Birdland Birthday Bash Packed

Pictured above are Valarie Pettiford, Lucie Arnaz, Phoebe Snow, and Michele Lee in the dressing room after "Lucie's Birthday Bash at Birdland," on July 17, 2006.

Lucie Arnaz celebrated her, as she put it, murmur-th birthday, at a packed-to-the-gills Birdland on July 17. "See what a little blackmail and emails can do?" she gleefully announced before launching into a lengthy set which showed off her rangy voice in standards, country and her own Broadway hit "They’re Playing Our Song." She paid constant tribute to her dad, Desi Arnaz, whose music inspired her from childhood and, indeed, was at her best in a couple of fiery Latin songs, accompanied by her son Simon on congas. A lineup of pals joined her onstage, including Julie Budd, Phoebe Snow who brought down the house with "Time After Time," and a wild Michele Lee, who kept salaciously appraising Lucie’s bod to the point where she had to explain herself: "Well, after that [lesbian] part I played in 'Tale of the Allergist’s Wife'…"

Arnaz somewhat mysteriously didn't mention her mother, Lucille Ball until the final moments, when she laughingly said, "It was hard picking from the many songs she made famous," and then sang an affecting, slowed-down version of the rousing "Hey, Look Me Over," from Lucille Ball's Broadway musical, "Wildcat," which was Cy Coleman’s first big hit.