Lambus Dean says he “always wanted to be a singer.”
The 63-year-old African American performer recalls singing Sammy Cooke hits as a child — even portraying the great singer-songwriter in a drama called “A Change Gonna Come” in his native Chicago, where his professional career began in 1977.
Based in Las Vegas since 1998, Dean began portraying Sammy Davis Jr. three years later in a show entitled “Our Way with Frank and Friends.” Lately he has been playing the great entertainer again, this time in a production called “The Rat Pack,” touring at the Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston this Sunday.
Lambus recently discussed his career and his role as Sammy in a recent interview with the Banner.
Dean performed with the stage name “Deano” in the early years of his career and headlined a rhythm and blues group in Chicago.
“I was doing the circuit,” he said.
For almost two decades — from 1980 to 1998 — he ranged from pop to jazz and rhythm and blues, doing vocals prominently with the Bob Curtis and Bradley Young Orchestras. Dean clearly enjoyed returning over time to evoke legendary performers who have influenced his own work.
Lambus returned repeatedly to the life and art of Sam Cooke, even producing his own tribute to the great talent for the Chicago Public Library in1990. In 2001, Dean began portraying Sammy in “Our Way with Frank and Friends.”
“We performed for 14 months at the Tropicana Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas,” he recalled, “and throughout America.”
Now Dean has resumed his latest stint as Sammy in “The Rat Pack.”
Dean loves the opportunity to pay tribute to Sammy through his work in “The Rat Pack.” He praised Sammy as an all-around entertainer- vocalist, dancer and wit. Audiences can look forward to a rendition of his signature song “Candy Man,” which Dean described as an enormous hit.
Other likely Sammy favorites in the show are “What Kind of Fool Am I?” and “I‘ve Got to Be Me” as well as “Hey There.”
An essential part of the act is a stylish turn in Sammy’s signature dance number “Mr. Bojangles.” Dean admitted to not be a fully trained dancer — vocals have been his primary focus during his long career. But he spoke of the number as “a stylized sequence with certain set moves,” all of which he is very secure in performing. He says he has always felt comfortable with the vocal component of this elegant narrative piece.
Dean has also enjoyed the difference between “The Rat Pack” and “Our Way with Frank and Friends.” While Lambus found the latter show’s improvisational style enjoyable, he does favor the more scripted format of the former. Dean also enjoys working with Gary Anthony, who has become identified by many Sinatra buffs as arguably the most satisfying performer to evoke Old Blue Eyes in recent years. Andy Dimino returns to the role of Dean Martin.
When not playing Sammy, the indefatigable Dean works full time as a sales clerk with Nevada Beverage Company in Las Vegas. Always open to new ventures, he even recently became an original member of the Vegas Tenors along with Freddie Empire, Lou Raglanti and Latif Shadi.
