Ben Vereen to Release Live Recording with Sh-K-Boom, 2/15

Broadway's Ben Vereen will release a new live album entitled, "Steppin' Out With Ben Vereen"  on February 15.  To be released with Sh-K-Boom Records, the album features Vereen's July 2010 performance at Hartford Stage.

Vereen describes the abum with the following: "Here it is at last and just for you! My show recorded LIVE at the Hartford Stage in Connecticut. I want to thank my friend Steve Grossman for reminding me to do this by bringing me the wonderful people at Creative Entertainment, Mike Dano and Jerry Gross, who believed in this project, the engineers at Four Star Sound Studios, Bob Freed and Richard Bomberowitch for making their magic."

He adds, "Thank you to Bryan Durnan for his art work expertise. The people at the Hartford stage who were kind enough to let this happen..... So I gathered my friends and family: Nelson Kole keyboard and arranger. On drums the dynamic Marc Dicciani. On bass the amazing Mr. Thomas Kennedy . And keeping the heartbeat on percussions Aaron Vereen."

The track listing for the album is as follows:

1. "With a Song In My Heart" (arr. David Loeb)
2. "Getting To Know You" (arr. Nelson Kole)
3. "Corner Of The Sky" (arr. Billy Byers) / "Aquarius" / "Hair" / "Jesus Christ Superstar" / "I Don't Know How To Love Him"
4. "Defying Gravity" (arr. Nelson Kole)
5. "Frank Sinatra Medley" (arr. Nelson Kole) / "It Was A Very Good Year" / "I've Got You Under My Skin" / "The Lady Is A Tramp" / "Come Fly With Me" / "My Kind Of Town, My Way"
6. "Once In A Lifetime" (arr. Matt Catingub)
7. "I Got A Lot Of Livin' To Do" (arr. Matt Catingub)
8. "That Old Black Magic" (arr. Matt Catingub)
9. "My Funny Valentine"
10. "Bewitched, Bothered & Bewildered"
11. "Mr. Bojangles" (arr. David Loeb)

To pre-order the CD, click here.

He was nominated for a Tony Award for Jesus Christ Superstar in 1972 and won a Tony for his appearance in Pippin in 1973. Vereen appeared in the Broadway musical Wicked as the Wizard of Oz in 2005. Vereen has also performed in one-man shows and actively lectures on black history and inspirational topics.

He has also starred in numerous television programs and films. Notable film roles include song-and-dance men in Funny Lady and All That Jazz. He appeared on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air episode, "Papa's Got a Brand New Excuse", in which he played Will Smith's biological father. He made several appearances on the 80's sitcom Webster as the title characters biological uncle. He starred in the television series Tenspeed and Brown Shoe, but is probably best known for his role as "Chicken George" Moore in Roots. In 2010, he appeared on the television series How I Met Your Mother episodes "Cleaning House" and "False Positive."