Remembering Butch Baldassari – The Fantastic Sound of the Mandolin

Almost one year has passed since Butch Baldassari died on January 10. In his latest BBC broadcast Mike Harding played a piece from the CD Travellers with Butch Baldassari, John Reischman and Robin Bullock, a very nice medley composed of the following three tunes:

The Old French / The Wise Maid / Swinging On A Gate

Butch Baldassari was a mandolin player who could play different styles from classical mandolin to folk and bluegrass. He built up the Nashville Mandolin Ensemble that plays great ensemble music. Here an example of a piece played by the Nashville Mandolin Ensemble with Butch Baldassari on lead mandolin with a very smooth tremolo:

Frangenti by Nashville Mandolin Ensemble

Filmed at Cafe Milano Nashville TN, Nashville Mandolin Ensemble performs this dynamic piece with Paul Martin Zonn conducting. Butch Baldassari plays lead Mandolin.

I have compiled a playlist with several videos with Butch Baldassari, a nice selection by a great mandolin player with a fantastic sound. This playlist starts with another medley of some nice tunes played on mandolin, dulcimer and guitar.

Playlist Butch Baldassari

More Information

Homepage: http://www.butchbaldassari.com/

Interview with Butch Baldassari: http://www.mandozine.com/resources/CGOW/baldassari.php

Obituary Butch Baldassari: http://doppelstopp.wordpress.com/2009/01/13/butch-lehrt-weiter/

Obituary Butch Baldassari: http://www.bluegrassjournal.com/2009/01/13/noted-mandolinist-butch-baldassari-dies/

The three tunes from the medley from the  CD Travellers at www.thesession.org:

The Old French: http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/1296

The Wise Maid: http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/118

Swinging on a Gate: http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/236

Videos with the Nashville Mandolin Ensemble: http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%22nashville+mandolin+ensemble%22&aq=f

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