nothin They Rhyme With Orange | New Haven Independent

They Rhyme With Orange

Paul Bass Photo

Wallace and Sasso performing at Cafe Nine.

David Sasso heard this new duo making great Americana music. One member of the duo is a mandolin player. One plays fiddle. They write their own songs, incorporating bluegrass chops and delicate harmonies. They come from the South. They call themselves Mandolin Orange.

It just so happens that Sasso plays mandolin too. He’s been writing his own music since he was a kid. He plays in a bluegrass string band called Five in the Chamber with a fiddler named Kat Wallace. The two harmonize beautifully.

The idea occurred to them: They could make that kind of music too. Their own way.

The result: For the past year Sasso, who lives in East Rock, and Wallace, an East Havener, have been playing the area as an Americana duo of their own. And making great music.

Now they have a new album coming out Aug. 16. They call it Stuff of Stars. You can buy the album in advance (and support the duo) here.

Wallace and Sasso stopped by WNHH FM’s studio this week to chat about the album and their careers (which in both cases include childhood classical training).

They also played two of the new album’s numbers live in the studio, including my favorite, I’ll Stay Around,” by Wallace. The song is about growing up in these parts. Like all good songs, it tells a specific story that rings true for other people’s specific stories too.

Check out how they played it in the above audio file.

Check out their WNHH appearance in the Facebook Live video below, which includes a tribute to a particular sandwich served at East Rock Coffee:

And here they are playing at Cafe Nine last October.

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