Remembering
Palma Pascale
~ She Left Us The Music ~
By Timothy J. San Paolo
By Timothy J. San Paolo
09-09-09
Palma Pascale, composer, arranger, performer, conductor, singer, producer and dear, dear friend to many, passed from this life on Tuesday, September 8, 2009, at age 58.
Palma is survived by her mother, Anne Pascale of Valley Stream, NY & one brother, Frank Pascale, Glen Cove, NY. She was preceded in death by her father, Richard. Palma leaves many other relatives, as well.
Born to Richard and Anne Pascale November 1, 1950, Palma began her musical career on stage playing and singing for local benefit concerts at age 6. She was given an unusual gift as a child: the gift to understand music, recall it, and play virtually anything she heard, along with the knowledge of having “perfect pitch.” Her mother was a singer who studied at Julliard School, but chose not to pursue a career path for herself in music. It was her mother who eagerly taught Palma the piano, as well as how to sing in several different languages.
Palma began making “demo” recordings, commuting into New York City with her mom on a regular basis by age 12. This was life-changing for Palma, as it was there in the recording studios of NY, working with the most accomplished studio musicians of the time, that she learned the love of the “Pop” song – came to understand how records were made – how to play and sing being accurate enough to get it in one take, and how to make a song come alive.
Palma wrote her first song at age 15. She attended Hofstra University on a full-tuition scholarship. She has written hundreds of songs in many genres throughout her career. In 1973, one of her love songs caught the ear of Ed Sulzer, the “song screener” for the most popular pop-duo of the time, the CARPENTERS. Palma submitted her song LOVE ME FOR WHAT I AM, which was recorded by the CARPENTERS on their 1975 smash hit album, HORIZON.
Richard Carpenter has personally told me that he definitely liked the songs Palma sent to him. In fact, Karen and Richard Carpenter requested “right of first refusal” from Palma on songs she wrote after that first submission; meaning she would send them everything she wrote first, before showing it to anyone else in the music business. Richard told me there was one other of Palma’s songs that they had actually planned to record just prior to the untimely death of his sister, Karen. The song was titled BOX OFFICE MOVIE KING. Since that 1975 recording by the CARPENTERS, LOVE ME FOR WHAT I AM has been recorded by many other artists, to include the Philippines own “Concert King,” Martin Nievera, who actually released it on two different CD’s, and Vera Morales, to mention only two.
This accomplishment was only one of her major achievements throughout her long career. Palma has appeared onstage with the JOFFREY BALLET and the MORGAN SCOTT BALLET, singing as the dancers dance to a trilogy of her pop songs, entitled "OVER THE OCEAN." The latest performance was in Bryant Park in New York City. Palma was also asked to guest on television programs including the Christian Network, Telecare – and she has performed the work of music ministry for several years now, often performing at local coffee houses - “Samantha’s Li’l Bit Of Heaven," &" The Olive Branch. "
Palma composed the full, original score for two Broadway musicals: WHAT THE HELL NELL! and BACHELOR BUTTONS. She received many American Song Festival Contest awards, flirted with a CBS record contract, studied arranging at Eastman School of Music, & began her own business called “Palma’s Personalized Pick-ups” writing original 30-60 second personalized voice mail messages for businesses, celebrities, and others.
Palma was quite proud of her long association with her trusted friend Fred Guarino, owner of Tiki Recording Studios in Glen Cove, NY. She enjoyed a 25-year working relationship with Fred. Palma arranged and produced many albums for other artists, to include Al Barbarino, Gary Jerome, Frank Rendo, and others.
Another major success for Palma over more recent years was the composition and recording of her own 14-track Christian CD, THE BROKEN CUP. She also recorded two CD’s of her own pop music; “I’ll Leave You The Music” and “In & Out of Love.” All of her CD’s are available through her memorial website, http://www.palmapascale.com/.
Most recently, Palma worked with both Fred Guarino and the late Joe Orlando to create “HUG SOMEONE YOU LOVE”, a CD filled with songs targeted to the senior population. This one caught the attention of motivational guru, Richard Simmons. Palma appeared on his syndicated radio show last summer. She also orchestrated, arranged, and produced three magnificent recordings for Long Island’s own Frank Rendo. REMEMBERING CHRISTMAS, with two of her original compositions included, was the first of his albums that Palma and Frank collaborated on together. Next came “INSPIRED-songs from broadway and film” and her last project was Frank’s DELIVER ME CD, which included 3 of Palma’s compositions. DELIVER ME was just released earlier this month to outstanding popularity. Each of these titles were co-produced by Tiki Recording Studio’s master engineer, Fred Guarino. Read more about Palma's life, career, and music at: http://martinis-musings.blogspot.com/
Palma has also recorded a “Worship” CD that is being prepared for distribution as I write, with all songs composed by her, and she was recording her second Christian CD, which her friends and fans have been highly anticipating and is also being readied for release.
