Marieann Meringolo
Between Yesterday and Tomorrow:
The Songs of Alan & Marilyn Bergman
(BlueJazz)
June 20, 2018
Reviewed by John Hoglund for Cabaret Scenes
Once upon a time, when quality singing wasn’t as rare as it is now, girl singers like Marieann Meringolo turned up on television variety shows with regularity. Catching such singers in clubs or on recordings in today’s world has become harder than finding a perfect diamond. But, once you find such a gem, it’s worth its weight in gold.
On her latest CD, Between Yesterday and Tomorrow: The Songs of Alan & Marilyn Bergman, Meringolo gives hope to all who appreciate good music. Having kicked around the Manhattan cabaret circuit for much of the last 20 years, she has built a solid reputation as a vocalist to be reckoned with in a league with the best of them. Well, her time has come. The new album was recorded live at Iridium last year. She offers strong readings of very familiar Bergman lyrics with a few rarities thrown in.
In his liner notes, respected music historian/author Will Friedwald notes: “In the world of the Bergmans, love is no small thing, no minor emotion; rather it’s a ginormous, all-powered global force that binds people together for at least a lifetime—sometimes even before birth.” Then he cites the beauty “I Was Born in Love with You” as an example which is a highlight here. That romanticized analogy might sum up what this album is all about. Later, he wisely notes “… the songs of the Bergmans are rarely about first love or first meeting; they’re almost always about mature love that’s supposed to last forever.” Some prime examples of this are found just listening to the lyrics of “The Windmills of Your Mind” in medley with “Between Yesterday and Tomorrow,” thrilling collaborations with composer Michel Legrand. Meringolo imbues complex lyrics stunningly with a refreshing optimism that screams of hope and that forever thing called love—even when it’s fading— in an intelligent arrangement that connects the two songs with a haunting fervor.
Forever love has always been a recurring theme with the Bergmans. For decades, they have written memorable lyrics, teaming with the formidable likes of Marvin Hamlisch (“The Way We Were”), Lew Spence (“Nice ‘n’ Easy”), Billy Goldenberg (“Fifty Percent”), Johnny Mandel (“Where Do You Start?”), and their most frequent muse Legrand (who is well represented here). While there has been more than one homage to the Bergmans over the years, few are as well executed as those sung by this excellent vocalist. She has occasionally been compared to some of the best in the business, like Streisand, who put her stamp on so many signature songs represented here. However, any artist unafraid of comparisons and able to tackle the likes of “Where Is It Written?,” “A Piece of Sky,” and “The Way We Were” sung with confidence, style, and warmth, reinvents any comparison and shows that she has few peers. Meringolo is at a turning point in her career and the future looks brighter than ever. At times, her delivery is spirited and fused with a trenchant eagerness that caresses the meaning of the lyrics majestically. It’s all here on this dynamic CD that captures the exceptional performance with ease. Hopefully, she will return with the show, allowing others a chance to catch such a fine outing by a lady who holds her ground among the greats of today.
The recorded set, deftly directed by Will Nunziata, is superbly backed by her lush trio with Doyle Newmyer (pianist-arranger), Boots Maleson (bass), and Sipho Kunene on drums.
