Live Review: Randy Edelman @ SohoJohnny Presents the Let Me Help, Inc. 9/11 Fashion and Music Celebrity Benefit Gala Concert @ Rumi Event Space NYC 9/11/21

Randy Edelman crushed it!

Amidst an eclectic crowd of club kids, celebrities, thrash metal rockers, and influencers all gathered round the keys to listen in awe as composer, conductor, grand master pianist Randy Edelman pulverized the symphonic textures with the weight of his dedication.

“One of the highlights of the evening was Randy Edelman. The way he commanded the crowd and took us down memory lane was phenomenal. The person next to me grabbed my hand and I looked over to see her crying. It was truly a magical moment.”…..Ike Avelli (comedian)

“Randy Edelman is a force of nature and was definitely the highlight of the evening amongst all the other great talent on the stage”….Roy Giorgio (Cream Magazine)

Randy Edelman!  Truly one of the great American composers whose work unfortunately is all-too-often lost amidst the names of other screen composer greats like Jerry Goldsmith, Lalo Schifrin, and (I’m sure!) that other Randy (Newman), whom, even to a big motion picture and television soundtrack aficionado like me, was often mistaken for the latter in my earlier years!  After his performance at the recent 9/11 Memorial function at the Rumi Event Space in Manhattan, though, I can honestly say that there will no longer be any mistaking him for any other composer, as he has truly proven with his body of work to be an outstanding name in the music industry.  From composing my very favorite Barry Manilow song (Weekend in New England) to TV series theme song favorites of mine (like “McGyver” and “The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.”) and even marrying one of my favorite pop culture icons, Jackie DeShannon, there will be NO further losing him in the long list of film and T.V. score composers, at least, for this fan!  A master of combining classical music constructions with the pop idiom, Randy has carved a distinctive place for himself in the long list of modern composer icons.  Here’s to many more fruitful years of musical brilliance, Randy! -  Disco Mike Park

“There’s a lot of talent there”….Mario Van Peebles (Actor, Director, “New Jack City”)

“Randy Edelman on the piano was absolutely everything! Music for us from blockbuster movies brought us back to memories of a different time. This song writing is filled with such passion and positioning myself right next to the piano was pure magic. Hands of a genius”…..Wendy Stuart Kaplan (actress, TV host)

Entranced by his power and his spirit I didn’t know it at the time but I stepped through a door into the past where ghosts lingered in the shadows. The ghosts were of an encounter where history tried and failed and succeeded, “ Gettysburg“, “A Weekend In New England”, “My Cousin Vinnie”…he played them all and then some. He gave us stardust and touched all those around him….and touch has a memory.

He then showcased his recently released hit single “Comin’ Out the Other Side”, a post pandemic anthem filled with texture, color, and relevance. This was followed by a touching dedication to his wife Jackie DeShannon and her brother Randy Myers (who passed recently) both co-writers of a song America and the planet needs now more than ever…”Put a Little Love in Your Heart”…..while the congregation sang along.

Randy shared the venue, the stage and the evening with talent including Kim Sledge (Sister Sledge), Felipe Rose (The Village People), Leon (Leon and The Peoples), Joey Belladonna (Anthrax), Jon Butcher, No Mansfield (Revolushn), April Rose Gabrielli, Kulick, Michelle Shocked, ARO, DRMAGDN, Mario Van Peebles, KreeshaTurner, Rocky Kramer, Billy Hess, Tym Moss, Mickey Burns, and many others.

Magic is not a big enough word to describe the effect Randy has on the audience. They stood there hypnotized, in a trance…It was the surprise, the intrigue, the wizardry of the evening……

Photo Credit: Billy Hess