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media clips: -Ballad
of America Volume2: America Singing Ballad
of America Volume 2: America Singing "In
his second excellent album, Matthew Sabatella sings 16 familiar and
mostly traditional American folksongs in a rich baritone. The Rambling
String Band joins him, performing beautifully on guitars, dulcimer,
harmonica, banjo, bass, mandolin, fiddle, and washboard. The songs bring
to mind the culture of America during the 18th and 19th centuries. Fun
to sing along and harmonize with, this album belongs in every collection
that values folk music." “He's
recasting traditional tunes… in faithful, well-worn renditions
that probably sound much like they did originally, when early settlers
making their way west across the open prairies spilled forth the tunes
over old-fashioned campfires.” Ballad of America Volume 1: Over a Wide and Fruitful Land "Gold-throated
troubador Matthew Sabatella was born to make an album such as Ballad
of America. This low-key, acoustic opus is more a Folkways Smithsonian-style
history lesson than a random assortment of wispy, coffee shop folk.
Casual listeners, watch out: If you pay attention, you might learn something.
Nothing if not deeply humanist, these songs reveal the sober, hopeful
spirit of the men and women who found fortune, romance, and danger on
the open range." “Over
a Wide and Fruitful Land, the album's subtitle, rather neatly sums
it up. Matthew Sabatella has assembled a credible song list, dappling
America's pioneer landscape with evergreen folklore balladry. His wide-ranging
vocal approaches are sensitive when desired, dynamic when untethered
emotions dictate. The small group arrangements, at times pared back
to a single instrument, are the "just right" sort of settings.
This project works "because of", not "in spite of",
campfire minimalism. Matthew Sabatella surprises in the most delightful
ways. And this is only Volume One. Can't wait for the next leg of the
trail.” "Performer
Matthew Sabatella's rich baritone voice perfectly complements stories
of common folk... A wonderful resource for units on nineteenth-century
American history." "Matthew
Sabatella, singer/producer/arranger, sings 18 traditional folk-style
songs in a beautiful, slightly raspy baritone... Excellent background
instruments include guitar, banjo, piano, tambourine, sandpaper blocks,
fiddle, acoustic bass, drums, harmonica, mandolin, English concertina
and bodhran... An excellent resource for schools and public libraries." "...his
love of this music is infectious and the arrangements are generally
quite good. Recommended." “Sabatella
has found a mother lode of nearly forgotten gems, many pre-dating the
age of recorded music. He sings these work songs, laments and travelogues
with a plaintiveness and thorough appreciation of their meanings and
origins, and sets them to lively acoustic arrangements.” “Matthew's
arrangements and deep, rich voice bring these olds songs to life. Ballad
of America is an important and enjoyable way to learn and remember
American History. It gives us a sense of place. That's what folk music
does -- it roots us in tradition. What he's doing is patriotic as much
as anything else. He's giving us a good sense of America." "I
really enjoyed the more obscure songs which brought history and past
viewpoints to life.” "He's...
never sounded so comfortable as a leader as on the new Ballad of
America." "...Sabatella's
best asset is easily his voice, urgent but unforced, sweetly melancholy
in telling personal stories and powerfully evocative in rendering antiquated
songs intimate again. It's a great gift, and Sabatella wields it with
exceptional talent." “Led
by Sabatella's six-string guitar and his molasses baritone, the band's
big sound rolls from Luna's makeshift stage across a room filled with
tri-county patrons… Tonight's crowd is extra large, lining up
against the walls and squeezed three deep between cases of beer and
the cafe's ancient black refrigerator. Along with the band, almost everyone
is singing: ‘Heigh, ho, and away we go; Digging up the gold on
the Fran-cis-co!’” “Miraculously,
Hollywood-based folkie Matthew Sabatella has packaged a history lesson
in the guise of a strikingly good album and a nerdaliciously compelling
live show that tell the story of western expansion across the American
heartland through song… ‘It's the kind of thing that will
appeal to just about anybody,’ Sabatella says of the songs on
Ballad of America Volume 1, most of which date back to the
early 1800s. The crowd at the Bamboo Room reflected that sentiment,
as moms, grandmoms, longhairs, blue collars, and a gaggle of wine-sipping,
Virginia Slims-puffing ladies all clapped along and sang like ornery
lumberjacks to lines like ‘And we'll range the wild woods over,
and once more a-lumbering go!’” "This
particular afternoon, Sabatella and his close-knit combo — Lynn
Griffith on banjo and mandolin, Jack Stamates on fiddle, Sean Edelson
on mandolin, and Chris DeAngelis on stand-up bass, with Sabatella on
guitar and vocals — play to a tent filled nearly to capacity,
its 50 or so occupants clearly caught up in the familiar strains of
the music and, just possibly, a certain whiff of nostalgia." "...when
he bangs out chords on his chocolate-brown acoustic guitar and sings
deeply into the mike, his songs begin to soar." "Matthew
Sabatella's Ballad of America is an interactive program that
incorporates American history, stories, and music into one fun-filled,
educational program for all ages." "Matthew
Sabatella's Ballad of America has been a wonderful audio accompaniment
to the artworks reflecting the American experience in Miami Art Museum's
presentation of the exhibit American Tableaux: Many Voices,
Many Stories. The selections fill a void in the historical/musical
education of young people today. Culturally significant and often rare,
Matthew's appealing renditions help preserve traditional folk songs
while entertaining listeners of all ages with his knowledge and talent." "It's
a connection to your past, to your history. People who don't know history
don't have any sense of perspective in their lives. History is a way
of knowing yourself, who you are. These songs are a window – one
of many." “Through
perseverance and hard work, American settlers turned their faces west
toward the dream of finding new lives. In their struggle came the music
presented by Mr. Sabatella. Matthew is a talented performer and a teacher
not only of music, but of music which should be heard by all.” "Matthew
Sabatella’s Ballad of America is a great way for students
to learn about American history. It’s a novel approach for students
and is sure to get them more interested in history." |