By Sandi Durell . . .
She can’t reach out and touch you literally but Marvelous Marilyn Maye, coming straight from 54 Below to your living room beginning May 8 (and live for VIP meet/greet on opening night) thru May 29 on demand, touches every emotion imaginable.
Broadway tunes – her way – the Maye Way are the specialty of this extraordinary 93 year young jazz chanteuse who hasn’t lost an iota of her powerful, infectious inflections as she weaves her magic. A bundle of non-stop energy, her vocal prowess speaks for itself. She’s just a . . . WOW!
Aided by the incomparable Tedd Firth, musical director on piano and Tom Hubbard on bass with Mark McLean on percussion, Ms. M is back home as she would have been on April 10 celebrating her birthday at 54 Below for 5 nights.
Swinging from the get-go with “The Song Is You” (Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein II) and favorite “I Love Being Here With You” (Peggy Lee, Bill Schluger), she presents a non-stop evening of the great songs we crave from this artist.
From a loverly medley via Lerner & Loewe’s “My Fair Lady, and a special tribute to her love Jerry Herman (Hello, Dolly!, Mame), the storybook in song unfolds. She grabs you and doesn’t let go, playing with every emotion and sensitivity.
Here and there, she’ll pop in one of her parodies and chat generously about personal and professional life stories. She has much to tell and I do wish she’d write a book!
Favorites like Billy Goldenberg and the Bergman’s “Fifty Percent” touch the heartstrings while Walter Marks’ “Golden Rainbow” is always pulse-throbbing.
The 11th hour fills with the appropriate “I’m Still Here” (Stephen Sondheim).
It can’t be easy singing to an empty room at 54 Below where a 5-camera video shoot took place. After all, she’s accustomed to overflowing audiences, standing ovations and hoots and shouts. But Marilyn Maye did it with panache offering all the love she has to the audience who will reap the benefit from seeing this always remarkable performer.
In 70 minutes, you’ll forget your troubles and be whisked away to a place of joy with the Marveous One!
Tickets: www.54Below/premieres
