Julie Budd possesses an amazing voice, oft compared to Streisand's. Technically superb, she can hold a note for a big finish like nobody's business. She's also sweet, good natured and funny. But it all didn't gel for me in her debut appearance at the Rrazz Room. Budd chose standards from the great American Songbook including Jerome Kern, Gershwin, Sondheim, Cole Porter and Andrew Lloyd Weber. Saddled with horrible arrangements, most songs were drained of what life they had left.

Her version of "Where or When" was lovely with a great finish, but the pattern became repetitive, including an encore last bar of "Impossible Dream." I kept waiting for songs to spark to no avail. I didn't feel a connection to her material and the evening had a remotely unattached feel.

She did score on "Little Boy of Mine," a number written by her musical director Herb Bernstein. It was all there—a good lyric, a nice melody and an emotional attachment to the song. It was her chance to develop material rather than sing old scripts. Andrew Llyod Weber's "With One Look" was a beautiful closer and displayed Budd at the evening's best.

With Budd's voice, the music could've soared and it's a shame I didn't feel it. A marvelous vocal instrument doesn't always make a show. A performer has to add some life to the standards to keep them current and fresh. I'd love to see Budd rethink this show and knock it out of the park.

Steve Murray
Cabaret Scenes
April 23, 2009
www.cabaretscenes.org