With the swagger of a country gentleman and the musical chops to back it up, Dave Sammarco proves to be the real deal when it comes to writing and performing music. He’s got a flair for turning the norm into
something special that resonates with folks of all ages, color and creed. On his most recent album, One Kind Face, those traits resonate loudly song after glorious song. We tracked Dave down and queried him about his musical journey and he weighed in with a fascinating, life’s worth of stories...

METRONOME: How long have you been playing music?
Dave Sammarco: Since I was about six years old. I was very fortunate to have my Dad teach me some basic chords on his classical guitar. I dabbled with guitar between ages 6 and 12. I recall like it was yesterday when Dad brought me home my first guitar. It was a Junior size, classical six string. I can still smell the wood in the kitchen. He picked it up brand new for me from his Uncle Johnny from East Boston.  CLICK TO  READ THE FULL INTERVIEW

DAVE SAMMARCO BAND
ONE KIND FACE, 11-SONG CD

• ONE KIND FACE • CALIFORNIA TIME • JUST DON’T NEED EM ANYMORE • CAN’T SEE THAT FAR AWAY • MAKE LOVE TO ME TONIGHT • FREEZING BONES • HONKYTONK QUEEN • GHOST • DISCONNECTED • NOTHIN BUT BLUE • YOU DO THE MATH

Singer-songwriter-guitarist Dave Sammarco has been a fixture on the Boston music scene for years. His physical presence and larger-than-life, down home vocals are perfectly suited for the country-inflected Americana he writes and performs. On his latest album, One Kind Face, Sammarco enlists an A-list of Boston area players to help him deliver these well crafted tunes.

Guitarist Jim Scoppa, pedal steeler & fiddle player Steve Latt, bassist Dave Leitch, drummer Jeff Allison and singer Scott Baerenwald [Robin Lane & The Chartbusters] all contribute their respective talents to a body of outstanding musical compositions. Songs of note on Sammarco’s One Kind Face include the country lilt of “California Time,” the barnstorming stomp of “Just Don’t Need em Anymore,” the two steppin’ kick of “Make Love To Me Tonight,” the jumpin’ roadhouse jive of “Honkytonk Queen” and the sweetly penned ballad, “You Do The Math.” Dave Sammarco may have hung on to this album awhile before releasing it, but it was definitely worth the wait. Good stuff!

The Dave Sammarco Band strips it all down to the bone and deliver no frills rock 'n' roll on Time Machine. Rooted in blues, country, and various themes of rock, this quintet along with lap steel player Steven Sadler, crank out tunes that take the listener back to a time when music was created solely from the mind and heart. The record begins with Walk Away From You and Paint The Mountains Red, two tunes with memorable hooks that instantly define what DSB is all about. Fallen Angel offers an enticing slide guitar solo from Sadler, a highlight from the disc. Always Saying Goodbye is reminiscent of some of Tom Petty's classics, and Trying is what every bluesy record needs, as its lyrical content deals with the pain of ending a relationship. The disc is consistent throughout as every track is of the same high caliber, but I found Soulmate to be one of the most marketable. Time Machine closes with its little track. One of the more aggressive tunes on the disc, it is the perfect way to cap off a selection of quality material.

There is certainly something to say for the positive aspects of truth in advertising. The press materials concerning Time Machine all quote the phrase "equal parts of twang and bang". In this case, the description could not be more fitting.Unlike most artists who have sought to break down the barriers of rock and twang, Dave Sammarco seems to succeed supremely. His engaging mix of the two otherwise distinct styles involves the common denominator of solid storytelling and plenty of guitars bolstering the catchy melodies. If any CD were made for a Friday or Saturday night's ride around the city in your red convertible with the top down, or just to be played at some kicking house party, Time Machine is it. The more countryish songs twang in a delightful Bottle Rockets sort of way while the pure rockers sound like Seger/Springsteen circa 1978. In other words, fantastic. Of course, fans of great good-time music who like a little rock added to their twang (ordinarily this CD would be thought of as Southern Rock, but the country side shows up here a tad more than say Molly Hatchett or the Allman's) will definitely be playing this more often, but that's how it should be. Indeed, this drops the listener somewhere in the hopefully not-too-distant future where good songs mean everything and labels mean nothing.

Unless It's Yours is filled with the familiar country themes of love and longing and lonesomeness, a whole bunch of it. Sammarco, who wrote all 12 tracks, spins tales about folks on good and bad terms with love. On When I Loved You, a wayward lover keeps a knockin', but she can't come in. On Love Sweet Love, a desperate man "barely half alive" is redeemed by a "divine intervention from above." Sammarco's characters cry alone over 10 shots of whiskey, trying to remember to forget you, in this honky tonkless town. It's perfect wallowing music: well-written songs, played by solid musicians, sung sincerely and convincingly, about being tore up one way or the other. The final track, Everybody Knows, is about something just as potent as love: moonshine. It's a slow-burning, six minute-plus ditty that highlights Sammarco's and his supporting cast's highly proficient musicianship.

Singer-songwriter guitarist Dave Sammarco may be a Yankee but his musical heart is in country honky tonk. He's got that twang in his voice and a pocket full of stories that aim straight for the heart on his new album Unless It's Yours. His band is also top notch and features stellar playing from multi-guitarist David Rizzuti, drummer Chris Scuito, bassists Kevin Lillis and Brian Girard, Sean Staples on mandolin, Al Gould on fiddle and Eric Royer on banjo. Fusing the contemporary sounds of folks like Steve Earle, with the traditions of bluegrass and hillbilly music, Sammarco lands right on the money with these twelve finely penned originals. And if New England doesn't give David an audience, I'm sure Nashville will welcome him with open arms.

The Dave Sammarco Band at Toad: "When I walked in, Sammarco was romping through the Rolling Stones' Dead Flowers. The set only got better. Singer/guitarist Sammarco, whose band stars former Chartbusters Asa Brebner and Scott Baerenwald, sang some solid original tunes in a Steve Earle-meets-the georgia Satellites vein, then took off into the stratosphere with a cover of Led Zeppelin's Communication Breakdown. Where has this guy been hiding? Great Stuff!!"