Jordan Bennett spreads love at the Grand
BY ANN MIRE
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Jordan Bennett’s opening song, “Love Changes Everything,” set a Valentine’s theme in the Grand Opera House of the South on Monday night.
A great crowd was rewarded by his wide vocal range, which was displayed through a wide variety of music.
From Broadway tunes to rock songs, Bennett delighted the audience with his comedic interludes between songs. This one-man eclectic show was akin to watching an Ed Sullivan variety show. With his strong booming voice, every song was delivered with great passion.
Among the Broadway tunes he performed were “Bring Him Home” and “What Have I Done” from Les Miserables as well as “If I Were A Rich Man” from Fiddler on the Roof, and a dynamic rendition of “Music of the Night” from Phantom of the Opera.
His performances of such popular songs as “My Funny Valentine” and “Stand By Me” were wonderful. His interpretations of Louis Armstrong’s “Birth of the Blues,” Frank Sinatra’s “That’s Life” and the Moody Blues’ “Nights in White Satin” were entertaining for the very receptive audience.
The crowd was involved with hand-clapping and body-swaying for his performances of “Let the Good Times Roll” and “When the Saints Go Marching In.”
In closing, in recognition of the Beatles 50th anniversary of coming to America, he sang “All You Need is Love.” He then performed a delightful “encore” piece which included a line or two from a wide variety of songs that were woven into a fun medley that definitely left the audience wanting more.
Bennett’s final song was “Time to Say Goodbye.” However, it was clear that neither he nor the audience were ready to say goodbye for the evening.
This professional performer put on one of the most exciting shows at the Grand. Perhaps Bennett isn’t one of the biggest names in show business, but he is definitely a big time performer.
The next show in this year’s series is “The Official Blues Brothers Revue,” which is set for 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 21.
To purchase tickets, or for more information, call the Grand at 785-0440 or visit www.thegrandoperahouse.org.