Tony Rich Slips Into a Goofy Groove

“My name is the Tony Rich Project,” alternative soul artist Tony Rich quipped Monday at the Roxy, introducing himself as the collective name under which he records.

By poking fun at himself, the Detroit native reflected the singular creativity of his albums, the new “Birdseye” and 1996’s Grammy-winning “Words,” which he wrote, produced, arranged and largely performed. The comment was also one of many that revealed Rich as a bona fide eccentric like Prince, one of his primary influences. Maybe a little too eccentric for his own good.

Backed by a six-piece band, Rich sang both sitting at his keyboards and standing at the microphone, bounding between positions with frenetic energy and chattering almost nonstop. The 75-minute set focused on “Birdseye” material, with the players blending funk, soul, jazz, blues and hip-hop elements into a loose jam that strongly recalled mid-’80s Prince, as well as the Time.

The band executed Rich’s stop-and-start changes with precision, but individual players were undistinguished. Rich’s songwriting has been highly praised, yet while the wistful “Bed of My Heart” and the Stevie Wonder-esque “Birdseye” struck some emotional chords, most of the new tunes left less of an impression than “Nobody Knows,” the hit ballad from his debut. His thin but smooth vocals weren’t such a liability, but he might consider keeping listeners’ attention directed at his far more impressive keyboard playing.

The performance was most disappointing in that it could have been better if only Rich had knocked off the incessant antics. Some of his goofing was endearing, such as when he announced, “Ladies and gentlemen, Liberace!” and briefly flourished on the keyboard. But the routines were far less sophisticated than his music, as he repeatedly beseeched the “ladies” to go up front or dance with him on stage, and playfully boasted about his studliness. When he finally got down to business near set’s end, the resulting sustained groove was much more satisfying than all that cliched foreplay.