April 14, 2007 – Henry Haid is not Billy Joel, of course, but he played him on Broadway in Twyla Tharpes Tony Award Winning "Movin' Out."
But having heard him I have to say Haid is Billy Joel, when Billy Joel was Billy Joel – in a musically electric way.
He's young, excited, a phenomenal piano player and has Billy Joel's voice down to a science.
Haid says, "I'm just a kid from the street."
But he's a lot more than that. Sample here. Along with being a piano virtuoso, something Haid says he picked up from his musical family, he's a really nice guy. When the amps blew repeatedly through Friday evening's show, he smiled and kept right on singing, even taking requests from the audience. He said later the problem would be fixed by Saturday's show.
Friday night at Jack's could have been a venue in any night club anywhere, featuring Billy Joel.
The band was as tight as any I have ever seen, and they were clearly having fun, as was the surprisingly modestly-sized audience.
From Captain Jack to The Stranger which begins and ends with some pretty powerful whistling, Haid and his band Glass Houses, which on Friday included St. Thomas' own Sun Kings, sounded like the best of Billy Joel. And in reality, they are.
Don't miss them. Rush to your telephone right now and call for reservations for tonight's performance.
As an aside, it was Haid, who with Steve Richman, founded the Sun Kings years ago on St. Thomas. You can hear the Sun Kings on Friday nights at Jack's.
Phone 776-9464.
For more on Haid and the Sun Kings, click here.
