Saturday, December 6, 2008

'Mack the Knife' a fitting tribute

It is somewhat remarkable that 35 years after the death of Bobby Darin, that someone else -- namely one Chaz Esposito and his nine-piece band -- playing his music and singing his songs could fill a room in eastern Connecticut. But Esposito did just that on Friday night, and again on Saturday, with his show Mack the Knife - The Life and Music of Bobby Darin.

The performance itself resembled something that of a play, complete with a narrator and video clips from Darin's former manager and Wayne Newton (his protégé) setting up the songs. Esposito delivered a faithful tribute to many of Darin's greatest hits. Highlights from the set included Splish Splash, Beyond the Sea, Mack the Knife (twice), Simple Song of Freedom, If I Were a Carpenter, Clementine, and That's All.

The set was approximately 90 minutes, including a surprising 15 minute intermission. Esposito does a true-to-life impression of Darin, down the schtick from his comeback run in Las Vegas. If the show hits your area, it's definitely worth checking out.

And we won -- by far -- the award for youngest couple in attendance, which our table mates made sure to point out.

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