Pat Guadagno

Toronto Film and Music Festival
PAT GUADAGNO Live At The City Lights Saloon
Calling this a rock album doesn't really do it justice. It's equally blues, folk, country and pop – every style a professional bar singer has to pull off to earn a living. Guadagno is something of a legend on the New Jersey bar circuit, a grizzled troubadour who calls his brand of music "saloon songs." Though he's been around for years, this is his first solo release. In true bar-belter fashion, he covers his musical bases with everything from Tom Waits and Bob Dylan covers to Shel Silverstein and David Buskin. What sets him apart is his refusal to perform the covers in anything resembling their original style, and his effortless intuitiveness gives them new meanings.
Guadagno hits the Cadillac Lounge tonight (Thursday, June 9) at 9 pm.

Brent Raynor
NOW | JUNE 9 - 15, 2005 | VOL. 24 NO. 41






http://www.magombo.com/NOW05.htm - Now Toronto

OK. Next stop was Cheers in Long Branch to check out Pat Guadagno (acoustic guitar /Lead vocals) Frank Sabo (acoustic guitar / Vocals) and Phil Red River Rizzo (electric bass/ vocals), better known as The Candle Brothers. Let me tell you right from the start, if you like great music featuring outstanding vocals and sweet harmonies you owe it to yourself to hear these guys. They really are a treat ....
What gets me about this trio is the range of emotions expressed through their intricate harmonies.. Not only do they know their craft, but they love it. And it starts with the heart and soul of the group, Pat Guadagno. Now while Pat is a terrific singer/songwriter in his own right, once he puts his voice to someone else's song, its his. His vocal interpretations of other artists work is part of his musical genius. And its reflected throughout the trios performance. When The Candle Brothers sing a song it becomes a new song. They are one of the few groups that can accomplish this time and time again. For me it is a pure joy, just to sit and listen.
- Two River Times

Mr.Guadagno specializes surprising listeners with unfamiliar songs he has carried home from Nashville , to Martha's Vineyard.... There Is no play list and no plan, save for his commitment to keeping his audience entertained .....His remarkable repertoire spans decades of Blues. rock, country, folk, pop and Folk music,The musical journey Is always an unpredictable ride.

Eileen Moon - NY Times - New York Times

"Live at the City Lights Saloon is pure magic....

.....a monster Live recording"

“One of the finest live recordings released in this or any other year!”
- Night Grooves

