That familiar face appears nightly on "Entertainment Tonight" and in the daytime on "John and Leeza." But Monday night, John Tesh made his Utah debut at Maurice Abravanel Hall. Emmy Award-winning composer Tesh entertained with his quick wit throughout the two-hour performance. Salt Lake City caught a glimpse of Tesh not seen on TV.
Tesh, behind the grand piano, wore quite a different look than his "behind-the-desk" appearance on NBC. Wearing what he called his Barry Manilow vest - bright, shiny blue - Tesh received a warm welcome from the 2,600 fans.Although the audio and lighting equipment weren't completely intact, Tesh and his band exploded with enormous energy in the introductory song off his album "Garden City."
The chemistry of the band portrayed a group of talented musicians playing a combination of instruments that sounded unlike any music Tesh has played before. There were crispy, short, staccato shrieks from Charlie Bisharat's electric violin, adding to the array of musical sounds.
Tesh described the background of "Conchetta," a song he wrote for his wife, Connie Selleca, when they were first going out. The jazzy-ballad tune had a deep emotional feeling that conveyed an image of love. Nadeen Hall accompanied on cello.
The night was full of surprises. During the performance of "Barcelona," a song Tesh wrote for the Olympic Games last year, Bisharat wandered off stage and into the first few rows of the audience. To entice him back on stage, Tesh read his "Top Six Reasons Why Bisharat Should Come Back on Stage." (Is Tesh considering a night talk show as well?) Then the band played a song from Bisharat's solo album, "Along the Amazon," called "Illusion Fields."
Bassist Tim Landers' solo, accompanied by Chad Wackerman on drums, rattled and shook the balconies of the hall. Percussionist Brian Kilgore produced the congo-drum effect and the safari sounds in the background.
The second half of the show created a more romantic atmosphere. Tesh, showing a lighter side, performed a soothing ballad duet with Bisharat. The transition exemplifies Tesh's extraordinary musical talent.
Tesh at times seemed to be performing a stand-up comedy act instead of a musical performance. He picked two couples from the audience to join him on stage to dance to "Key of Love," a song he dedicated to the couples. Tesh had the audience in hysterics by the time the band started playing.
His album "A Romantic Christmas" was inspired by a choir of boys who sang at his wedding.
The band also played Christmas songs and performed a skit in long nightshirts and caps called "John Tesh's Bad Brass" that made the audience roar with laughter. Each member of the band had a brass instrument they used to play in high school.
This is not the John Tesh we've seen on E.T.
Overall, the performance was more than anybody likely expected. Tesh performed with an energy that reached out to each person in the audience.
He also personalized the show by involving the audience. During "Silent Night," he invited seven women on stage to sing along with the band. It was a fun-filled evening with great music that left everyone in high spirits.