Category: Storytelling

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“The Mermaid” (Child No. 289) from the Ballad Book by John Jacob Niles

“Sailing ships at sea” drawn by Sandy Ross Bender from “Ships in a Stormy Sea off a Coast” by Dutch Painter Ludolf Backhuisen C. 1690 exhibited at the North Carolina Museum of Art in 2019. *
“The Mermaid” arranged, performed, and recorded by Sandy Ross Bender with voice, guitar and harmonica on March 27, 2021

Oh the stormy winds do blow,

with the landlubbers down below,

And the sailor-men a-climbing to the top,

To haul in the riggin’-o.

T’was Sunday night, our sails were set

We hardly cleared the land-o,

When we spied a mermaid a-swimming by,

A comb and a glass in her hand-o.

The captain plumbed with a lead and a line,

He plumbed for to reach the sand-o,

While the winds and the waves did toss and roar,

We knew we’d never see land-o.

Then three times ’round went our gallant ship,

And three times more went she,

And the mate and the cabin boy said goodbye,

As we sank in the salt, salt sea.

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She Runs Through My Mind Like an Apparition

Listen to my recent musical composition entitled, ” She Runs Through My Mind Like an Apparition” for guitar, concertina, and mandolin. My boxwood engraving of a vine covered oak is evocative of the haunted James River floodplain in Virginia. The musical composition is reminiscent of stories sung in ballads that migrated from Europe and Africa to the southern regions of North America. The diverse musical instruments express the fleeting polyphonic thoughts that run through my mind, forever changing in time. I fondly acknowledge my son, Adam Bender for assisting me with graphic layout and production. Sandy Bender

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Two dancing pigs

“Two Dancing Pigs” Pastel Drawing Detail by Sanford Ross Bender

“Two Dancing Pigs” composed, performed, and recorded on one track with acoustic guitar and harmonica. Previously included on “Terrain” CD 2015 by Sanford (Sandy) Ross Bender

“Two Dancing Pigs” was improvised by playing harmonica and guitar simultaneously. Any discomfort in physically managing two instruments was alleviated through closed-eye visualization of two dancing pigs squealing with delight in each other’s company. The artwork is a detail of the pastel drawing used in my previous post, “The Listening Drum.” Looking closer allows one to see two dark pig-like shapes appear (among other creatures such as a spider, a bat, or a raven’s tail). Perhaps, rainbow colored waves are perceived as dancing while the pig duo floats and soars overhead in sea spray and thermal undulations. A colorful drawing appearing to depict a single slice in time awakens and sequentially shape-shifts to melodic rhythms of musical joy.

You can find “Two Dancing Pigs” and other pieces on Sandy Bender’s album Terrain.

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The Mending Meadow

“The Mending Meadow” composed, performed, and recorded with acoustic guitar and concertina on two tracks by Sanford R. Bender on September 19, 2021.
“Hillside Meadows” painted with watercolor by Sanford R. Bender on September 3, 2006

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Long snowy walk home under a crescent moon

“Snowy forest” drawn with pen and ink on paper by Sandy Bender in 1981.
“Winter Spruce in snow beyond” drawn with pen and ink by Sandy Bender on January 23, 1995
“Snowy hills” drawn with pen and ink by Sandy Bender in April, 1996.
“Long snowy walk home under a crescent moon” composed. performed and recorded with acoustic guitar (with and without metal tube slide on separate tracks) by Sanford R. Bender on September 12, 2021.
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Sailing beyond the moon

“Lift off” drawn with colored pencil and painted with watercolor by Sanford R. Bender sometime in 1982.
“Sailing beyond the Moon” composed, performed and recorded with guitar, concertina, and glockenspiel by Sanford R. Bender on August 23, 2021
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Recovery and Relief (Sea Mountains)

“Recovery and Relief” composed, played, and recorded on solo guitar by Sanford R. Bender on May 3, 2021
“Sea Mountains” painted with acrylic paint on paper by Sanford R. Bender a while ago.

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A brief passion

“A brief passion” (Trunk Bay, U.S. Virgin Islands) drawn by Sanford R. Bender a while ago.

“A brief passion” composed, played and recorded by Sanford R. Bender with guitar on two tracks a while ago.

“A Brief Passion”

A passion can pass,

In a twinkle of an eye,

A leeward glance,

A breath and a sigh,

Inhaled fragrance,

With luster of jade,

Horizons of memories,

That never fade.

Sanford R. Bender April 19, 2021

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A lull in the battle

“Amiens Cathedral Interior Elevation” drawn with pencil by Sanford R. Bender in 1991
“Amiens Cathedral Exterior Elevation” drawn with pencil by Sanford R. Bender in 1991

My drawings of Cathedrale Notre-Dame d’Amiens from the thirteenth century were drawn while researching Gothic architecture, and how cathedrals in France were being constructed with arches, vaulted ceilings, flying buttresses, and stained glass windows. After drawing the horizontal and vertical lines of the structure with straight edge and triangle, I soon became entranced and astonished by how consecutive arcs drawn with a compass established a rhythm that appeared to dance gracefully across the page. The visual motion of the arcade struck me deeply as being musical, my other passion. The original guitar composition, “A lull in the battle”, inspired by medieval music, is what I imagined as being evocative of an exhausted knight pausing from battle, only to reflect and mourn a bygone romance.

“A lull in the battle” was composed and performed with guitar by Sanford R. Bender on July 17, 2016
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Elephant Concert

“You give something away” composed, performed, and recorded on two tracks for guitar and clarinet by Sanford Bender
“Elephant Concert: Performance” Brush, pen and ink painted storyboard by Sanford Bender

“Elephant Concert” originated during an animation course that I participated in in the early 1980’s. The original film was created with colored paints on celluloid. The story was about an elephant man who plays his cello while sounding the clarinet-like melody through his trunk. The unappreciative audience soon becomes unruly and resorts to heckling as an expression of their ignorance.

The original music was played on violin and clarinet. The current music composed for clarinet and guitar heartily welcomes an improvised or composed violoncello part to play along with the guitar and clarinet.

“Elephant Concert: Escape” Brush, pen and ink painted storyboard by Sanford Bender

The emotionally upset performers quickly make their exit from the intolerant city. The elephant man leaps upon his bicycle and pedals furiously as his companion, the violoncello skips alongside.

“Elephant Concert: Consolation” Brush, pen, watercolor and ink painted storyboard by Sanford Bender

The duo finally finds consolation after a well deserved rest in the countryside. Their appetites will soon be appeased as they gaze into the aromatic delicatessen that will soon be opening for business.