Edinburgh can't seem to get enough of ebullient Barbara Morrison - and the feeling appears to be mutual. Her opening number on Wednesday night - I Love Being Here With You - was a bit of a clue, and she created a party atmosphere the minute she began singing.

Star rating ****
Edinburgh can't seem to get enough of ebullient Barbara Morrison - and the feeling appears to be mutual. Her opening number on Wednesday night - I Love Being Here With You - was a bit of a clue, and she created a party atmosphere the minute she began singing. Mind you, with a trio as enthusiastic and energetic as David Patrick's accompanying her, it's little wonder she was feeling festive.

Morrison is a natural entertainer who knows how to give the audience a good time. It's not difficult to see why she has established a fiercely loyal following in Edinburgh in a matter of a few years: anyone who's attended any of her concerts knows that they'll have a laugh, usually at the expense of her "four husbands", and that they'll be treated to some top-notch singing. Morrison is an old-school singer with a larger-than-life, soulful voice who commands effortlessly the audience's attention, whether on poignant ballads or rollicking blues numbers.

There's always a hint of Dinah Washington in Morrison's voice, but it was strange that she, perhaps unwittingly, assumed two other voices - after she had talked about them. The inevitable stories about meeting Ella Fitzgerald and working with Ray Charles led to songs they had sung - which she sang in imitative style.

Two guest stars joined the party: saxophonist John Altman, who impressed on a fast-paced I Was Doin' Alright, and singer Todd Gordon, who performed a terrific mini-set and whose Louis and Velma-style duet with Morrison on They Can't Take That Away From Me was the highlight of the night.