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Victoria Shaw: Under the Covers

 (Birdland; 150 capacity; $25)

Shaw, who accompanies herself with boldly aggressive piano chords, sang her trademark tune "The River" with its picturesque lilt and proved to be a formidable host for the two hour-plus gathering, despite the insertion of a handful of tasteless one-liners. The audience was peppered with a legion of tunesmiths and vocalists.

Richie McDonald, former lead of country group Lonestar, has penned some reflectively homespun tunes, including "My Front Porch Lookin' In" that he rendered with fireside warmth and a youngster's longing plea, "Daddy, When You Comin' Home?"

Grammy-winning composer Marcus Hummon had to borrow a guitar because his own instrument was crushed at the airport, but he managed to sing John McLaughlin's poetic search "Amelia's Missing," with its sidebar quest for Crazy Horse and Hoffa. Hummon also sang the rousing title tune "Last of the Good Guys," featured on the debut CD by One Flew South, and "Cowboy Take Me Away," a Dixie Chicks hit.

Meryl Dandridge joined Hummon for a smoothly carpeted "In the Hollow of My Heart," while a very young Caroline Cutbirth lent a nice torchy texture to "Baby, I Wont Cry Anymore."

Lari White, moonlighting from her closing week at the Algonquin Oak Room, turned out to offer a classy departure from the country repertoire with an ardently rendered version of Shaw's "I Love the Way You Love Me." Composer Julie Gold offered her trademark tune "From a Distance."

Composer Jim Brickman added an easy grace, joining Shaw and McDonald for "The Gift," while Mark Hudson, co-writer of "Livin' on the Edge," reprised the gritty Aerosmith hit.