SHERMAN OAKS —Every now and then a singer of the Standards comes through Hollywood and makes a name for him or herself. Many established singers find this town to be the place where they find an audience and fans who not only love their work but also enjoy hearing songs that were sung by the greats who are now long gone. Patrick A. Basile has a growing fan base who seem to know that he is one of the best singers of this era. From “I’ll Follow You” to “Cry Me A River,” Basile can belt out the songs like no other. His unique voice is very calming and it’s obvious he has a genuine and abiding love for the Standards.
Beverly Hills resident W. David Lindholm describes Patrick best. “Patrick is captivating from the very first note. You know you’ve been hooked! And to experience the alluring voice of Patrick Basile is nothing less than a rich, rare, and wonderful treat! Reminiscent of the great singers past, yet, uniquely fresh in his style,” says Lindholm.
This week Canyon News had the opportunity to speak with the up-and-coming singer and he said nothing was off limits to ask. Not only is he extremely talented as a singer, but he’s one of the classiest men in Hollywood and very easy on the eyes. Basile’s live performance is as mesmerizing as watching an opera. His Hollywood leading man good looks with his brash and sensual styled voice put the listener in another world. Perhaps a world of a little boy, who dreamed of becoming a singer by idolizing the greats from the past. Here’s what Patrick had to say to our readers.
Q-What style of music would you call your work on your latest CD?
A-“It is a vocal CD with a mix of genre between jazz, pop, with a little R&B in there. The voice ties it all together.”
Q-When did you first know you wanted to be a singer?
A-“When I was a teenager. My grandmother, who is 98, (God Bless her), used to have a recording collection. We all would go there for Sunday dinner, like all Italian Families did on Sunday. I would go into her bedroom, where the stereo was, and listen, and sing along to her recordings. I would sing to Tony Bennett, Jerry Vale, Nat King Cole and even Barbra Streisand. I loved singers that had range.”
Q-You sing a lot of the Standards. That’s what caught my eye or ears first about you. Have you always loved the Standards? And who is your favorite from the classic genre?
A-“There are many, but the five that stick in my mind are Tony Bennett, Nat King Cole, Barbra Streisand, Gino Vanelli, and Ray Charles. Gino is more contemporary, I know, but is my favorite male singer.”
Q-Everyone will want me to ask this question, so forgive me. Since you are so handsome, do you have any interest in acting?
A-“Yes I always have. I have acted in a soap opera, commercials, and theatre here in Los Angeles, throughout my career here. I have studied also with Rick Walters. Singing is definitely a form of acting too, as you well know.”
Q-Your CD “Natural Man” is one of the most outstanding I’ve ever heard. Was it a collaboration or did you do most of it on your own?
A-“Yes and No. It started out as a bunch of songs, and then I think subconsciously, the songs that I wound up using, went together in such a way, that it took on a life of it’s own. There is definitely a thread. ”˜Natural Man’ is a song that I used to sing as a kid. The song ”˜Nice to be Around’ is a song that I used to sing in clubs in New York, and became one of my signature pieces. It is a very Avant garde song. It was a real thrill when Paul Williams ( the composer), heard my rendition, and asked me out to lunch. The yes part of the collaboration, is the fact, that I work with a great engineer, and studio. He is not only a very accomplished engineer, but is a Berkley school graduate in music. He plays the sax, and flute. He is playing on my CD. I also collaborated with a lyricist, and wrote three of the songs on the CD. ‘I’ll Follow You’ is one of them. It is also a music video, on my MySpace page. Last, but certainly not least, is Seth Rigg.”
“Seth endorsed the whole CD, and worked on the vocal aspect of it. it was great, because after working on a song for many days and hours, with the arrangements etc., it was great to have a second set of ears looking out for my voice. I have to tell you, Seth listened to every single note that I sang on the CD. If he didn’t like something, I went and re recorded that passage again. Sometimes, it drove me crazy, but ultimately he made my CD better because of his expertise.”
“I love collaborative efforts, especially when you are working with great people. However, I ultimately make the final decision, based on what is best for the situation. I don’ have an ego where that is concerned. If someone comes up with a better idea, I will certainly use it.”
Q-Patrick, you have entered a very challenging business. You have an edge, that’s genuine talent. However, do you ever feel like the tasks and goals in the entertainment industry are daunting?
A-“Definitely! I love the artistic part of it all. It is what has kept my sanity. Some people would disagree with that fact about my sanity.”
Q-Is it your family or your fans, who inspire you the most?
A- “Actually both. My family has been very supportive of me and my career throughout the years.The fans are great, because they provide a way for me to share my talents. Live performing is extremely important, because of this. Recording is wonderful, but is a different animal. When you perform live, the energy is incredible.”
Q-What is your next CD about? When will it become available?
A- “Well, this current CD ”˜Natural Man” hasn’t been formally released yet. I am in the process of doing that now on itunes, Amazon and places where you sell music. However, I do have the start of a new CD project. I am doing demos for it now. Basically they are very finished demos, and you can hear a couple of them on my MySpace page at myspace.com/patchbasile.”
Q-Do you have a website? Where can people purchase your CD’s?
A- “Tommy, it is available in a small way now on my MySpace page. However, it will be on iTunes, Rhapsody and other places very soon.”
Patrick’s music is a must-have for lovers of great music that is often lost today with mediocre voices being drowned out by instrumentals. With Basile’s great skills as a singer, the audience is left breathless and wanting more.
