The Bird and the Bee hold serve at the Masonic Lodge with volley of tunes from ‘Recreational Love’

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“You have no idea what I do during the day,” singer Inara George told a rather giddy crowd Tuesday night at the Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

If you didn’t know any better — or if you’d seen the promo photos for the Bird and the Bee’s forthcoming album “Recreational Love” — you’d think it has something to do with tennis, or other leisure sports. George tossed out tennis balls to crowd Tuesday (they were “coupons” for merch table goodies) as part of an athletic, endearing 75 minutes of lithe, jazzy, lounge-y synth-pop.

||| Photos by Michelle Shiers

As one might say holding a cocktail with a pinkie extended: delightful.

George and her creative partner, songwriter-producer-keyboardist Greg Kurstin, were joined by all-star cast of L.A. players, who along with an audience dotted with other local music luminaries gave the whole night a friends-and-family, private-party feel. All guests should feel so lucky.

Alternately sipping wine, flitting across the stage and shimmying with her female foils Alex Lilly, Samantha Sidley and Wendy Wang — all of whom wore thin, colorful translucent tunics (creations of designer Valerj Pobega) — George proved alluring in a winking manner and smart in a “Funny Girl” way. Her feathery voice has bulked up over the years, but the attraction is still how she weaves herself into the beat-driven music.

The Bird and the Bee showcased “Recreational Love” with the new album’s strong first three songs, “Young and Dumb,” the title track and the new single “Will You Dance?” “Witch” and “Love Letter to Japan” highlighted selections from 2009’s “Ray Guns Are Not Just the Future,” and they got a big rise out of everybody with “F*cking Boyfriend” from their 2007 debut. And, later, respectful silence for that album’s “I’m a Broken Heart,” performed during the encore with just Kurstin on piano and George singing.

Of course, the duo’s Hall & Oates’ covers also go down easy too — “I Can’t Go for That” and “Sara Smile,” from the duo’s 2010 tribute album, injected some of the familiar into the set after their new songs.

Lilly, who performs with George as part of the vocal quartet the Living Sisters and previously released music under the names Obi Best and Touché, opened the night with set of her own rhythmically agile pop. She too assembled quite an ensemble — hooray, saxophones — to perform music that ranged from funky to lilting to explosive.

||| Live: The Bird and the Bee celebrate their July 17 album release with a show July 12 at the Theatre at Ace Hotel.