, "Egidio's Theme",
which was created by his Grandfather. Egidio says, "I remembered that melody so clearly... when I first heard his tape,
I could actually picture him playing it... Now that I'm older, I'm very proud of him for many different reasons... I can't
explain how much I miss his excitement... the unique & beautiful emotions I felt when I heard that music... will live
with me for the rest of my life... Thank God...
;-)
My dear ole' Uncle Joe probably didn't realize that he
was recording one of our family's most cherished treasures
when he recorded his father (my Grandfather) back in the early 1970's...
it touches something deep in our souls...
That homemade recording is the primary reason why I decided to seriously play the mandolin!
I also have
my beautiful Aunt Rose Marie and Grandmother,
the late Mary Bove Faiella, to thank for encouraging my playing since grandpa passed away!
I can't count how many times they've mentioned to me
that I should pick up his mandolino & play them a song.
I'm so THANKFUL that I finally listened to them after all those years!".
Egidio explains,
"the feelings I experience when I listen to
my grandfather's homemade recording are very emotional...
I miss him & his music very much... It becomes more & more emotional as I grow older..."
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"A Forgotten Art - Alive & Well"tm
The Sound Of Egidio Faiella
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