Chanteuse & muse

Leah Callahan has a lovely, delicate voice, with a delivery that evokes both old Europe and bossa nova. She dresses the part of the chanteuse, too, in her black, fitted evening gown. But none of these refinements begin to describe the zany artiness of this former punk frontwoman when she performs.

"I have the voice where I could probably pull off doing standards, but I would be bored," she said.

Traditional performances, even those by her former costume-bedecked rock band Turkish Delight, were too structured to allow the edgy improvisations that thrill her. But she has found the anything-goes joie de vivre she craved since she began gathering a loose group of local acts together six months ago for Raw Bar, a monthly night she hosts at Jacques, a nightclub otherwise known for female impersonators.

The audience, which has been known to chime in with its own raucous comments, is the best part, Callahan says. "There's definitely not a lot of separation from the audience and the stage. I feel like it's just a party."

Among Raw Bar's regular contributors are the six-piece 1930s German cabaret-style band Sukey Tawdry, featuring keyboards, clarinet, and Kitty Heels (Leigh Calabrese) on saw with Miss Mary Mac (Mary McCarthy) singing, and the eclectic, carnival-esque duo What Time Is It Mr. Fox?, fronted by singer and keyboardist Brian King.

Callahan compares the relationship that has flourished between the performers to an improv comedy troupe. Highlights from their bold, off-the-cuff performances at Jacques have included an impromptu, costumed belly dance by Ken Glover and an instrumental Middle Eastern number played by Kristen Miller, culminating when Glover lifted an audience member above his head, striking fear into the hearts of the audience.

"I'm really not doing it to please the audience," Callahan said. "We certainly want to, but we're kind of doing it for each other."

Callahan hopes to see this kind of offbeat entertainment spread throughout the city. She has received offers to start similar nights at other clubs, including a possible Monday night residency at Johnny D's, and recently she started "Le Cabaret Des Enfants Terribles" at PA's Lounge in Somerville. The new night's name pays homage to Bertolt Brecht, and Callahan hopes to conjure his surrealist spirit and push the boundaries even further than she has.

"I want to make a venue for people and create a space for artists that more artistic than commercial," she said. "It's the sort of thing that harkens back to the old style of cabaret."

Raw Bar

March 12 at 9 p.m. Jacques Underground, 79 Broadway, Boston, 617-426-8902. $8. Callahan also performs March 8 at Johnny D's, 17 Holland St., Davis Square, Somerville. 617-776-2004. 21+. $5.