I got my Valentine - tickets to Linda Eder this Saturday, Feb. 16 at Yoshi's.
While I do not have romantic love in my life at this time, I do have the love of good friends and my love for a great artist like Eder!
This is perhaps the best last minute gift one can buy their sweetie. No big lines to get chocolates, cupcakes or flowers. You can order tickets at www.yoshis.com and be set!
You can also enjoy a wonderful dinner at Yoshi's - often on the list of top restaurants of San Francisco.
If you're one of the many GLBT writers who follow the arts, you must know Eder. If not, let me school you.
Her career started on a competition show long before "American Idol." (Well, not that long - she's not a senior citizen.) Her early career often had her compared to Barbra Streisand - and for good reason as her strong powerful voice reaches into your soul and gives you goosebumps.
But Eder has really come into her own. She's got a Broadway belting voice - I got tingles when I saw her in "Jekyll & Hyde." She also does jazz, big band, cabaret, dance and country. The sweet natured Eder (I've met twice!) is a pleasure to see live and she tells a good stories as she mixes in her various musical genres into each shows.
Her voice set to the music and lyrics of Frank Wildhorn and Jack Murphy creates a perfect partnership in the vein of Liza Minnelli with Kander & Ebb and Dionne Warwick with Bacharach & David.
Thank goodness for downloads as you can make your own best of Eder after you see the concert (or you can download a song for your honey to give them a preview of Saturday's show to give with your Valentine's gift).
Since I am still in the Master Class of Linda Eder, here's what I'd look for.
First there's "Vienna." This is perhaps her signature song. A haunting lovely ballad - but wait it also has a killer dance remix.
Then you can check out her tenure with "Jekyll & Hyde." Since she was married to composer Frank Wildhorn, she stuck through "Jekyll" and its almost 10 years on its way to Broadway. And, in these years there were THREE cast albums - with many different interpretations of signature songs like "Someone Like Me" but then some great numbers that didn't make it to Broadway: "Bring on the Men" (which has been restored for its upcoming revival), "Love Has Come of Age" (from the first CD with "Les Miserables" Colm Wilkinson) and "In His Eyes" (a powerful woman/woman duet that I actually think she should sing with Barbra Streisand).
Then there's the best of Wildhorn songs; "Till You Come Back to Me," "Is This Anyway To Fall in Love," "Gold," "Last Tango," "Never Dance," "I Want More" (very Barbra) and "Big TIme."
There's also what I consider the amnesia collection (lol): "I'll Forget You," "I Don't Remember" and "You Never Remind Me."
If you want to hear Eder without Wildhorn's music: "I Am What I Am" (remix better), "Unusual Way," "Man of la Mancha" and "I Will Wait for You."
If you want to enter the Eder Uber Fan Club (I just made it up), you'd seek her tracks on various concept albums and concert recordings including "Tears in Heaven" and "Hallelujah Baby."
If you haven't discovered Eder yet, now is the time.
Make it a Valentine's present of a gift to yourself.
She performs at Yoshi's this Satuday at 8pm and 10pm. Prices are $36 or $46 depending on what time you go. Get tickets and more info at www.yoshis.com.
More information is also at www.lindaeder.com.
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