Raúl Esparza in The American Songbook Series at Jazz at Lincoln Center

This isn't my normal beat, but my regular concert-going companion and I are big fans of Raúl Esparza from seeing him in a variety of productions, so we got tickets to his American Songbook concert.  These concerts tend to be autobiographical recitals, which provide a marvelous way to become better acquainted with one's favorite performers.  Mr. Esparza is a very talented actor, singer and dancer.  Through the performance he recounted his life story, with a major emphasis on his boyhood in Miami.  The program was a melange of show tunes from productions in which he has performed and Latin-American music that helped to form his musical personality from his childhood.  The man is a phenomenal performer, and this was, no doubt, quite a phenomenal performance.  He had the hall really rocking to that Latin beat.  Add the spectacular setting -- The Rose Room, with that big glass wall behind the stage looking out on Columbus Circle, 59th Street, and the south end of Central Park, and you have a truly enchanted evening.  At least I was enchanted, moved, amused, and massively entertained.  Viva Esparza!