Pop & Jazz Reviews : Phoebe Legere a Bit Puzzling at Cinegrill

Is Phoebe Legere a flat-out exhibitionist with some musical skills? Or is she a sly and gifted parodist?

The verdict was uncertain when she finished her opening night show at the Cinegrill on Tuesday. One thing’s for sure: She has to be seen to be believed.

The toast of New York’s downtown cabaret scene, the singer-pianist never quite justified her advance press clippings as she moved awkwardly between clumsily conceived satire and some startlingly effective, straight-ahead singing.

By the time she’d done four numbers, Legere had traversed the territory from a French rendition of “La Vie en Rose” to Willie Nelson’s “Crazy.” So far, so good, despite her insistence upon overusing her profuse mane of blond hair and her spandex-clad figure as intrinsic elements in her performance.

Legere’s inclusion of several songs from her original musical about the first female president (a black cleaning woman chosen by a computer) was a mistake, however--one that wasn’t improved by a string of costume changes and a shrill demand that she be appreciated for her creativity.

Curiously, her best moments came during a passionate, a cappella version of an American Indian song, followed by a superbly atmospheric reading of a traditional Irish ballad.

But the unanswered questions remained. And the bottom line is that it’s difficult to understand why such a sensitive, talented and attractive performer would work so hard to cloak her abilities in an act filled with such transparently tacky emotional disguises.

Legere continues at the Cinegrill through April 18, except Sunday and Monday.