CABARET REVIEW : Freda Payne Shows Her Versatility

Freda Payne’s come a long way, baby, since she rode the top of the charts two decades ago with “Band of Gold” and “Bring the Boys Home.” Wednesday night at the Hollywood Roosevelt Cinegrill, the erstwhile soul stylist demonstrated her versatility with a well-paced cabaret set that balanced standards, rhythm tunes and contemporary numbers.

Payne looked slim, svelte and even more sensually attractive than she did in the early ‘70s. Her voice has grown and deepened into a warm, husky instrument capable of moving easily from the twists and turns of gospel to the brisk rhythms of jazz.

The evening opened on an upbeat with sizzling romps through Duke Ellington’s “It Don’t Mean a Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing” and Toots Thieleman’s “Bluesette.” Shifting into a more contemporary mode, Payne eased smoothly into “Another Time,” a lush ballad composed by her musical director, pianist Jim Vukovitch, then tried out some updated and personalized lyrics on the classic “My Favorite Things.”

Joined halfway through her set by Tony Orlando’s former back-up singers, Dawn, Payne sang several rocking rhythm tunes. But she was even more convincing with passionate readings of Rodgers & Hart’s “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered” and Bessie Smith’s gutsy “You Done Broke Down.”

The program peaked with an impressive set piece in which Payne used her colorful tonal range to produce striking impressions of Eartha Kitt, Lena Horne and Ella Fitzgerald.

All in all, it was a splendid performance from a former pop singer who has clearly matured into an impressive musical stylist. Payne was accompanied by pianist Vukovitch, bassist Lynn Keller, guitarist Randy Mitchell and drummer Rich Martinez. She continues at the Cinegrill through Saturday night.