Now 90 years old, Patané has begun to reflect on his decades of experience playing Italian songs and other popular music.

Performing on stages and in clubs across New South Wales, Patané and his show band graced venues like the Apia Club, the Miramare club and the Mediterranean House throughout the 1970s.

Patané and his band would play crowd favourites, like Massimo Ranieri’s Red Roses, crooning the opening verses while the curtains were still closed to build anticipation.

“The rest was pure fun,” Patané said.

“People danced until 3:00 am and the club was full on both Saturdays and Sundays.”

Patané was originally given the name “Gioacchino” by his father Eugenio at the registry office in the village of Castiglione di Sicilia, in Catania.

After a long sea crossing, he arrived in Sydney on April 14, 1959, and devoted himself to becoming a tailor.

His excellence in the profession allowed Patané to open his own shop, but despite his success, he yearned to follow his true passion: music.

Patané had music in his blood; both his father and his siblings were musicians.

As a child, Patané joined the town band where he learned all about music, rehearsed regularly and performed often.

“My background is in classical music, which has helped me a lot,” he said.

“When I play, I don’t try to imitate anyone or force my style on anyone; I simply please the audience with melodies that they can have fun with and enjoy.

“This includes Ricky Martin, the Latin Band, Italian folk and regional music, Italian pop and Rino Gaetano.”

Patané performed at weddings regularly, his dulcet tones serenading potential couples on the dancefloor.

“In the village band, I played both the soprano and the tenor saxophone,” he said.

“I also picked up the piano, purely due to my knowledge of music, particularly classical music.”

Almost three months after he arrived in Sydney, Patané married his wife Rosina Raiti at St Fiacre’s Parish Church, in Leichhardt.

His own band accompanied him, and he also performed on his wedding day.

Patané and his wife had three children: twins Gino and Enzo, and Antonella.

This, in turn, blessed the couple with five grandchildren.

Patané hopes that his grandchildren will follow in his footsteps and pick up an instrument.

Before the pandemic, Patané performed at a restaurant in Five Dock on the weekends.

“I can’t wait for the situation to return to normal so that I can pick up where I left off,” he said.

Patané remains captivated by the siren call of a musician’s life, even though he recently turned 90 years old.

“I still don’t believe it,” he said.

“If I think about how old I am, I wonder how it’s still possible.

“I still feel in good shape and I’m eager to play and sing.

“However, every now and again I’m forced to lower the tone of the songs I sing, but not by much.

“My favourite music comes from Dean Martin, and also Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather.”

Regretfully, Patané was unable to enjoy birthday festivities due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I can’t even celebrate with my family because of the restrictions,” he said.

Never one to miss a chance to share his passion, even via a telephone interview, Patané took his chance to perform with his saxophone:

“If you have five minutes, I’ll sing a song for you.”

And so, the interview concluded with a private performance of Dean Martin’s That’s Amore.