January 13-19, 2005

musicpicks

Bob Dorough

jazz

Many artists who have toiled as long and yet remained as obscure as Bob Dorough could be forgivably bitter if their greatest notoriety came from 30-year-old Saturday morning kids' cartoons. Yet Dorough still willingly embraces his time as one of the voices and principal songwriters of Schoolhouse Rock, regularly slipping "Three Is a Magic Number" or "Conjunction Junction" into his sets. That probably shouldn't be surprising given the exuberant sense of humor that earmarks his performances. That playfulness, however, never eclipses the singer/pianist's considerable talent, which has earned him collaborations with Miles Davis (on, "Blue Christmas," by far the hippest Christmas song ever recorded) and fellow Schoolhouser Blossom Dearie. Dorough is a master of vocalise and scat, his phrases always dancing around the melody like a bebop instrumentalist. He may very well transform the art museum's Great Stair Hall into an intimate nightclub with just his unconventional voice.

Fri., Jan. 14, 5:45 and 7:15 p.m., free with regular museum admission of $7-$10, Philadelphia Museum of Art, 26th St. and The Parkway, 215-763-8100.

—Shaun Brady