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How do you follow Frank Zappa?

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Rather than dwell on the potential difficulty of this, Ben Vereen followed Zappa’s� delightful ESO night by holding the Winspear in the palm of his hand himself.� And rather than a simple concert format, Friday’s Ben Vereen performance was an informal musical biography of inspirations, influences and personal triumphs that spanned the career of the ultimate “triple threat” — a magical calling that has taken Vereen from Broadway to the silver screen, from sharing the stage with his mentor, Sammy Davis Jr., to playing Will Smith’s fictional father.�

If you didn’t understand the immense talents Vereen holds, you certainly did after he performed.�

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Like Vereen mentioned many times, Edmonton has a treasure in the ESO.� With tightness and perfection the ESO meshed with Vereen as if the two had been working in unison for years.� The natural chemistry the two presented created an unspeakable performance.� Powerful and electric, the team will hopefully meet again very soon.

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Yet, as difficult as it is to outshine the ESO, Vereen did so.� Starting with a radiant smile, Vereen’s charismatic personality and out-of-this-world performing range took the audience on a journey that captured his adolescent nervousness at one moment, and his pure showmanship the next.�

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Closing out the first half with his version of Sinatra's timeless "My Way," Ben Vereen stopped time for a brief moment.� The enraptured Edmonton audience couldn't clap quickly enough for his chilling homage. At the start of the second half of the night, with an unmatched vocal range and a wonderfully pleasant skill, Vereen paid tribute to his mentor, the legendary Sammy Davis Jr., in a touching, well-crafted way, which will easily remain a memory for all in attendance.� Vereen’s performance of “Mr. Bojangles,” made me stop and appreciate the song all over again.�

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Ben Vereen proved to be a special performance, with great thanks to the precise symphony, and once again witnessed magic.�

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