Interviews and Reviews
Interviews
UK: Just Listen To This – Interview Carl Baldassarre Talks New Album, Recording And More
“Carl Baldassarre will release his new album ‘Retroduction’ on Friday 16th May 2025 via your own label Carl Baldassarre Music. He sat down with JLTT to discuss the new album and more: Your new album ‘Retroduction’ will be released on 16th May 2025 via your own label Carl Baldassarre Music. How did you want to approach the making of the album?”
Meet Carl Baldassarre, The Banker-Turned-Rockstar
“Just five years later, a seemingly different person emerges. The hair is now loose, a tied-up ponytail. The body is slim, about 70 pounds lighter. The cheeks are covered in the beard of an Italian artiste. John Lennon specs hang casually above a childlike beam, not one of financial posturing.”
The Chronicle – ‘Baldassarre: From Beethoven to Zeppelin’ returns to Lorain Palace Theatre
“We’re turning to act 2 of the story of my life,” he said. “It’s my season to leave my artistic mark on the world and try to say something I think is unique and relevant, but also represents the journey I’ve taken from the past to where I’m at right now.”
Guitar World Interviews Guitarist/Educator/Composer Carl Baldassarre
“This abounding creativity comes across on Grand Boulevard, a sprawling album full of ingenuity.”
Vents Magazine INTERVIEW: Guitarist/Educator/Composer Carl Baldassarre
Rafael Frometa: “Grand Boulevard came to life at the renowned Abbey Road Studios in London. Did bringing the album to life in that famed studio bring a whole other round of energy to this project?” CB:” The energy was indescribable. You can’t stand in that hallowed space and not hear the echoes! There is something magisterial that happens there.”
Authority Magazine Interviews Carl Baldassarre (2023)
“Give them everything you got: All of us contain multitudes as Walt Whitman once said. That means we have more than one strength that makes us special. Bring all your strengths to the world and you’ll be impossible to ignore. For example, I’m a good composer, guitarist, writer, speaker, conversationalist, problem solver, and dresser! I bring all of that to everything I do.”
Nick D’Virgilio Interviews Carl Baldassarre – Composing “Prelude to Invisible”
“Carl Baldassarre is not only a great guitar player he is also a great classical composer. I was lucky enough to have Carl compose the Prelude to my album ‘Invisible’. I sit down with Carl at his piano and he walks us through his thought process to writing and arranging that piece.” (Nick D’Virgilio)
Carl Baldassarre [ŁZW VISITS/ WIDZENIE Z ŁZW]
The Professor of Classic Rock visits Łysy z Wyrockiem and talks about his musical journey, debut solo album “Grand Boulevard” release, and the unique experience of recording sessions in the world-famous Abbey Road Studios. Enjoy the wide-ranging interview with the great guitarist and composer, Carl Baldassarre!
Reviews
Martin Hutchinson Reviews ‘Retroduction’
“Retroduction recaptures some of the nostalgia and craft of the past — and takes us back… to the future.”
‘Fugitive’ from worlds of Prog and Classical creates ‘Retroduction’ at Abbey Road
Carl Baldassarre releases Retroduction on 16 May 2025 through his own Carl Baldassarre Music label. Retroduction is the first of a planned series of four album releases – each offering a different slant and flavour from this multi-talented guitarist, composer and producer
Fretbuzz Magazine Reviews
Baldassarre — Grand Boulevard
Cleveland, Ohio’s Carl Baldassarre has been practicing music for over 50 years and is a renowned guitarist and composer. This abounding creativity comes across on Grand Boulevard, a sprawling album full of ingenuity. “It was written one song at a time, so there wasn’t a grand plan,” Carl explains. “Each piece is an exploration of genre and sentiment. They’re all true stories and I wanted to capture a genre to express the sentiment of a message and then move on to the next one. It’s like going down an old street with different style houses along it, each with their own story and all aligned on this grand boulevard called life.”
Exposé Online Reviews
Baldassarre — Grand Boulevard
“I often wondered what happened to Syzygy, and about a month ago I got a partial answer, at least regarding the guitarist Carl Baldassarre. His latest offering, Grand Boulevard encompasses far more than strictly progressive rock, it really is an exceptional production, with great songwriting and arrangements throughout.”
Cool Cleveland: Cleveland Prog Rock Guitarist/Composer Carl Baldasarre Releases Solo Album
“Northeast Ohio-based guitarist/composer Carl Baldassarre has established himself as one of the area’s premiere progressive rock musicians, performing with bands such as Syzygy and Abraxas…Now he’s released an album under his own name titled Grand Boulevard. He tapped Phil Naish to co-produce with him and recorded it (Grand Boulevard) at Abbey Road Studios in London…”
Devils Gate Music Reviews Carl Baldassarre – ‘Grand Boulevard’
“At sixteen tracks in length, ‘Grand Boulevard’ is a hefty debut. But remarkably, it never really lags and the button marked ‘filler material‘ is nowhere in sight…because of the variety found in the album, it’s easy to consume over a few visits rather than in one sitting. If they keep coming back to the table for more, then the listener will discover something different each time.”
The Midlands Rocks – Carl Baldassarre’s Grand Boulevard
“It’s almost as if we are putty in Carl’s hands, and throughout Grand Boulevard he will constantly reposition us with a sound that incorporates everything…from rock, funk, R&B and orchestral pop while introducing eastern flourishes…Carl seems to be one of those rare alchemists…”
Maximum Volume Music: Artist of the Day
“Motivated by his lifelong passion and musicological study of the mighty Led Zeppelin, ‘Sands of Tarifa,’ echoes the exotic Middle Eastern sound captured in ‘Kashmir’. Recorded at London’s famed Abbey Road Studios, the song also features the London Symphony Orchestra.”
Brave Words Review
“Of “Sands Of Tarifa,” Baldassarre explains it is, “Inspired by a vision I had while spending time on the beaches in of Tarifa, Spain (the southernmost point of Europe). From that vantage point, you can see Northern Africa and Morocco.”
