Missing Persons' Dale Bozzio: No One Boops Or Squeaks Better

Betty Boop was not only the most sweetly carnal of all cartoon characters - yes, this is the rind and refuse of a badly twisted and marginally interesting childhood - but she also had that little "boop" thing she did when she sang (in her sound features). It was really sort of endearing, and a device not lost on other singers in recent pop music.

Among those who have included the boop in their music are Cyndi Lauper, who made it more than a signature wrestling hold in her early work, Sinead O'Connor, who put a mournful turn on the boop, Moon Zappa, in her one-hit wonder, "Valley Girls," and most recently Delores O'Riordan of the Cranberries, who has added a Gaelic gag to almost every one of the band's singles, no matter how mournful they might be.

But no one since the Bet has booped, eeked or squeaked quite as salaciously as Dale Bozzio, lead singer and fashion maven of Missing Persons.

Which is a long way of getting around to saying that Dale and her band will be whipping out the hits at the Ballard Firehouse tomorrow and Sunday night. The last time Bozzio and company showed up at the Firehouse, they sold out three nights in a row. Nobody may walk in L.A., but Dale still boops in Ballard. -- The recent benefit for Isaac Scott at the Tractor Tavern was a rousing success. The music was most impressive, and the money that went to Isaac didn't hurt, either. But the guitarist is still on the mend from complications from diabetes and the bills still come in, so another benefit performance for Isaac will be held Sunday at the Bohemian Cafe. On hand to play and wail away will be the Duffy Bishop Band, the Fat James Band, Led Jaxon, Boom Talli Posse, the Isaac Scott Band and many more. Good cause, good music from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.

-- You have to love this CD if only for the title: "Out of the Norm" by Norm Bellas. Listening to it will make you love it all the more.

Bellas has been a figure on the Seattle blues and jazz scene for decades. "Out of the Norm" is a distillation of 30 years of listening and playing, influenced by artists like Shelly Mann, Miles Davis, Art Blakey, Clifford Brown, Horace Silver and Sonny Rollins. Bellas is a keyboard man, but you can hear bits and pieces of all those different instrumentalists in his compositions and arrangements. That, and the years Bellas has worked in R&B and funk bands. There's bop here, but also blues and a bravado backbeat. When asked, Bellas simply says he either plays funky jazz or jazzy funk.

He'll be doing both at the New Orleans tonight and tomorrow.

-- There's more CD releasing from buddah loves jesus tomorrow at the Crocodile. b.l.j. is opening for the Walkabouts (they're enormously popular in Europe) and Terry Lee Hale, but they've got the new CD "tolerate," so you're advised to show up. Anything less won't be tolerated.

Also at le Croc-er, Clatter Bean, a deceptively dangerous quartet out of the wilds of Issaquah, Wednesday will debut its new CD, "Salt." Don't be fooled by appearances; this is a mean rocking band.

-- Happy anniversary to the Fenix Underground, which will celebrate its third year with the ever-popular Jumbalassy Wednesday night.

Thursday will begin the three-day, first-year birthday celebration extravaganza at Moe. Unfortunately, the first night is a private bash, so most will have to wait for next weekend to play. But we've heard the lineup is so amazing even the owners don't know who it is. Stay tuned.

-- The Backstage has Apollo Creed and Full Circle tonight and tomorrow, and "Divas on Parade 3" - a benefit cabaret for the Jane Doe Theatre - takes the Backstage Monday at 7:30 p.m. The show will feature some 25 performers.