Syracuse
New Times
Larry Hoyt 02-09-2000
The CD homage to the late David Pasternack was more than
just another gig for producers Sam Patterelli, of Blue
Jay Way Studios, and Sam Amato, of Sam & the Twisters
fame. David Pasternack: A Tribute pays respects
to their friend, a talented guitarist who had been a
mainstay of the Central New York music scene since the
1960s and was inducted into the Syracuse Area Music
Awards, Sammys, Hall of Fame in 1997.
Patterelli and Amato
present a historic overview of Pasternack's own music as
well as his friends' interpretations of other songs he
loved. Featuring both new and old recordings, Tribute
brings together a who's who of the local rock
establishment to deliver a sincere salute to Pasternack.
After Pasternack's
death in August 1999 at age 55, area talents--including
tenor saxman Joe Whiting, drummer Jan Fetterly,
keyboardist Mickey Palumbo and bassists Al Wolf and Tim
Cleary--came together as the Tribute House Band to
record five of the disc's nine songs at Blue Jay Way.
The new recordings also feature an army of guitar
players, including Amato, Eric "Will" McLean, Jerry
Cali, Kenny Budd and Mickey Palumbo.
The disc begins with
a vintage 1969 live recording of Pasternack leading the
Livin' Ennd through one of Pasternack's own
compositions, "No, You Can't Mean That," a Kinks-style
rocker that features a playful kazoo solo. "Say You
Still Love Me," another Livin' Ennd recording of a
Pasternack song of the same era, shows more of the
Monkees-styled pop sound that has endured for decades.
Three of the disc's
tracks, "Wild Weekend," "Sleepwalk" and "Honkytonk," are
the kind of crowd-pleasing instrumentals that Pasternack
enjoyed playing with his bands, which included Carmen
and the Vikings, the Livin' Ennd, Jammit and the
Mercurys. Vocalists Sandy Bigtree, Tim Cleary and Jan
Fetterly are featured on two new songs, as well as a
cover of the Animals' "House of the Rising Sun" and the
Amato-Clearly composition "You Know His Name," a
heartfelt and upbeat song in memory of their departed
friend.
The disc closes with
covers of "Slow Down" and "You Send Me," recorded "live
in the basement" by Pasternack and the Mercurys in 1987.
With Wayne Stevens on drums, Mark Gibson on guitar,
Patterelli on bass and Pasternack on guitar and vocals,
the Mercurys' recordings show why this group was
considered one of the best oldies-styled bands to play
this area.
This excellent
tribute CD serves as an entertaining reminder of
Pasternack's passion for his music, the fun he had and
the enduring love his friends still have for this
talented and dedicated musician. |
David Pasternack - A Tribute
