BWW Reviews: Lynda Carter Rocks Catalina Jazz Club

With the release of her new CD Crazy Little Things in April, actress/singer Lynda Carter and her band opened a three day gig @ the Catalina Jazz Club in Hollywood on Thursday, March 31 to a wildly enthusiastic crowd. Carter, best known for TV's Wonder Woman in the 70s is still incredibly gorgeous and knows how to envelop an audience with just the right amount of warmth, charisma and genuine down-home fun. Backed by a six-piece band and three vocalists, the stage was overflowing with talent and that indescribable energy that can only emanate from expertly harmonious musicianship.

Highlights of the evening include lots of up-tempo, crowd-pleasing contemp pop tunes like "Rubber Band Man", "Route 66" - a gleefully glorious mix of Carter with vocalists Vicki Hampton, Tanya Hancheroff, and Cindy Richardson-Walker, the hot shaker "Rio" made so famous by Peter Allen, "C'est La Vie", great standards like "Leaving On a Jet Plane", "Honeysuckle Rose", "Heatwave", a rousing "Dancin' in the Streets", "Locomotion", "How Sweet It Is" and "Let the Good Times Roll", as well as new tunes to promo her latest album Crazy Little Things: "Jessie", composed by Carter about her college sophomore daughter as well as the title song "Crazy Little Things".

Superb accompaniment throughout the 90-minute set was displayed by Pat Coil on piano, "Blue" Lou Marini on sax, Shane Keister on keyboards, Paul Leim on drums, Danny O'Lannerty on bass and Kerry Marx on guitar.

Carter has a terrific voice for clubs, having performed most of her teen life on the road and in Vegas. She also has a splendidly rich style with a ballad, like "At Last" from her first album and "Desperado", whose lyrics painfully reminded her, she confessed, of an angst-ridden nephew currently in rehab. On this she pours forth a sincerity and tenderness that simply resonate. I would like to have heard a few more ballads of this type with the spotlight on the beautiful Carter alone, but she generously shares the spotlight with her versatile ensemble and gives the audience a rollicking, zestful, 'get up and dance' kind of evening that sparks of great entertainment.

Lynda Carter performs again tonight Friday April 1 and Saturday April 2 at 8 pm @ Catalina Jazz Club on Sunset in Hollywood. Don't miss her!