I've said it before and I'll say it again; covering the music of Tom Waits is like wrestling an alligator. If you do it right, you've got a new pair of shoes. Do it wrong and you're dinner. Manhattan Cabaret chanteuse Marissa Mulder (like Holly Cole before her) has entered the arena that so many have attempted, and apparently Mulder has gotten the thumbs up from Waits fans and the glitterati. This is a gentle, jazzier interpretation, not a tribute or cover affair. Mulder's read should prove interesting to those used to Wait's music served up with his cement truck bark, and it'll be a nice intro into the man's madness and genius for the newbies.

Marissa Mulder performs "Tom... in his words" on Sunday, February 15, at Lovin,' Cup, 300 Park Point Drive. 7 p.m. $15-$20. lovincup.com; marissamulder.com.