Too Much Coffee Man
Bob Dorough may be the oldest living beatnik or the youngest of Santa's elves, a singer-songwriter-pianist who combines an iconoclast's irreverence with a child's impishness. His astonishing septuagenarian comeback continues with this album, which is by turns elegant and funny, often in the same song. Like his peersMose Allison,Bobby Troup, andDave Frishberg(and such heirs asTom WaitsandRandy Newman), Dorough is a limited singer, a skillful pianist, and a brilliant lyricist. He wrote nine of the 12 songs here and pokes fun at caffeine addicts, the 20th century, and our attempts to understand love. An effervescent joy comes through in these satires and in the breezy valentines to his wife. The catchy swing and bop tunes are given some weight by an all-star band that featuresPhil Woods,Ray Drummond, andBilly Hart.--Geoffrey Himes