Linda Eder

Feinstein’s/54 Below, NYC,  September 12, 2018

Reviewed by Ron Forman for Cabaret Scenes

Linda Eder is a marvelous vocalist. She has as big a sound as any female singer currently performing.

At Feinstein’s/54 Below, she was backed by an excellent five-piece band that might have overshadowed most vocalists, but she transcended them. Her voice continuously soars. There was not much patter, but her dramatic singing of many of Broadway’s best songs of the past 50 years told the story.

Eder opened with a medley “The Best Is Yet to Come”/“Just in Time”/“The Man I Love,” followed by a big brassy “Before the Parade Passes By.” She switched gears for a very pretty medley of “The Music That Makes Me Dance” and “They Can’t Take That Away from Me.” Her movements and facial expressions had us cheering at the conclusion of “What Did I Have That I Don’t Have” and “As If We Never Said Goodbye.” She can swing as displayed with “Down with Love.” “Losing My Mind” was performed memorably.

A story about her 24-year-old son, Jake Wildhorn, led into her performance of a song they co-wrote, “If You See Me,” the title song of her latest album. Keeping things in the family, the audience clapped along with her dynamic “Bring on the Men,” written for her by her ex-husband, Frank Wildhorn, for Jekyll and Hyde. It was followed by “You’ll Never Walk Alone” which had a surprisingly soft finish, contrasting nicely with almost every other number that she ended with a flourish. Her performance of “Charade” was the best vocal performance of it that I have heard. She closed with Billy Joel’s poignant “Vienna.

” Her encore was a spectacular “Man of La Mancha.”