If you’re going to do a tribute CD to Oscar Brown, Jr., who better than a Jewish woman from the Bronx? Brown’s material covers a range not generally typical of the cabaret songbook; afro-centrist songs of urban poverty ("Dime Away from a Hotdog"), societal woes (Hymn to the Homeless), and even slavery ("Bid ‘Em In")—ambitious material presented with the charm and earnestness Kosut brings to her performances.

Clearly a fan of Brown’s legend, Kosut hits the mark on his more humorous material, particularly "Dat Dere," "Mister Kicks" and "Hazel’s Hips" from the 1961 musical. Brown’s most well known song "The Snake" is of course included on the CD.

Linda can swing and vamp on certain songs, then switch to a poignancy required of Brown’s more accessible material like a haunting "Column of Birds" and a lovely "Tower of Time." Brown often wrote lyrics that were grafted onto other composers’ music and Linda covered these as well in "Old Lovers‘ Song" with music by Jacques Brel, and a sweet "‘Round Midnight," with music by Thelonius Monk and Cootie Williams.

Producer Maye Cavallaro, herself a jazz singer, brings the vocals up front and center. The backup band consisting of bassist Tom Shader, percussionist Paul van Wageningen and pianist Max Perkoff do justice to the music, with some fine arrangements being written by the great Mike Greensill.

Kosut has achieved her goal of breathing new life into Brown’s material. It’s a big part of what cabaret performers strive to do, and if the material is as worthy of remembrance as Brown’s is, the task becomes that much easier.

Steve Murray
Cabaret Scenes
October 2007
www.cabaretscenes.org