Dave Frishberg

Biography

Arguably the top living lyricist, Dave Frishberg has written more than his share of witty (yet insightful) classicsm, including "I'm Hip," "Peel Me a Grape," "Dear Bix," "The Underdog," "Saratoga Hunch," "Slappin' the Cakes on Me," "Z's," "My Attorney Bernie," "Blizzard of Lies," "Another Song About Paris," "You Are There," "El Cajon," "Can't Take You Nowhere," and "Let's Eat Home." A fine swing pianist and a world-weary sounding vocalist, the multi-talented Frishberg moved to New York in 1957. He worked early on as a pianist with Carmen McRae, Kai Winding, Gene Krupa (1960-1963), Wild Bill Davison, Bud Freeman, Ben Webster, the Al Cohn-Zoot Sims Quintet, and Bobby Hackett, among others, and cut an album with Jimmy Rushing. He recorded a commercial record for CTI (1968) that generated a surprise hit in "Van Lingle Mungo." However, it was not until Frishberg moved to the West Coast in 1971 and started recording for the Concord label as a vocalist/pianist that he began to make a big impression. Frishberg has since cut albums for Omnisound, Fantasy,Bloomdido, and a purely instrumental duet set with Dixieland trumpeter Jim Goodwin (1992) for Arbors. Many of his originals have been recorded by other vocalists, including Mel Tormé and Rosemary Clooney. On top of his highly successful jazz career, he has also written "Just a Bill" and other favorites from ABC's popular Schoolhouse Rock cartoon series. Into the '90s, Frishberg branched out into musical theater and continued recording for Arbors. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide