Baldassari

[Peter Hackman]

Having bought an expensive mandolin (Collings MF5)
quite recently I've been playing the mando more than ever
(my main instrument is the guitar)
and pulling out all my CD's featuring the instrument.

One gem in my collection is the collaboration
between Butch Baldassari (incidentally, where's the
stress in his last name?) and John Carlini, Reflections. People like
Thile and Marshll are technical monsters, and
great fun, but Baldassari has unusual emotional
depth, and better tone than most of the virtuosi.

So I'm curious, as to his output. Can you recommend
other CD's displaying this unique talent to advantage?

[John Flynn]

Of course it's "out of season" right now, but his Christmas CD "Evergreen" is great. I think it definitely has that "emotional depth" you describe.

[Bobbie Dier]

He has one called Old Town. It has Alison Krauss and Andrea Zon(I don't know about that spelling)playing fiddle.There are some beautiful instumentals on it.
ima

[moxledb]

Butch did a CD with John Reischman and Robin Bullock a couple of years ago called Travellers. One of the best mandolin CD's ever, IMO. Features mandolin, mandola, and mandocello with guitar on a few cuts. Some of the best tone you will ever hear. Highly recommended.

[Christopher Howard-Williams]

I'll second the "travellers" recommendation. Also, one of my favorites is "a day in the country". I love this guy's playing. These two albums are mainly fiddle tunes (some great medleys) with some almost classic stuff and a slight dawg tendancy in others. They are all "technically" accessible to us mortals, but that "emotional depth and tone", as mentioned by Peter, is something else. And the timing, .... Ummmh. Love it.
If you like straight up Bluegrass, check out the band Weary Hearts (album "By Heart") with Butch Baldassari (accent on SAR, I believe) on mandoline. About 15 years on, still one of my favorites (I just upgraded to CD after years listening to the vinyl).

[Joe Mendel]

Check this site out http://soundartrecordings.com/, It has most if not all of Butch's recordings. There's not a bad one in the bunch. Travellers is great, as is A Day In The Country. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[carolynbeth]

If you like classical music, I'd recommend Butch's "Cantabile"...beautiful mandolin-guitar duets with guitarist John Mock.

Carolyn

[Django Fret]

Be sure to check out some of the earlier Nashville Mandolin Ensemble CD's like "Plectrasonics" and "All the Rage."

One of my favorites is a New Age CD called "Nightfall"

http://soundartrecordings.com/morenightfall.shtml

Another favorite featuring Baldassari is "Pickin' on the Allman Brothers"

http://www.soundartrecordings.com/morepickinon.shtml

An incredibly gifted and versatile mandolin player!

[Tom C]

"New Classics for Mandolin" -Great mando tunes that do not seem to difficult to learn. I just happen to pick one of them to start leaning last night.