Buddy Greco has been entertaining people for decades, and it’s good to see he’s still doing it beautifully, even as an octogenarian. He made the point that he’s a pianist who sings, and not a singer who plays the piano, and boy, can this man play a mean piano!  I’m amazed at how nimble his fingers still are!

He started the evening with a wonderful Latin arrangement of Cole Porter’s “I’ve Got You Under My Skin,” in which he truly showed off his keyboard skills.  The other highlight in his first set was a wonderful tribute to Peggy Lee, a medley of “You Was Right, Baby” and “I Don’t Know Enough About You,” from his upcoming show, Fever.

He was joined in the second set by his wife, Lezlie Anders, a beautiful blonde bombshell, with a lovely voice to match. She’s going to be performing in Fever and I’m sure she’ll be a knockout. She has a remarkable resemblance to Peggy Lee, and her terrific rendition of Burton Lane and Frank Loesser’s “Moments Like This” proves she’s capable of the part. I also loved her version (Buddy’s arrangement) of “Begin the Beguine,” which she sang in a minor key, adding an evocative, shadowy feel to the song.

A few criticisms: I’m sure Buddy didn’t know this, but the blue light shining on the back wall reflected on him, turning his grey hair blue, which was disconcerting at first. I also found the banter between husband and wife a little bit dated, almost with the feeling of bygone Las Vegas days. So what if Lezlie Anders is the fifth Mrs. Greco, and the oldest Mrs. Greco? She’s been Mrs. Greco for over 15 years now, not 15 days. The simple introduction of her as his wife would have been sufficient, and added a bit of romance, rather than placing a focus on Buddy’s past. It’s 2010, after all….

Buddy’s voice isn’t what it used to be. His vibrato is a bit wide, making his ballads less interesting vocally than his upbeat numbers, but he knows how to entertain and keep an audience’s attention, so even with less vocal oomph than he used to have, it’s still a great night out. With Lezlie by his side, the evening rises vocally, making a great coupling of talent, and adding the cherry on top.

Buddy and Lezlie were beautifully supported by Alan Boynton on drums, Martin Roach on bass and Sean Whittle on keyboard/synthesizer.

Buddy Greco has extensive touring dates in the UK between now and October.  Fever will be premiering in Florida in November.  See www.buddygreco.com for details.

Harold Sanditen
Cabaret Scenes
June 14, 2010
www.cabaretscenes.org