Music of the British Isles and beyond
Bob's musical roots are in British Isles traditional music. He was the founding member, with Jane Peppler, of the North Carolina group the Pratie Heads (1980-1989). Their album "Heritage", was supported by the N.C. Arts Council and the National Endowments for the Arts.Bob has taught guitar at the Augusta Heritage Schools "Irish Week", and has shared the stage and recordings with Seamus Eagan, Mick Maloney, Zan Mcleod, and Tommy Hayes (the percussionist for Riverdance). The Pratie Heads have performed at the Smithsonian Inst, for their annual St Patrick's day concert for the Associate Artist Series at the Baird Auditorium in Washington D.C.
Guitar and Bouzouki workshops
His "Open Tuning Workshops," have been offered at such places as the Augusta Heritage Workshops, the Winnipeg Folk Festival, and the Black Mountain Music Festival Guitar workshops in open "D," DADF#AD and bouzouki are offered for advanced as well as beginning students. Bob has done school programs, workshops and formal concerts, as a member of the N.C. Touring Artist Program,sponsored by the N.C. Arts Council.
DADGAD in Baghdad, an original guitar composition by Bob Vasile, was featured in the Jan 2004 issue of Fingerstyle Guitar magazine and was included in the CD with Chet Atkins, John Williams and Jason Truby (composer for the Matrix).
Bob Vasile won a signed Wayne Henderson guitar at the 1996 Wayne Henderson Music Festival and guitar competition.Wayne Henderson was honored with the National Heritage Award in 1996 for his guitar making. Bob will be featured in the Tenth AnnualWayne Henderson Guitar Competition In June 2004 , with the nine previous winners for another Wayne Henderson Guitar. This event will be recorded for a live CD.
Freyda Epstein and Acoustic Attatude
Bob joined forces with Freyda Epstein and Ralph Gordon (both formerly of Trapezoid) 1989 to 1995 in the group Acoustic Atta-tude. Their Red House recording Midnight at Cabell Hall was recognized as one of the three best folk recordingsof the year by NAIRD (INDIE Award). They toured with Bela Fleck and the Flecktones and shared the stage with Tony Rice, Darol Anger, Mike Marshalland Mark O'Conneron at two Mountain Stage performances. Their CD, which includes Howard Levey (formerly of the Flecktones) on harmonica and piano, is still played on radio stations throughout the country.
Bob's original composition Atta-Tude in AM has been featured on "All Things Considered", as well as Minnesota Public Radio, "The Morning Show."