By Marilyn Lester***When chaos swirls in the outside world, it’s a definite boon to have solace in the arts—and not the least of these is the dependable, very long-running Jamie deRoy & friends, which recently lit up Birdland Jazz Club with mirth and merriment and a wealth of talent. Plus, her shows have of late benefited the Entertainment Community Fund. deRoy is herself an engaging, easy charmer with a definite natural bent for hosting. Of course, she began with signature tune #1, “There’s 
A Party Going On” (Bryon Sommers, Ralph Fredericks, with parody lyrics by Barry Kleinbort).
As per the Reader’s Digest column of yore, “Laughter Is the Best Medicine,” that adage proved especially true. Besides deRoy’s dry humor and wit, two performers induced guffaws and belly laughs good for the soul. Cory Kahaney is a blessedly Old School comedienne whose standup routine was over-the-top funny. And yes, she left us wanting more. The irrepressible Jason Graae brought his own brand of shtick to the stage, along with his trusty oboe. With quips and perfect timing he sang Jerry Herman’s “Mrs. S.L. Jacobowsky” and applied the same comedic skill to an old 1930s standard made famous by Louis 
Prima, “Just A Gigolo” (Leonello Casucci, Irving Caesar).
In the tall, dark handsome crooner department, A.J. Shively wowed with “I Hear Music” (Burton Lane, Frank Loesser) and “Love Who You Love” (Stephen Flaherty, Lynn Ahrens). New Zealander Jason Henderson (with Christopher Denny at the piano) has recently been causing a sensation at Don’t Tell Mama with his brilliantly-conceived show Getting to Noël You. With a perfect Coward-esque lean to dry wit he presented Sir Noël’s sly “I Like America.” But the topper was a gorgeous rendition of one of Coward’s least-known yet lovely tunes, “Come the Wild, Wild Weather.”
Group talent was found in Jim Vallance and Catherine Porter, with guitar accompaniment by Nathan Brown. First up was “Heaven” (Jim Vallance, Bryan Adams) 
and then an absolutely rockin’, energetic, knock-your-socks off version of “Summer of ’69” (Jim Vallance, Bryan Adams) with Porter absolutely possessing the stage. The new sensation MOIPEI—glamorous triplets Mary, Maggy and Marta from Nairobi, Kenya–have an act polished to a super-high sheen. Their “Proud Mary” (John Fogerty) derived from the best of Motown’s girl groups with a modern twist. Showing range, they presented Stephen Sondheim’s “Sunday” in operatic close harmony, yielding the stage to deRoy to close out with signature song #2, the hilarious “Jews Don’t Camp” (David Buskin).
Jamie deRoy & friends was directed by longtime collaborator, Barry Kleinbort, with musical director Ron Abel at the piano and the ever-solid Tom Hubbard playing the upright bass.
