Maureen Taylor and Michael Colby Are A Match Made in Heaven

By Bart Greenberg****“I like telling stories,” the lovely cabaret singer Maureen Taylor confessed to her audience, explaining that is what drew her to the lyrics of Michael Colby, a consummate storyteller himself. The vocalist is a chameleon: classically trained soprano but fully capable of getting down and dirty in her lower range—she can be sexy, wry and innocent all at the same time. These multiple of personalities added so much depth to her retelling of these tales, whether they were comic, romantic or quite serious. With her sweeping vocals, this was a magical evening indeed.

Cosmic Connections: The Lyrics of Michael Colby was presented at Don’t Tell Mama in December. Director Frank Galgano provided light, almost invisible guidance. Given that Colby’s work here was completed with more than half a dozen different composers, a versatile music director was required, and Matt Castle certainly filled the bill, providing impeccable piano work to provide melodic support in the shifting moods of the show. One more contributor to making this program so elegant was the series of starry projections that offered both atmospheric background and song titles and credits designed by John Narun.

But the center of the show was Taylor, her history that she happily shared, and her song choices. Springing off with “More Than Meets the Eye” (composer John Introcaso), a delicious rag that was the perfect beginning for the show. The following number, “I Know Everybody’s Business” (Gerald Jae Markoe) was deliciously comic in its portrayal of a psychic medium, allowing the diva a chance to show off her talents in that area as well, giving random brief readings of audience members. Her spirited spiritually was a recurring theme throughout the evening, treated with both respect and a light touch.

Taylor did depart from Colby’s work on several occasions for delightful effect. From the naughty gleam of Richard Rodgers and Lorenz . Hart’s “A Twinkle in Your Eye” to the romantic sweep of Noël Coward’s “Champagne,” each having a specific purpose in the story being told. And one of the emotional highlights of the evening was the Carolyn Leigh/Cy Coleman “It Amazes Me,” amazingly delivered.

But the Colby work did indeed provide the backbone for the show, from the biographical “My Song” (Peter Millrose) to the seemingly Dietrich-inspired waltz “Keep It Low” (Millrose again) to the ballad “How Do You Make Magic?” (Jack Urbont) which Taylor infused with magic indeed. And then there was the soaring “All I Need” (Ned Paul Ginsburg). which brought the singer into Barbara Cook land, evoking the great talents of the iconic diva. But Taylor is all her own performer and person, and she was a non-stop delight through the heavenly evening.