Columnist Joe Delaney: Anderson preparing for East Coast performances

Joe Delaney

Friday, April 6, 2001 | 7:36 a.m.

Joe Delaney's column appears on Thursdays and Fridays. Reach him at 259-4066 or joe@lasvegassun.com

Bob Anderson is a world-class singer who also happens to be a master impressionist as well as a saloon singer who ranks right there with the late Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Buddy Greco and Sonny King in this wonderful yet endangered art form ... He will be in residence at the LV Hilton's Nightclub through April 22 before leaving for a month in Atlantic City.

Anderson is in the first echelon of candidates to replace the departed Scintas, who open April 24 in the Rio's Copacabana Showroom ... The Fab Four and Trent Carlini will play the Nightclub for extended stands before a final decision is made.

Vincent Falcone Jr., Sinatra's conductor for nearly a decade, will be at the piano and conduct for Anderson ... In a typical program, Anderson will do Anderson, singing great standard song selections, establishing an intimate mood, a one-to-one relationship with the entire audience, then ease into his personalized cast of characterizations.

Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. are Anderson regulars, with the last named a brilliant caricature as well ... Paul Anka, Bobby Darin, Neil Diamond, Tom Jones, Barry Manilow and Wayne Newton are other possible subjects, each one accurately depicted including subtle nuances that make each replication special.

On a recent occasion, Anderson called for audience requests and with nary a hesitation, he reproduced the following, in this order: Robert Goulet, Frankie Laine, Johnny Mathis, Johnny Ray, Jack Jones, Steve Lawrence, Mel Torme and Engelbert Humperdinck, an incredible tour de force, completely impromptu, no pauses in between.

The song "What's New," written originally as a trumpet virtuoso piece for Billy Butterfield, had a lyric added later by Johnny Burke ... It is sung usually by vocalists with an exceptional range ... We've never heard it sung better than that same evening, also impromptu, by Anderson.

Anderson's presentation is entirely his own, completely separate from what one might experience with Danny Gans, Bill Acosta or Andre-Philippe Gagnon, each a superb impressionist, each different ... At $33.30, which includes tax and ticket charge, Anderson is an entertainment best buy.

Weekend wrap-up

The Dale Chihuly art exhibition continues through April 29 at the LV Art Museum ... UNLV's University Theatre Short Play Festival, worth a visit, concludes Sunday in the Paul Harris Theatre ... Nevada Ballet Theatre's successful season concludes with a Handel Celebration, Saturday and Sunday, UNLV's Ham Hall ... Rainbow Company's "Fool of the World," based on a Russian folktale, plays this weekend and next (Reed Whipple Cultural Center).

The Coffee Pub is an entertainer's meeting place ... Peter Anthony, Pete Barbutti, Carme, Randy Credico (when in town), Babe Pier, Cork Proctor and Nelson Sardelli and this columnist convene there for coffee and conversation ... It is also a favorite of attorneys and people politically inclined.

We meet there Saturdays at 8 a.m. with attorney George Foley Sr., his sons, George Foley Jr. and Jim ... On a given Saturday you can find Gov. Kenny Guinn with someone such as Assemblyman Richard Perkins or Lyle Rivera ... Guinn usually arrives early and sits with the Foleys and myself for a chat ... John F. O'Reilly and his family and Joe Johnston are others we greet on occasional Saturdays.

Please support the Sun Summer Camp Fund ... See you next Thursday.