JeffD
Oct-13-2007, 5:05pm
I am sure some of you know about this, but I didn't. Before I knew Butch was ill I owned a couple of Butch's music CDs, but afterwards, partially in support and partially because I have always been meaning to, I went and got all I could find.
Well, by pure accident I just found another one, that I am not sure everyone knows about.
I was in a high end tchotchke store (you know, where you can spend a lot of money on stuff you will spend the rest of your life dusting off) and in the background I heard some beautiful mandolin music. I asked at the counter if they knew who that was. They did not but, they pointed to a display of several CDs by Green Hill.
Green Hill does themed CDs, where the musical mood is what they are selling, not the artist. They had Brazilian Nights, Latin Fever, Heartstrings, Romance in Venice. All different artists, and the particular tunes on each CD are likely to be very familiar to most people - stuff you can hum immediately but didn't know you knew.
The Romance in Venice CD was the one playing. Its all Italian Love Songs, like Santa Luciea, O Solo Mio, Bella Notte, etc., done in a very straight forward manner, not at all showy or flashy. And, as you can guess by now, its Butch Baldassari on the mandolin. Thats what takes this CD above touristy Itialian restaurant music. His playing is so smooth and effortless, he makes all these war horses ring out so beautifully.
The CD strikes out to be Italian background music but hits a higher mark. Just lovely. I have it in a constant rotation on my player, with Butch's Mandolin Tribute to Andrea Bocelli (a wonderful CD BTW).
Butch I pray you get well quick, there is not enough of your music in the world.
Well, by pure accident I just found another one, that I am not sure everyone knows about.
I was in a high end tchotchke store (you know, where you can spend a lot of money on stuff you will spend the rest of your life dusting off) and in the background I heard some beautiful mandolin music. I asked at the counter if they knew who that was. They did not but, they pointed to a display of several CDs by Green Hill.
Green Hill does themed CDs, where the musical mood is what they are selling, not the artist. They had Brazilian Nights, Latin Fever, Heartstrings, Romance in Venice. All different artists, and the particular tunes on each CD are likely to be very familiar to most people - stuff you can hum immediately but didn't know you knew.
The Romance in Venice CD was the one playing. Its all Italian Love Songs, like Santa Luciea, O Solo Mio, Bella Notte, etc., done in a very straight forward manner, not at all showy or flashy. And, as you can guess by now, its Butch Baldassari on the mandolin. Thats what takes this CD above touristy Itialian restaurant music. His playing is so smooth and effortless, he makes all these war horses ring out so beautifully.
The CD strikes out to be Italian background music but hits a higher mark. Just lovely. I have it in a constant rotation on my player, with Butch's Mandolin Tribute to Andrea Bocelli (a wonderful CD BTW).
Butch I pray you get well quick, there is not enough of your music in the world.