A Wry, Witty Allison Plays In Top Form : Music: Quirky pianist delivers impressive sets of blues standards and original numbers at Elario’s.

Mose Allison’s genius goes well beyond the witty songs he writes and delivers in a hip, Bayou patois. As he proved once again on Wednesday when he opened two weeks at Elario’s, Allison is a splendid interpreter of material ranging from obscure pop songs to blues standards. He is also a pianist with an odd but engaging approach.

Allison’s opening-night performance offered something for everyone. A good portion of the nearly 40 songs he delivered over two sets came from the impressive body of original material he has written over his more than four-decade career, which has produced 22 albums.

He added just the right number of carefully chosen tunes by others, ranging from Duke Ellington’s “Ain’t Got Nothing But the Blues” to Muddy Waters’ “Rollin’ Stone” and several songs by fellow Southerners, including “You Are My Sunshine,” co-written by former Louisiana Gov. Jimmy Davis, and “Hey, Good Lookin’,” by Hank Williams.

Backed by locals Gary LeFebvre on saxes, Gunnar Biggs on bass and Bob Weller on drums, Allison began the evening with a pair of instrumental numbers before taking his first vocal on Ellington’s blues.

While the band adjusted to Allison’s quirky, herky-jerky pacing, the man himself was on from the word go. He tossed off lyrics with his signature Southern warmth, and his right hand turned out melodic lines that teetered on the brink of illogic but always made sense.

No one plays piano like Allison. While the odd twists and turns are reminiscent of Thelonious Monk, an influence he acknowledges, the total package is unique. Sometimes, Allison moves from the light, right-hand meanderings he is best known for to all-out, two-handed chordal assaults that call to mind McCoy Tyner, and even gritty, atonal ramblings in an abstract mode reminiscent of the best New York loft jazz.

Allison’s singing is solid as ever. Range has never been an issue. That’s not what he’s about. Attitude, nuance and delivery are his thing, and with his slightly nasal, gravelly voice still in fine form, he is as capable as ever of wringing the maximum impact out of the wry social commentaries he writes.

When Allison sings lyrics like “If silence was golden, you couldn’t raise a dime, because your mind is on vacation, but your mouth is working overtime,” you can’t help but grin.

Wednesday’s sets included several songs from Allison’s newest album “My Backyard,” released last year. Among them were his own “Ever Since I Stole the Blues,” John D. Loudermilk’s “You Call It Joggin’ ” and the blues standard “That’s Your Red Wagon.”

When it comes to musical invention and commitment, Allison, 63, shows no signs of running dry. Toward the end of the second set, the crowd had dwindled, but, as sweat began to lubricate the musicians, Allison delivered some of his strongest singing and playing, stretching a few tunes with loose piano improvisations.

LeFebvre, who has worked with Allison before, was strong on both alto and tenor saxes. His alto work was light and clean, and he delivered rapid lines with Charlie Parker-like dexterity. On tenor, his playing ranged from the fluid, melodic warmth of Coleman Hawkins to the more visceral, minor modes of vintage John Coltrane.

Biggs and Weller provided solid anchors for the music. Weller, who seldom works Elario’s, is a loose, swinging timekeeper whose crisp rolls and light brushwork gave the music just the right push.

Allison plays nightly through Sunday this week, and Wednesday through Sunday next week. Shows are at 8:30 and 10:30 Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday nights, and at 9, 10:30 and midnight Friday and Saturday nights.