John Eskola is one of those fine singers whose voice is a prism of shining color and variety. He does not, however, forget how important lyrics are in a cabaret setting. In this show, he sang and cavorted through a high intensity musical evening. Early on, he talked about how people named Mary influenced his life, then offered up a triple medley of songs including “What Will Mary Say,” ”Mary in the Morning,” and in a fun, incongruous way, “Ave Maria.” (Eskola is well known for performing liturgical music ranging from that associated with High Mass to Kol Nidre from the Yom Kippur service). His hysterical rendition of “Granada,” complete with bolero hat and open shirt, is funny yet we appreciate his crystal tenor. In Jim Quinn’s “The Actor as Waiter,” he takes us through the journey of the aspirant in the performing arts with the right balance between humor and truth. As an interpreter, Eskola can be grown up and thoughtful but is also has a child-like uninhibitedness that gives his comedy numbers a highly endearing goofiness. We listened to John Eskola’s heart, and enjoyed it much.

Carla Gordon
Cabaret Scenes
September 9, 2009
www.cabaretscenes.org