Review: D. Scott Eads Returns to Sterling's With a Brand New Show

D. Scott Eads, who made a big splash last fall at Sterling's Upstairs at the Federal in Legacy in the Key of Bing. returned to Sterlings Sunday February 17 with a brand new show entitled Love and Other Games. This show continued the musical journey with iconic singers/songwriters who established themselves in night clubs and 60s TV...and some on Broadway and film like Burt Bacharach. What a wonderful selection of music! Oldsters like myself really appreciate heaing great songs from the canon of American standards. Eads was backed throughout with a fabulous three piece combo: Todd Hunter, musical director, at the piano, Gary Wicks on bass and Kevin van den Elzen on drums. He was joined by special guest star Claude Hall, who simply sizzled onstage.

Affable Eads made his first entrance through the audience nodding to and greeting members of his audience to the strains of a medley of lesser performed songs: "Shadow Waltz", "Just a Gigolo" and "I Ain't Got Nobody" and once onstage sang out strong with "This Could Be the Start of Something Big". Classy Claude Hall joined him for a scintillating "Fever", "Bei Mir Bistu Shein" and "Steppin' Out With My Baby". This lady is so sophisticated and lovely whether she talks or sings and complemented Eads so well. She really got into "Fever" and moved sensuously, making us wish we were onstage with her.

Eads bravely chose "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered", usually performed by female singers, and put his own stylistic touch on it, as well as on "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" and "Misty". Hall returned with one of my favorites "Little Girl Blue". She really made the lyrics come alive and it was difficult not to fall right in with her emotionally.

There was a Bacharach medley that brought the house down. This included "Walk On By", "Always Something There to Remind Me", "The Look of Love", "What's New Pussycat", "Wives and Lovers" and "What the World Needs Now Is Love". This medley was referred to as the nonsensical aspect of love by Eads. What followed was another more serious medley. with Hall in duet with him. She began "sometimes you have to fall apart in order to get back together". The songs included "Friends", "How About You", "I'd Do Anything" and "Teamwork". Eads concluded his hour show with the always loving "The Way We Were".

I am always thrilled to be a part of a singer's period of growth. D. Scott Eads is really putting forth effort ... and is doing a super splendid job in bringing back all of this great music of the past. With all the rap and hip hop surrounding us, we do not get enough opportunity to listen to these wonderful standards. He is also to be commended for doing two completely different shows within a four month period . Keep working at it! As for Claude Hall, she'll be performing her jazz show at The Baked Potato in Studio City on March 25th. Don't miss her!