Someone ran quite a Sting Operation over at Manhattan’s beehive of activity, the Metropolitan Room. Rock star Sting’s songbook got jazzified. Rosemary Loar’s an adventurous singer/songwriter resisting easy classification and predictable musical paths, not unlike her subject. His songs can be elusive: abstract, brooding, meandering or mysterious; bending them into jazz hardly increases accessibility. What did work for accessibility was a cabaret-meets-rock moment mixing Noël Coward’s “Mad About the Boy” with Sting’s “Mad About You.” She’s mad for his music, mind and masculine charms. On this she dwells and drools. Please just adjust the lust. Bio bits and insights were scarce, patter dominated by hormone-charged fan fantasies. Thus, when she mentioned a recording studio encounter, it wasn’t clear if it was true.

Singing demonstrates polish, a flexible voice, supreme confidence and abilities to navigate all kinds of musical waters. Her being so into the music—demonstrated by body and facial movement so constant and kinetic—was distracting rather than infectious for this viewer.

With pianist Frank Ponzio’s skillful trio, some songs survived re-casting well, a few wore thin with the genre stretch when lyrics came up for repetition or not-so-meaty melody lines were explored. Some, like “Every Breath You Take,” benefited from the infusion of variety in tempo and phrasing. Thoughtfulness abounded. I found enough to be intrigued by, be swept along with, and consider in a new light as the magnifying glass examined the songbook. Loar has a lure and the Sting thing should create some buzz.

Rob Lester
Cabaret Scenes
February 8, 2010
www.cabaretscenes.org