Like any kind of music, jazz has songs that are pretty quirky. One of my favorite jazz composers is Dave Frishberg. His songs are hilarious with layered narratives and lyrics that make you feel like you’re on the inside of an inside joke.
Many of you already know one of his songs. He’s best known as the composer of I’m Just a Bill from Schoolhouse Rock.
Recently my daughter was deciding which songs she should sing for a showcase in her vocal jazz class. I immediately suggested Peel Me a Grape. (Than after a moment’s consideration, both because I’m her dad and because she’s only 12, we went with a different Frishberg gem, [My Attorney Bernie]. I’d like to wait a few years before she adds “sultry” to the ways she knows how to sing.)
Here’s my favorite version of Peel Me a Grape by Diana Krall:
Hope you enjoy your Saturday night. Whoever it is that you peel grapes for, get to peeling!