{"id":2215,"date":"2018-01-04T07:00:04","date_gmt":"2018-01-04T14:00:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/theboisebeat.com\/?p=2215"},"modified":"2018-01-03T20:46:58","modified_gmt":"2018-01-04T03:46:58","slug":"patti-jos-country-dr-joe-baldassarre-the-path-of-wood-and-steel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theboisebeat.com\/index.php\/2018\/01\/04\/patti-jos-country-dr-joe-baldassarre-the-path-of-wood-and-steel\/","title":{"rendered":"Patti Jo’s Country: Dr. Joe Baldassarre; The Path of Wood and Steel"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Dr.There is something magical that happens when I hear some music. Some music touches my soul, moving me in powerful ways to remember a past that essentially is my roots – my foundation. When music is performed in a perfectly appropriate way that brings that song to life, there is emotion. In that word is: motion – the listener is moved.<\/p>\n

The choice of Music is a choice of a Path. For some, music is such a significant element of your basic self, you cannot deny it and the love of Music leads you through your life.<\/p>\n

Dr. Joseph Baldassarre is a Master. His journey on the Path of Wood and Steel began as soon as he could hold a guitar. His first instrument was guitar and his first teacher was Jimmy Hall.<\/p>\n

He is a Professor of Music, Emeritus, at Boise State University (Musicology and Guitar Studies), retired. \u00a0is a scholar with a master’s degree and other doctorates in medieval music research and performance who plays 57 instruments. Here is his answer when asked what instruments he plays:<\/p>\n

“Some are classical, some are period instruments (medieval, renaissance, baroque), some are pop-oriented, etc..\u00a0 [currently I mostly do] electric guitar, classical guitar, medieval lute, renaissance lute,\u00a0electric bass, fretless bass, flute, drums, harpsichord, hand (Arabic) percussion, harmonica, sax, banjo, organ, piano,[and others].”<\/em><\/p>\n

He also sings, arranges and composes.<\/p>\n

\"\"Pictured at left with his father, Antonio, a builder of medieval, renaissance and baroque instruments. Antonio built many of his son’s instruments including his classical guitars. In the photo, Joe is holding a renaissance lute with 8 courses and 15 strings. On the table is a copy of an early 6 string guitar from the 1800s and a baroque guitar with 5 courses and 10 strings that has 27,000 pieces of inlay mostly on the back and sides. Father knew physics and woodworking. Son knows acoustics. Dr. Joe researched the plans, learned to read and understand the notation and how to play the instruments.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Dr. Joe Baldassarre has multiple albums. On Amazon, I found Luter<\/em>: featuring music from the 5th to the 15th century. A Luter is a person who plays the lute. On this album, he plays 15 period-specific instruments, sings and narrates.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The there is Young Jane<\/em>. I listened to it in preparation for writing this article. I was captivated.<\/p>\n

Here is a link for the title song: Young Jane\/The Minstrel Boy<\/em><\/p>\n