Do You Miss New York?

by Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr.With his fun, freewheeling approach to puns and sophisticated word play, Dave Frishberg never seems to take himself too seriously. There may be tender moments in his songs, as with "Little Did I Dream," but the punchline is never far behind. Do You Miss New York? is a lovely set performed before an appreciative audience at the Lincoln Center in 2002. There are stylish cuts, like "Quality Time," that turn tired clichés inside out and upside down, and more traditionally minded pieces, like "I Was Ready," are about falling in love. Frishberg shows his endless imagination on oddities like "Jaws," an unlikely theme song for the movie of the same name, and "Oklahoma Toad," a Western-styled jazz song about a toad and a bug. Frishberg accompanies himself with piano and even shows he's a sensitive player on the six-minute "Swinging the Classics." Since these songs were recorded in December, he also offers his version of a holiday song with "The Difficult Season," a song that aptly captures the melancholy mood that descends on many at that time of year. Fans of Frishberg's innovative lyrics will be happy to have a new live disc, while Do You Miss New York? will also work as a fine intro to those unfamiliar with his smart and deft lyrical constructions.