Jazz Musician, Born In Bristol, Dies At 62 After Cancer Battle

BRISTOL, PA — David Anthony DePalma, 62, of Denver, a jazz musican known across the East Coast as a saxophonist and woodwind specialist who studied with Larry McKenna, passed away Thursday, September 9, 2021, at Lancaster General Hospital- Penn Medicine after a valiant fight against cancer.

David DePalma was born in Bristol, Pennsylvania to Charles DePalmo and the late Loretta DePalmo, who were from Delanco, New Jersey.

He is survived by Irene (Alex) Pascal his partner of 20 years, his father Charles, his two daughters, Andrea DePalma and Alexandra DePalma of Reading, and Shannon Pascal of Lebanon. He is also survived by four siblings, Charles DePalmo (Carol) of Old Bridge, New Jersey, Nancy Walker of Philadelphia, Jeffrey DePalmo (Thania) of Montville, New Jersey, and Marcia Swartz (Roger) of Leesburg, Virginia, and by many nieces and nephews. He is also survived by two aunts Mary Costa and Geraldine Kerr, both of New Castle, Pennsylvania, as well as by cousins.

David DePalma played a wide variety of musical venues, quickly adapting and bringing excellence to everything he played. He loved touring in Broadway shows and in his career backed Frank Sinatra Jr., Jay Leno, Dan Akroyd, Joan Rivers, Steven Sorrentino, Crystal Gayle, Marie Osmond, Steve Larwence and Edie Gourmet, Bernadette Peters, Frankie Valli, Bobby Rydell, Bobby Vinton, Wayne Newton, Nelson Sardelli, Merv Griffin, Al Martino, Don Cornell, Four Tops, Temptations, O’Jays, Martha and the Vandellas, Jay and the Americans, Stylistics, The Drifters / Coasters, Jerry Blavet, Ritchie Cole, Phil Woods, George Young, Al Grey, Vanessa Rubin, Jeannie Bryson, Maude Maggart, Dave Stahl and Steve Marcus with the Buddy Rich Orchestra, Hoagy & Bix Stradust Orchestra, Rainbow Room Orchestra, and Larry Mc Kenna.

He played in the Harrisburg, Lancaster, Reading and York symphonies.

Frank DiBussolo, Professor of Music, called David a master saxaphonist. DiBussolo and David played the Philadelphia jazz circuit for decades.

"For better than 40 years, we shared many great times and made great music," he said. "He was a gifted artist and arranger and [had] a marvelous sense of humor."

DePalma graduated from Riverside High School in New Jersey and from the Philadelphia College of the Performing Arts in 1978. He studied woodwinds and saxophones with Vince Trombetta, Marshall Taylor and Adeline Tomasone, George Young. He learned improvisation and arranging in studies with Phil Woods.

One of his most influential teachers was Larry McKenna, a world-class jazz saxophonist known for his singularly smooth sound, and one of the most in-demand saxophone and jazz theory teachers in Philadelphia.

Fellow musician Craig Russell said, "Dave was definitely one of the baddest saxophonist
in and around town. I'm glad that I was able to stand by his side. He was the type of
musician that didn't take shorts. You was either bad or good. There was no in betweens
with Dave. He would definitely have you playing at a high level."

In regional theater, DePalma played for productions of Drowsy Chaperone, Cabaret, Swing, West Side Story, Christmas Carol, White Christmas, Footloose, Annie, Wonderful Town, All Shook Up, Parade, Kiss Me Kate, Wizard of Oz, Chorus Line, Seussical, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Sound of Music, 42nd Street, Wedding Singer, 1940’s Radio Hour, The Rat Pack, Christmas Past, and Beautiful-The Carol King Show. He was part of a national tour of A Grand Night for Singing and European tours of A Chorus Line and 42nd Street.

Groups he played with include Bobby Beato, Carmen Tomaselli, Brandywine Entertainment, Eddie Bruce Entertainment, Cutting Edge Orchestras, Jack Faulkner Orchestra, Jazz Sancturary, Deena Miller Entertainment, Uptown Band, Ray Massa Group, The John Hoey Group, KLN Entertainment, Renaissance Band, Joe Sudler Band, Andrea Kauffman Entertainment.

A memorial tribute to David DePalma will be held at Fox Chase Golf Club in Stevens, Pennsylvania on October 10 from 2-5 p.m. The Philly Reunion Band will provide music. David's fellow musicans are welcome to bring their instruments and voices and to share their stories.

In respect for David DePalma's wishes, please observe masking and social distancing. The tribute will be held under the pavilion outdoors.

Arrangements by Roseboro Stradling Funeral & Cremation Services, Inc. in Denver.
Online condolences can be given here.

Written by Marlene Lang.