When someone of talent takes time to craft videos showcasing their skills, YouTube can open our eyes to things we didn’t previously know.
Others meanwhile bring to familiar things a new richness.
This is one such.
I’ve already waxed lyrical about British band Led Zeppelin.
Conceived as a super-group by ex-Yardbirds guitarist Jimmy Page, they erupted onto the scene with their eponymous debut album way back in 1969.
Subsequent albums only reinforced this success, so that by 1980 Led Zeppelin were playing to audiences in the tens of thousands (the crowd at a Knebworth festival show in 1979 was estimated at some 104,000).
Along with their immense worldwide fame came all the clichéd rock band excesses.
These were undoubtedly a factor in drummer John Bonham’s death in 1980.
Following which Led Zeppelin split.
They later recombined in several reunions, culminating in an almost comically over-subscribed—seems 20 million ticket applications—and critically well-received 2007 show at London’s O2 arena. (The drummer here was Bonham’s son Jason—how cool is that?)
Unusually among “dinosaur” rock bands of ages past, Zeppelin’s music remains popular, as generations new discover their beguiling mix of mainstream blues, hard rock grit, and mellow acoustic.
So, to the point:
On his own site (here), Carl Baldasarre describes himself—rather grandiosely—as “composer, guitarist, songwriter, philanthropist, esteemed financial professional and mentor.”
Hmm.
However, there’s no doubting he can play.
And play he does, as he reproduces Jimmy Page’s technique and takes us through some of its intricacies—his riffs and chord progressions, his pick- and slide-work, the overall flow and more.
Throughout it all his respect for Page’s genius shines through, and we get to appreciate it all the better.
This video from Baldasarre’s YouTube channel (here) features Zeppelin’s “Ramble On.”
So much to relish, so much to learn . . .