Betty’s Wacky ‘Pop With Personality’

Group: Betty.

Personnel: Amy Ziff, cello and vocals; Bitzi Ziff, keyboards and vocals; Alyson Palmer, bass and vocals.

History: Non-identical twins Bitzi and Amy have actually worked with the statuesque (6-foot-1) Palmer in various ensembles for nearly a decade, starting in a new-wave format before moving to rock and, in 1987, the current humor-edged folk-pop style of Betty. The group was named, according to one of the trio’s sometimes-variable explanations, as a tribute to the great Bettys of American history--Crocker, Grable, Boop, etc. Since moving to Manhattan in 1988, it has performed as an opening act for Jane Siberry and appeared on the HBO children’s series “Encyclopedia.” The band’s first album “Hello, Betty!” has just been issued on its own label, the Man From B.E.T.T.Y., and a possible television music-variety show is in development.

Sound: Seeing Betty, says the New Yorker, is like “watching TV with Jerry Lewis operating the remote control.” Betty doesn’t leave much out of its “pop with personality.” Any given program will resonate with intimations of Laurie Anderson, James Brown and Barbra Streisand, seasoned with a high-speed dose of kitsch, camp, funk, blues and reggae. The tone is pretty well set with such song titles as “Go Ahead and Split, Mr. Amoeba Man” and the rapped lyrics of “Aftershock”: “Sex with a married man / Fun with an African / tea with a lesbian.”

Show: Wednesday through Saturday at Cafe Largo.