Born: October 29, 1915, New York, NY

Died: September 13, 2005, Island Park, NY

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Frederick Buldrini at age 8, was sent to Italy to study violin and at age 14, he received the diploma of Licenza Normale in violin and theory. He returned to New York in 1930 to continue his studies and won the Naumburg Competition as a violinist in 1936. He made his NY debut in Town Hall on November 19, 1936.

He parlayed that early success into a fascinating recording career, often gravitating toward jazz projects, and frequently playing with the greats. Case in point: Some of his early recordings include the Frank Sinatra compilations, The Best of the Columbia Years: 1943-1952 and The Columbia Years (1943-1952): The Complete Recordings, and The Divine Sarah Vaughan: The Columbia Years 1949-1953.

In 1965, he worked on the aptly titled Ruth Brown ’65, and helped Milton Nascimento display Courage in 1968. The end of the decade found him in the studio making Round Trip with Phil Woods.

In 1970, he teamed up with Antonio Carlos Jobim on Stone Flower and Tide. Things got spiritual three years later with Jan Akkerman’s Tabernakel. In 1975, he was in the strings section for Joe Beck’s self-titled album, Beck. A year later, he was in the strings section for John Tropea’s self-titled album, Tropea, and appeared on Bob James’ Three and O’Donel Levy’s Windows. In 1977, he hooked up with Maynard Ferguson on New Vintage and Earl Klugh on Living inside Your Love. The following year, he helped Jimmy Ponder All Things Beautiful, lent his string support to Phil Upchurch’s eponymous album and Thijs Van Leer’s Nice to Have Met You, and played violin on the soundtrack of The Wiz. In 1979, he was part of B. Baker Chocolate Co.’s delicious self-titled confection, and joined fellow violinist Noel Pointer on his laconically titled Feel It.

He opened the 1980s by accompanying Aretha Franklin on Aretha and getting Naughty with Chaka Khan, as well as appearing on the soundtrack of Fame. Another famous female with whom he recorded during this time was Janis Ian, making the cut on Souvenirs: Best of Janis Ian 1972-1981. 1982 was another busy year, Sharing Your Love with Change, recording Little Jazz Bird with Meredith d’Ambrosio, going Incognito with Spyro Gyra and playing in the string section on Luther Vandross’s Forever, For Always, For Love. He joined forces with jazz guitarist George Benson on his 1983 release, In Your Eyes. In 1985, he played violin on two vastly different projects, the original Broadway cast recording of Les Miserables, and Philip Glass’s three-act opera, Satyagraha. A year later, he returned to jazz, with George Shearing & Barry Tuckwell Play the Music of Cole Porter.

You can walk into just about any record store today and find the CD shelves brimming with recordings featuring Frederick Buldrini, from Carly Simon’s Spy to the original Broadway cast recording of Chess and Hugh Montenegro’s massive series, Overture: American Musical Theatre, a four-volume set that spans the years from 1924 through 1966. Source: Feenotes

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‍Excerpt from his NY debut recital NY Times review, November 29,1936

Buldrini, Violinist, Heard

"Frederick Buldrini, a native New York violinist, made his début at Town Hall yesterday afternoon in a recital given under the auspices of the Walter W. Naumburg Foundation. Mr. Buldrini, who was the only winner of the foundation's prize last season, was sent to Italy when 8 years old to study violin, and when but 14 received the diploma of Licenza Normale in violin and theory. He returned to New York in 1930 to continue his studies. The program chosen by the newcomer was one well contrived to display his abilities as interpreter in widely contrasted fields. It opened with the Brahms sonata in G major and its most ponderable offerings included further the Dohnanyi concerto, Op. 27, and the Bach "Chaconne." A final group contained a Veracini largo, Bloch's "Nigun" and Wieniawski's "Scherzo Tarantelle." Mr. Buldrini's playing was enthusiastically received and primarily aroused this response, it would seem, because of the impassioned intensity and earnestness of his performances."

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