Roslyn Kind put on a dynamic, crowd pleasing appearance at the new Rrazz Room (which she re-dubbed "the Ros Room") with her trademark humor and astounding voice. Kind has a wide vocal range, singing with an unadulterated, emotive style well suited for cabaret and theatre. Ms. Kind can blow the roof off with that voice, clear as a bell, sonorous and pitch perfect. She chooses material that amply shows off her instrument and offers up a joyous love-filled philosophy of a life full of hopes and dreams.

Looking fabulous in black and diamonds, Ms. Kind opened with "You and I" and the hopeful Bricusse/Newly tune "Pure Imagination," displaying incredible control of both the material and her voice. Launching into Jerry Herman's "It's Today" from Mame reminds the listener of what Kind is all about—bold, sassy and bigger than life. Not able to avoid the inevitable comparisons to her famous sibling, Ms. Kind pokes fun at the situation that has dogged her career with a sampling of Streisand's "People" that morphs into "I Gotta Be Me." Point acknowledged, now back to the fabulous Rosyln Kind. Beautiful ballads are a forte for her voice and she delivered on "Come What May," the title track on her newly re-issued CD, the unreleased "What Love Has Done" and a tender version of Michel Legrand/Alan and Marilyn Bergman's "How Do You Keep The Music Playing."

Ms. Kind arranged a pairing of Burt Bacharach's sensuous "The Look of Love" with the Bergman's "The Island" to great success, and nailed a huge Broadway version of "Meadowlark" from her starring role in the musical revue 3 From Brooklyn." Closing the show with the love theme from Superman, "Can You Read My Mind," I wanted more—more of her youthful energy, eternal optimism and much more of that gorgeous voice.

Steve Murray
Cabaret Scenes
June 22, 2008
www.cabaretscenes.org