At the Algonquin

The Algonquin Hotel's Oak Room was long a favorite of jazz artists who warmed to its intimate setting, excellent piano, and attentive audiences, though it closed for good at the start of 2012. This live set featuring pianist/vocalist/composer Dave Frishberg and vocalist Jessica Molaskey features music from an entire performance in March 2011, not the highlights of several nights, focusing on Frishberg's pieces. The pianist has plenty of experience playing for singers, having made a series of recordings with Rebecca Kilgore and accompanying greats like Jimmy Rushing, among others. Molaskey is a seasoned Broadway performer who has frequently worked with guitarist John Pizzarelli (her husband) on live dates, as well as his and her own CDs. Together Frishberg and Molaskey make quite a team, with a playful attitude and rapport that makes it seem like they've been a team for years. With the exception of two new songs, most of the material will be familiar to Frishberg's fans. Old favorites include the hilarious "I'm Hip" (co-written with another funny pianist/vocalist/composer, Bob Dorough), the side-splitting samba "My Attorney Bernie," the whimsical "Do You Miss New York?," and a rollicking version of "Can't Take You Nowhere." Frishberg has his serious side as well, delivering a thoughtful "Long Daddy Green," while Molaskey's touching performances of the pianist's lyric to "Heart's Desire" and Frishberg's solo finale of his introspective "Listen Here" also stand out. The new material was written for a theater project about the famous writers who held court in the Algonquin bar back in the 1930s and '40s. The duo excels in the witty "Will You Die?," a piece about Dorothy Parker's numerous suicide attempts, while Molaskey's acting skills come across in her interpretation of "Excuse Me for Living." The Algonquin's Oak Room may no longer play host to live music, but it's a safe bet that this won't be the last time Dave Frishberg and Jessica Molaskey join forces to entertain appreciative audiences. (by Ken Dryden)