Palma Pascale was well known and beloved not only in the New York area, but literally all over the world. She was a very special individual with an even more special talent. Palma’s amazing compositions are timeless and beyond compare. She has touched many lives – enriched many souls, and captured countless hearts. To know her was to love her. We will greatly miss her; yet will carry her memory and her music in our hearts forever. What a legacy.
Palma Pascale, composer, arranger, performer, conductor, singer, producer and dear, dear friend to many, passed from this life on Tuesday, September 8, 2009, at age 58.
Palma is survived by her mother, Anne Pascale of Valley Stream, NY & one brother, Frank Pascale, Glen Cove, NY. She was preceded in death by her father, Richard. Palma leaves many other relatives, as well.
Born to Richard and Anne Pascale November 1, 1950, Palma began her musical career on stage playing and singing for local benefit concerts at age 6. She was given an unusual gift as a child: the gift to understand music, recall it, and play virtually anything she heard, along with the knowledge of having “perfect pitch.” Her mother was a singer who studied at Julliard School, but chose not to pursue a career path for herself in music. It was her mother who eagerly taught Palma the piano, as well as how to sing in several different languages.
Palma began making “demo” recordings, commuting into New York City with her mom on a regular basis by age 12. This was life-changing for Palma, as it was there in the recording studios of NY, working with the most accomplished studio musicians of the time, that she learned the love of the “Pop” song – came to understand how records were made – how to play and sing being accurate enough to get it in one take, and how to make a song come alive.
Palma wrote her first song at age 15. She attended Hofstra University on a full-tuition scholarship. She has written hundreds of songs in many genres throughout her career. In 1973, one of her love songs caught the ear of Ed Sulzer, the “song screener” for the most popular pop-duo of the time, the CARPENTERS. Palma submitted her song LOVE ME FOR WHAT I AM, which was recorded by the CARPENTERS on their 1975 smash hit album, HORIZON.
Richard Carpenter has personally told me that he definitely liked the songs Palma sent to him. In fact, Karen and Richard Carpenter requested “right of first refusal” from Palma on songs she wrote after that first submission; meaning she would send them everything she wrote first, before showing it to anyone else in the music business. Richard told me there was one other of Palma’s songs that they had actually planned to record just prior to the untimely death of his sister, Karen. The song was titled BOX OFFICE MOVIE KING. Since that 1975 recording by the CARPENTERS, LOVE ME FOR WHAT I AM has been recorded by many other artists, to include the Philippines own “Concert King,” Martin Nievera, who actually released it on two different CD’s, and Vera Morales, to mention only two.
This accomplishment was only one of her major achievements throughout her long career. Palma has appeared onstage with the JOFFREY BALLET and the MORGAN SCOTT BALLET, singing as the dancers dance to a trilogy of her pop songs, entitled "OVER THE OCEAN." The latest performance was in Bryant Park in New York City. Palma was also asked to guest on television programs including the Christian Network, Telecare – and she has performed the work of music ministry for several years now, often performing at local coffee houses - “Samantha’s Li’l Bit Of Heaven," &" The Olive Branch. "
Palma composed the full, original score for two Broadway musicals: WHAT THE HELL NELL! and BACHELOR BUTTONS. She received many American Song Festival Contest awards, flirted with a CBS record contract, studied arranging at Eastman School of Music, & began her own business called “Palma’s Personalized Pick-ups” writing original 30-60 second personalized voice mail messages for businesses, celebrities, and others.
Palma was quite proud of her long association with her trusted friend Fred Guarino, owner of Tiki Recording Studios in Glen Cove, NY. She enjoyed a 25-year working relationship with Fred. Palma arranged and produced many albums for other artists, to include Al Barbarino, Gary Jerome, Frank Rendo, and others.
Another major success for Palma over more recent years was the composition and recording of her own 14-track Christian CD, THE BROKEN CUP. She also recorded two CD’s of her own pop music; “I’ll Leave You The Music” and “In & Out of Love.” All of her CD’s are available through her memorial website, http://www.palmapascale.com/.
