He is a classical guitarist, arranger, composer, transcriber and teacher born into a musical family from Little Rock, Arkansas.
He started performing while still young, often heard in church and at social venues, and during his high school years he became acquainted by the music of Andres Segovia and other Spanish guitarists. This would be the start of his love of classical guitar and he went on to win several competitions and gain an honors degree at the University of Arkansas. He took further guitar education at the Kansas Conservatory of Music, graduating in 1997, and began to perform with many of the musicians in the local area.
It was here that he met the tenor Nathan Granner who he has nationally toured and recorded the CDs Selections from Winterreise and Departures with. He also joined up with other collaborators such as the quintet Tango Lorca who he recorded Muje Sola with after they were established in 1999, the pianist Brad Cox, the violinist Gregory Sandomirsky, with whom he formed the duo Sandomirsky-Bledsoe in 1998 and recorded Cafi Sacre, and the guitarist Hector Aguirre. Other ensembles and orchestras he has appeared with include Minneapolis’ Guthrie Theater, Kansas City Ballet, and the ensemble New Ear.
In recent years he has been a founder of several companies such as the Tzigane record label, the dance school Manos Rojas and the flamenco dance company Esencias Flamencas. He has continued his own musical studies in Southern Spain and with many of the guitar masters such as Miguel Rodriguez and Antonio Andrade to name just two of many.
Touring nationally and internationally he is regularly heard on radio broadcasts on the BBC, Radio National Argentina and NPR. In 2007 he released his first solo album of Argentinean tango and Spanish flamenco guitar music called Ole Che! and in 2008 he appeared as a member of the group Al Andaluz in their debut performance in Kansas City.
In the field of musical education he has served on the faculties of the music departments at Baker University in Kansas and Rockhurst College in Kansas City.
Nathan Granner and Beau Bledsoe recordings
The Ash Grove (Traditional Welsh/Thomas Oliphant )
Tzigane CDNB-202 (CD: Departure)
Tenor – Nathan Granner
Guitar – Beau Bledsoe
Here he is with Lisandro Gonzales on a performance of “Vidalita”…
Sources:
- http://www.beaubledsoe.com/Bio.html
- http://www.myspace.com/beaubledsoe
- http://www.myspace.com/grannerbledsoe
- http://cdbaby.com/cd/beaubledsoe
- http://www.grannerbledsoe.com/Bios.html
- http://www.tangolorca.com/biostango.html
- http://www.bradcoxmusic.com/live
- http://www.kcdance.com/Dancing/AlAndaluz_Nat7aug08.asp