Buddy Greco/Lezlie Anders: Concorde Club, Eastleigh (From Daily Echo)

Buddy Greco/Lezlie Anders: Concorde Club, Eastleigh

12:10pm Saturday 26th March 2011 in Music Reviews By Duncan Eaton

IT was a triumphant return to the Concorde for veteran American crooner and jazz pianist Buddy Greco who gave a master class in piano playing.

He first made his name as a teenage jazz pianist with the Benny Goodman Band and has a string of singles hits and 70 albums to his credit.

The 84-year-old entertainer can quite rightly claim to be an honorary member of that exclusive Las Vegas showbiz club which included Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Junior and Dean Martin.

He still has all that youthful energy and enthusiasm from the days when he was based at The Sands Hotel, the famous Vegas night spot which was the spiritual home of The Rat Pack.

It is when he is weaving his magic on those ivories that Buddy really comes into his own.

During his performance he often demands that the piano talks to him. And he certainly does let the piano do the talking. Surrounded by a brilliant trio of musicians, he hit the ground running with I’ve Got You Under My Skin.

He gave a breathtaking performance as he tore into a medley of classics. The playlist included Girl Talk, Misty, Me and Mrs Jones, She Loves Me and The Lady is a Tramp which his buddy Sinatra turned into his signature tune.

Later, American singing star Lezlie Anders, who is also Mrs Greco number five, breezed on stage to give a taste of her stage show Fever! which is a tribute to legendary songstress Peggy Lee.

Buddy has vowed to return to the Concorde. And his growing army of Concorde fans will be eagerly awaiting his return.