Most recently, Palma worked with both Fred Guarino and the late Joe Orlando to create “HUG SOMEONE YOU LOVE”, a CD filled with songs targeted to the senior population. This one caught the attention of motivational guru, Richard Simmons. Palma appeared on his syndicated radio show last summer. She also orchestrated, arranged, and produced three magnificent recordings for Long Island’s own Frank Rendo. REMEMBERING CHRISTMAS, with two of her original compositions included, was the first of his albums that Palma and Frank collaborated on together. Next came “INSPIRED-songs from broadway and film” and her last project was Frank’s DELIVER ME CD, which included 3 of Palma’s compositions. DELIVER ME was just released earlier this month to outstanding popularity. Each of these titles were co-produced by Tiki Recording Studio’s master engineer, Fred Guarino. Read more about Palma's life, career, and music at: http://martinis-musings.blogspot.com/
Palma has also recorded a “Worship” CD that is being prepared for distribution as I write, with all songs composed by her, and she was recording her second Christian CD, which her friends and fans have been highly anticipating and is also being readied for release.
Palma Pascale was well known and beloved not only in the New York area, but literally all over the world. She was a very special individual with an even more special talent. Palma’s amazing compositions are timeless and beyond compare. She has touched many lives – enriched many souls, and captured countless hearts. To know her was to love her. We will greatly miss her; yet will carry her memory and her music in our hearts forever. What a legacy.
A personal note, here. I cannot tell you how wonderful my friendship with this lovely lady has been. You can see throughout this blog what I have thought of her music. I thought even more of the person she was: kind, caring, compassionate, giving, loving, encouraging, witty, smart and oh, oh so talented. Palm loved life, and was always attemp
ting to make it better for herself, and everyone she knew. If she could do something for you, she would, and did. She was so petite, yet Palma was larger than life. Her quick thinking, composing lyrics that were not just one line to the next, but getting to the "guts" of the story she was telling, always amazed me. As you've read in the 35 other posts I've writen here in Martini's Musings, I use a word that she told me about once, and laughed and laughed - the word, "Oofah!" It was a word she used in the studio - sometimes a bit more harshly than others ;-) Palma had a flair for the dramatic, and I loved this little word upon hearing it used, and after a bit of explanation. If she saw it in print, it would make her smile, so I used it, a lot. I will miss you very much my dear friend! I will miss asking you about this song or that - about what instrument you used - about how you got the idea for the song - about what Fred did here and there to make it so special. And I will miss your stories - stories that made me laugh! All good memories that I've tucked away in my heart. Thank you, Palma, for all of it. I will continue my "musing" cause there's so much more to muse about!
I’d like to leave you with Palma’s own words – part of the lyrics to one of her wonderful pop collection love songs, as it tells the rest of the story better than anyone else could:
“…I’ll give you the gift I own to be where I’m not – in the mind of the ear & the heart…
I’ll be there, although we are apart. You won’t be without me here-I’m in the song you hear
And, if you can hear the song, you’re here with me. So…
I’ll leave you the music-I’ll leave you my soul…all I am, all I love, all I know
Will remain with you… when I go…”
Oofah! Palma!
ting to make it better for herself, and everyone she knew. If she could do something for you, she would, and did. She was so petite, yet Palma was larger than life. Her quick thinking, composing lyrics that were not just one line to the next, but getting to the "guts" of the story she was telling, always amazed me. As you've read in the 35 other posts I've writen here in Martini's Musings, I use a word that she told me about once, and laughed and laughed - the word, "Oofah!" It was a word she used in the studio - sometimes a bit more harshly than others ;-) Palma had a flair for the dramatic, and I loved this little word upon hearing it used, and after a bit of explanation. If she saw it in print, it would make her smile, so I used it, a lot. I will miss you very much my dear friend! I will miss asking you about this song or that - about what instrument you used - about how you got the idea for the song - about what Fred did here and there to make it so special. And I will miss your stories - stories that made me laugh! All good memories that I've tucked away in my heart. Thank you, Palma, for all of it. I will continue my "musing" cause there's so much more to muse about!I’d like to leave you with Palma’s own words – part of the lyrics to one of her wonderful pop collection love songs, as it tells the rest of the story better than anyone else could:
“…I’ll give you the gift I own to be where I’m not – in the mind of the ear & the heart…
I’ll be there, although we are apart. You won’t be without me here-I’m in the song you hear
And, if you can hear the song, you’re here with me. So…
I’ll leave you the music-I’ll leave you my soul…all I am, all I love, all I know
Will remain with you… when I go…”
Oofah! Palma!
Labels: REMEMBERING PALMA ANNE PASCALE~She Left Us The Music
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