Since 1992
Print and digital marketing
By Bill Van Tassel
I first met Carolyn Costanzi at a fundraiser for young Cody Bean of West Paris. Cody has neuroblastoma, and Costanzi is an obstetrician at Stephens Memorial Hospital, and delivered Cody.
The November event at the Paris Fire Station featured several musical groups. including Costanzi’s group, Cobblestones. During our interview, guitarist Mike Plourde, of Gorham, pointed to Costanzi as the mover behind the group. She and Plourde, as well as his brother, percussionist, Mark Plourde, can, along with me, all be placed in another group, the baby boomers.
Costanzi is the main vocalist, with Plourde adding harmony. The two met while performing with different groups during an open mic at Tucker’s Pub in Norway in 2014.
“What started as a plan to play an open mic together ended up as the start of a band dedicated to performing the songs that most move and inspire the members and to play them the very best that we can,” their website says. “Our motivation for what we do comes from many years as music lovers and as part-time performers with many other groups.” One song that stood at the Cody Bean performance was the 1965 Youngbloods hit “Get Together.”
Over the next couple of years, classically trained pianist Danielle Tran of Norway (formerly of Montreal) joined on keyboards and Ken Lloyd came along as a bass player. Mark Plourde, Mike’s brother, then came on board. The Plourdes grew up in Caribou, where their father ran a music store.
The Cobblestones’ repertoire includes songs from a variety of genres, including pop favorites, acoustic rock and progressive folk. However, they stress they avoid songs often covered by other bands and their renditions feature passionate vocals, finger picking guitar and tight harmonies.
Their love for music performance is balanced by their day jobs. Costanzi is an obstetrician, Tran is a pediatrician, Mike Plourde, boat builder and Mark Plourde, real estate agent,. Lloyd manages a software development team. So it’s quite a mix — two physicians, a real estate businessman, a computer specialist, and a boat builder; all united by their love of music.
Cobblestones perform three or four times a month, practicing on Thursday nights. Sometimes their schedules mean an open mic night is a rehearsal. One of their favorite places to perform is Andy’s Old Port Pub on Commercial Street in Portland.
The don’t feel as though there is a great significance to being part of the baby boom generation and performing music. “No matter how old you are you can keep doing music,” Mike Plourde said. “Any long-term goals for Cobblestones revolves around the idea.”
Costanzi added, “As long as were having fun doing this, we’ll keep going.”
She adds, “It’s a second chance for me. I’ve been singing since high school. This is a creative outlet for me.” She has written a song, soon to be recorded, “Not That Girl, that arose from a desire to see young women learn to stand up for themselves. Mike Plourde wrote the music.
Maria Holloway said she first heard the group perform at the Norway Memorial Library. “Who would have thought that a band could rock in a library,” said Holloway, who is in advertising sales with Turner Publications.
“Costanzi is an outstanding vocalist with a sound all her own and is perfectly supported by the band members. Although the Cobblestones have a unique sound and perform fresh arrangements, their repertoire is familiar and sure to bring back memories to the boomer generation.”
PHOTO: Members of Cobblestones, from left, percussionist Mark Plourde, keyboardist Danielle Tran, bass player Ken Lloyd, vocalist Carolyn Constanzi and lead guitar Mike Plourde. (Submitted photo)
