Carl Alfino definitely inherited his family’s music gene.
The 54-year-old, who grew up in Richmond Hill, has his own CD, and can be heard serenading diners at Vetro in Howard Beach once a month.
“There are a lot of singers in my family,” he told The Courier.
However, his musical career began by playing the saxophone.
“After a couple of years we started a band and played old standards. I always had an interest in Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett and 60s music, since I grew up with it,” said Alfino, a board member of the South Queens Boys & Girls Club.
After getting married, his interest in singing flourished – and so did his fledgling career. He began singing at parties, and even sang duets with his father. When he moved to Merrick, Long Island a dozen years ago, he began training with voice teacher Danny Richards, studying breathing techniques and bel canto, which was used by opera singers in the 1600s and 1700s.
Then, five years ago, he began singing at the Fox Hollow catering hall on Friday nights – and, in the interim, also produced his very first CD, “Smoothing things over.”
He sent it to different radio stations, and was picked up by WHLI 1100 AM, which, he said, played his song “Deed I Do” two to three times a week for six months.
“Every once in a while they still play it,” he said.
In November, “When Vetro opened, Frank Russo asked if I’d be interested in singing in the lounge,” he said.
He agreed, and can now be heard once a month on Friday nights, as Vetro has different singers each week.
In addition, he also sings at private parties, lends his musical talent to the Howard Beach Columbus Day Parade and St. Joseph Dinner at Roma View, and croons for charity.
Alfino, who has a physical therapy practice in Ozone Park, describes his style as Frank Sinatra or Michael Buble.
Currently, aside from his other commitments, Alfino, who has a following, will perform at an 80th birthday party and is hoping to start work on his second CD.
As for the music gene being passed along, his daughter, he said, inherited it, but “she doesn’t show it.”
Alfino’s next performance at Vetro will be on Friday, May 7 at 8:30 p.m. in the lounge.
