By Marilyn Lester***Like any long-awaited celebratory annual event, say Christmas, Hannukah or a birthday, so is the yearly April residency of Marilyn Maye at 54 Below awaited with high anticipation. In this edition, the Marvelous one not only bestows 10 performances for devoted friends and fans, b
ut on April 10 celebrates turning 98. Add “miraculous” to her descriptive— not only because of a great age, but because she can still dance circles around most of us.
After eight decades of performing, Maye has nothing to prove; and she uses her freedom well in cabaret playtime: ad-libbing, musing, quipping, interacting with her enthralled audience. At one point, Maye spontaneously asked for requests. A kind of happy madness ensued, and the chosen result was Cole Porter’s “I’ve Got You Under My Skin.” Her wit is delicious, and she can be humorously self-deprecating, particularly about her age. She related a recent occasion when she told someone she was 79 -beat- then confessed, “I told them I’m dyslexic.” When she announced “I’m happy to be here.” She followed with, “I’m happy to be anywhere”—and launched into “Any Place I Hang My H
at Is Home” (Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer). Her penchant and ability to play with words and music was evidenced in a fun “I’ve Grown Accustomed to This Place” to the music of Frederick Loewe. And should she have a momentary lapse of lyric—no sweat; she plays with that and then is soon back in the groove. It’s all joy.
In her first night opener, “The Song Is You” (Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein II), it only took a few bars to reveal Maye still has big and undiminished chops: tick off the boxes for vocal power, clarity, phrasing and range. Lyric interpretation? You bet. In balladic material, such as “Lazy Aternoon” (Jerome Moross, Jon Latouche), and her evocative renditions of “Joey, Joey, Joey” (Frank Loesser) and in her tribute to Ray Charles, “You Don’t Know Me” (Eddy Arnold, Cindy Walker), her ability to cut to the heart of the musical story remains nonpareil.
Although Maye has been 
called “The Queen of Cabaret,” listen closely and you’ll soon understand she’s a jazz singer at heart. Characteristic of that ethos, there’s no theme, but there is a pointed narrative. Pork pie hats off to her for including “Just For a Thrill” (with prime scat) in her repertoire. It was written by Louis Armstrong’s second wife, Lil Hardin Armstrong (with Don Raye). It was Lil, an accomplished performer-composer-leader in her own right that mentored Louis and launched his career. She performed “Bye Bye Country Boy” (Blossom Dearie, Jack Segal) as a delightful jazz-flavored blues.
Also known for her smart trademark medleys, the evening’s “New York Medley” featured a robust handful of songs dedicated to the Apple. Among them were two tunes reminiscent of the late Bobby Short, a decades-long fixture at the Café Carlyle and quintessential New Yorker: “My Personal Property” (Cy Coleman, Dorothy Fields) and Cole Porter’s love song to the City, “I Happen to Like New York.” Closing 
out a magical evening was an all-out burner of Jerry Herman’s “It’s Today,” complete with a couple of (wow!) high kicks.
There’s also much joy in observing the love and respect that flows between Maye and each member of her long-standing trio: Tedd Firth, music director-pianist, whose arrangements are sublime; bassist-timekeeper Tom Hubbard; and master of the beat, drummer Mark McLean. The synchrony among them is beautiful to experience.
In recent newspaper reports about the Artemis II space mission to the far side of the moon, Commander Reid Wiseman radioed NASA that he was struggling to find words to describe the experience. He asked mission control for “20 new superlatives” to help him out. We can identify: there aren’t enough when it comes to celebrating the beyond marvelous Marilyn Maye.
Don’t miss out! Marilyn Maye is at 54 Below through Sunday, April 19. Click here for your opportunity to be in the room with greatness.