1. U2/ How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb / Interscope

2. Eminem/ Encore / Interscope Records

3. Bongo Jones/ Hook To The Head / Marblehead Music

4. Outkast/ Speakerboxx—The Love Below / LaFace Records

5. Green Day/ American Idiot / Reprise Records

6. Pat Guadagno/ Live At The City Lights Saloon /Campbell Music

7. Sex Pistols/ Extended Versions / Collectables

8. Trio Of Madness/ Sednad Va Oyusht /Lump n’ Loaf Records

9. John Mayer/ as is / Aware-Columbia Records

10. Nicki Jaine/ of pigeons and other curiosities / Shaman Records

Chris Barry - Aquarian Arts Weekly

- Aquarian Arts Weekly

ON THE NIGHT of May 23, local musician Pat Guadagno once again gathered his Tired Horses at the Two River Theater in Red Bank to pay tribute to the legendary singer/songwriter Bob Dylan with “Bob Fest 07 – A Bob Dylan Birthday Celebration.” Produced by co-founder Tom Moog and hosted by 101.5’s Big Joe Henry, the sold-out concert was held for the benefit of local charities, The Rock & Roll Music Fund and the Anthony X Guadagno Scholarship Fund.
On the eve of Bob Dylan’s 66th birthday, Pat Guadagno and the Tired Horses treated their audience to three hours and twenty minutes of pure magic with a two set, 34-song music extravaganza. Accompanied by Rich Oddo (electric guitar/vocals), Phil “Red River” Rizzo (bass/vocals), Steve Delopoulos (acoustic guitar/vocals), Andy McDonough (keys/backing vocals), Rene Wolley (drums), Mary McCrink (vocals/tambourine), Aura Guadagno (vocals) and last but certainly not least, Yuri Turchin (violin), Pat Guadagno (lead vocals/acoustic guitar) was spectacular as he led the band through a first set featuring outstanding renditions of “Visions Of Johanna” (terrific opener featuring Pat’s lead vocals and Yuri’s violin), “Boots Of Spanish Leather” (wonderful vocal by Mary McCrink/simply put, a beauty), “Blowin’ In The Wind” (very somber rendering with Pat, Mary and Steve Delopoulos sharing lead vocals), “Subterranean Homesick Blues” (Johnny’s in the basement baby as Pat’s acoustic guitar play kicks off one of the band’s most explosive numbers/Tired Horses were anything but), “License To Kill” (quintessential Dylan and Guadagno), “From A Buick 6” (Rich Oddo steps up on electric guitar as the Horses do a little honky tonkin’/ big crowd pleaser), “Tomorrow Is A Long Time” (Yuri shines/big finish), “It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry” (Horses get rowdy behind Rich’s slide guitar and Yuri’s fiddle), “Love Minus Zero/No Limit” (featured Rich and Yuri like old times/partial standing ovation), “Oh, Sister” (emotional number with Steve and Mary on vocals), “Desolation Row” (Bob and Pat doesn’t get any better than this), “Idiot Wind” (Rene and Yuri come up big/lucky #13 a monster/breathtaking), “It Ain’t Me Baby” (must be in the genes as Aura and Pat soar/standing ovation), “I Want You” (all the Horses kick up their heels on this house rocker), “I Shall Be Released” (Red River on lead vocals guides the Horses through this most moving rendition), “Tombstone Blues” (everybody up as the Horses get down/like a freight train going 190 the band totally rocks/another standing ovation) and “My Back Pages” (Pat G. and Tired Horses brilliant/life is good).
As for the second set it was just as good if not better than the first with Pat Guadagno leading the band through inspired renditions of “Ballad Of A Thin Man” (killer Dylan and Guadagno/deep, dark and edgy/Horses bust loose), “Gospel Plow” (electrifying as the Horses kick it up a notch with Steve D. on lead vocals), “I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight” (Mary McCrink shines as Andy McDonough tickles those ivories/sultry Dylan/fine change of pace), “Simple Twist Of Fate” (Rich gets down and dirty), “Tears Of Rage” (haunting lead vocal by Pat), “This Wheel’s On Fire” (Horses rip it up rollin’ down the road/huge crowd favorite), “Masters Of War” (Pat and Steve provide the night’s darkest moments), “Make You Feel My Love” (Mary owns it/pin drop time/Andy and Yuri perfect/partial standing ovation), “Man Gave Names To All Of The Animals” (big band number/Yuri steps front and center), “The Times They Are-A-Changin’” (Pat, Steve and Mary make it seem like just yesterday), “Forever Young” (Aura and Pat brought a tear to more than just one eye/chilling vocals), “Chimes Of Freedom” (never sounded better/big finish with Pat, Steve, Rich and Yuri), “Like A Rolling Stone” (42 years later it still cuts like a knife/brilliant band effort/place was a rockin’/Horses garner yet another standing ovation and big cheers) and “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door” (great encore/standing ovation).
Now, while local Dylan fans may argue whether last year’s tour de force performance was better than this year’s, the point is really moot. How can you lose when you take this area’s finest interpreter of song and best acoustic guitarist, Pat Guadagno, accompanied by some of the Jersey Shore’s best musicians, performing the music of America’s greatest songwriter Bob Dylan? Well, you can’t! Not that it isn’t a huge undertaking, it most certainly is. But there is no one better suited or more up to the task than Guadagno to successfully take on this type of tribute. And take it on he did. From song selection to performance Guadagno and the Tired Horses were outstanding from first song to last. And as for which performance was better, in all honesty, each performance was brilliant in its own right.
It has been 45 years since Bob Dylan, at the tender age of 20, released his self-titled debut album in March of 1962. Little did we know that “Talkin’ New York” and “Song To Wo - Two River Times

The bad news was that Bruce Springsteen didn't show up. The good news was everything else. The Light of Day 6 concerts that took place Sunday at the Starland Ballroom in Sayreville raised approximately $150,000 for the Parkinson's Disease Foundation and the ALS Association. In conjunction with the "Writers In the Raw" the series presented its first all-acoustic songwriter-circle show, with memorable results. Participants this year included Southside Johnny, Joe Grushecky, Gary U.S. Bonds, Richie "La Bamba" Rosenberg, Soozie Tyrell, Jesse Malin, Garland Jeffreys ,Willie Nile, Jeffrey Gaines, John Eddie ,Jess Klein and Pat Guadagno .

Guadagno explained that he has never appeared at such an event before, since he doesn't write his own songs. But he threatened to steal the show anyway with his gruffly soulful vocals on gems like Steven Van Zandt's "All I Needed Was You" and Warren Zevon's "Don't Let Us Get Sick."

Jay Lustig - Star Ledger
. - Star Ledger