combining columns in select - Mailing list pgsql-sql

Hello,

I have a table used in a java application that I have been working fine
with ODBC & dbase that I want to move to pgsql.  One of my select
statements is as follows

select lname + ', ' + fname as NAME from table ...

If I try to enter this into psql, I get an error.  This same statement
works fine in the ODBC/dbase.

Why doesn't this work?  Is there a work around so I can get columns of
concatenated text strings?

Thanks,

Doug