Is there nothing Christine Ebersole can’t do? This fine actress, a Tony Award-winning musical star, is also a fine jazz singer. With jazz violinist Aaron Weinstein and his trio—Tom Hubbard on bass and Tedd Firth on piano—she performed an easygoing, blissfully sung program of classsics and novelties.

Mr. Weinstein opened with one of the deadpan comedy shticks he has become well known for. The “punchline” of this bit was a rollicking “Somebody Loves Me” (George Gershwin/Ballard MacDonald Gershwins). Ms. Ebersole entered to sing a thoughtful version of Louis Armstrong’s hit “Life Is So Peculiar” (Johnny Burke/Jimmy Van Heusen).

From then on, Ebersole and Weinstein bantered continually, sometimes straining for humor. She called herself the “chick singer” and he joked about their supposed similarities, such as their attending the same Chicago area high school, their love of apple pancakes and, of course, their love of music. This somehow illogically led to "If You Never Fall in Love with Me,” (Sam Jones), a rueful musing on life without love. In the same mood was “Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye” (Porter), where there was not a note or expression overdone. Changing things completely was the slightly crude insult number, “Can’t Take You Nowhere,” (Dave Frishberg).

Three songs with Johnny Mercer lyrics—a poetic “Moon Dream” (Chummy MacGregor), a lilting “This Time the Dream’s on Me” (Harold Arlen) and the big band hit “Tangerine”  (Victor Schertzinger)—brought some poetic gravity back into the program, the last sung against a charming mandolin accompaniment by Mr. Weinstein.

In honor of the upcoming holiday season, Ms. Ebersole sang Tom Lehrer’s hilarious novelty song, “(I’m Spending) Hanukkah in Santa Monica,” leading her to muse about playing Golde in Fiddler on the Roof!

The show closed with two classics by the Gershwins, a solid, upbeat “Shall We Dance” and a simply lovely “Love Is Here to Stay,” in which Weinstein’s quiet pizzicato background added just the right piquancy.

Perhaps Ms. Ebersole could have deepened her interpretations and perhaps Mr. Weinstein should ease up on the nerdy bad-boy shtick, but Strings Attached was terrifically entertaining.

Joel Benjamin
Cabaret Scenes
November 27, 2011
www.cabaretscenes.org