From the December 9, 1999 issue of Mainland Journal
Sinatra, a la Piscopo
by Norlynne Lubrano
Atlantic City - Frank Sinatra’s greatest fan is probably his greatest impersonator.
Joe Piscopo, better known for his “Saturday Night Live” capers, is making sweet music a la Old Blue Eyes in Resorts’ Theater, and he’s lovin’ it. Backed up by a live big band orchestra, Piscopo is in great voice crooning the old Sinatra standards like “Come Fly With Me,” “Summer Wind,” “It’s Witchcraft,” “That Old Black Magic” and much more.
While he’s no Sinatra, his voice sounds and has a lot of the qualities, including the intonation, of the late great showman. All of the special effects are there, too- the cigarettes, the brimmed hat, the gestures and the voice that thrilled a nation for more than a half century. Piscopo does a commendable job in paying tribute to his idol and fellow New Jerseyan and he seems as comfortable on stage before a large audience singing as he was doing his original characters and celebrity impersonations on “Saturday Night Live.”
It’s an entertaining hour filled with lighthearted nostalgia and really good background music by 17 of the area’s top musicians under the direction of Artie Schreck, a pianist who backed Sinatra in one of his bands.
According to Piscopo, Sinatra repeatedly endorsed his portrayal of him, but he likes to tell about how one time Sinatra made him fell comfortable enough for him to ask, “Can I call you Frank?” But “he said ‘No,’” Piscopo said, “so it was Mr. Sinatra to me.”
As an added attraction, Piscopo’s 20-year-old son Joey, also in fine voice, shares the stage with him singing a duet of favorite Sinatra tunes.
Joe Piscopo’s imitation of Frank Sinatra can be seen through Dec. 19.
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