Marilyn Maye
Feinstein’s at the Nikko, San Francisco, CA, January 29, 2016
Reviewed by Steve Murray for Cabaret Scenes
When they write the history of modern cabaret, Marilyn Maye will be a prominent figure. Into her seventh decade of performing, Maye shows no signs of lack of interest or joy in doing what she does best. A master of the medley, she opened with “Today I Love Everybody” (Harold Arlen/Dorothy Fields)/ “Let There Be Love” (Lionel Rand/Ian Grant) and, from then on, it turned into a true mutual lovefest – Maye’s love for her craft and the music, her fans returning the adoration. An upbeat version of ‘ “Don’t Nobody Bring Me No Bad News” from The Wiz is exactly the mood of this show—ebullient and optimistic.
Maye can sing anything, from “Blues in the Night” (Arlen/Johnny Mercer), to Frank Loesser’s “If I Were a Bell” and “Luck Be a Lady” (delivered as a jazz waltz).
Remarking on her longevity, she quips, “I’ve been doing this for 70 years, and I’m gonna do it till I get it right.
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” Her self-mocking is absurd because Maye has everything down right. Musical Director Billy Stritch assists Maye on a delicious cover of the Ray Charles-recorded “Just for a Thrill” (Lil Hardin Armstrong/Don Raye) and the interaction between the two masters is sublime.
Maye got stronger as the set progressed, knocking a medley of “I’m Through with Love” and “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again” right out of the park.
She can sing the sweetly philosophical James Taylor hit “Secret o’ Life” and make it a major statement on both her life and career.
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She advises us all that “The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time.” Paired smartly with “Here’s to Life” (Artie Butler/Phyllis Molinary), the mashup is a prescription that only longevity and wisdom afford. At 87, Marilyn Maye is as young and vital as her internal spirit and being in her presence allows that timelessness to wash over us.
