This
is a very well played and very well sung collection of these folksongs
in, for the most part, Irish or Australian versions, many dealing
with "The Great War."
Joe
Baldassarre has been playing guitar for over 40 years, and his
idea of fun is getting up on stage and accompanying a soloist
by sight reading on the guitar directly from a figured bass harpsichord
part. He is, of course, "classically trained" however
he has also received lessons from prominent jazz guitarists. He
is personally committed to the idea that music is to be shared,
and performs in public every chance he gets, for a few bucks if
possible, or, what the hell, for free. Besides his solo performances
in every style and the classical flute & guitar duo "Camerata,"
he leads a jazz band, a rock group, and a renaissance band. His
local presentations demonstrating the multitude of instruments
crafted for him by his father are memorable events. Ever wanted
to hear live a vihuela, a chitarra, or an oud? Or compare the
sounds of various styles of guitar and lute?
Considering
how many disappointing vocal/guitar folksong disks there are,
it’s necessary to list a few things that aren’t on this disk.
First, the guitar is there as much as it needs to be, but is not
overshadowing the vocal. Baldassarre hardly has to prove his virtuosity.
The guitar sound is live and natural, and there is no overdubbing
or amplification*. Second, well, some folk song singers have so
much vocal style you could slice it and serve it
with mustard. Baldassarre sings the notes and the words (in plain
American English) and lets the music speak for itself. Considering
that some of these songs are not a load of laughs, the temptation
is there to over dramatize or try to pump up the emotion, but
the words themselves, clearly presented, do what is necessary;
in fact a little understatement can be far more effective. So
here are no howling, no wailing, no sobbing, and no put-on rustic
accents which in the end just make it harder to hear the words.
Here
is the kind of folk-song album we wish we had a lot more of.
*
The Bells of Rhymney only has three overdubbed vocal tracks.
Paul
Shoemaker
Joseph Baldassarre, guitar
and vocals