Photo Coverage: Marilyn Maye at Dizzy's Club/Jazz At Lincoln Center

Marilyn Maye opened her latest show at Dizzy's Club in the Jazz at Lincoln Center complex just one week after Valentine's Day. But the love for this singer and her mastery of the American Songbook kept everyone in the holiday's spirit.
After all it's never too late for a Marilyn Maye lovefest for, as the singer herself said, "Each day is Valentine's Day."

The New York City ambience of Dizzy's Club seems to bring out the jazzier side of this powerhouse singer. Opening the show with a New York Medley that encompassed everything from Billy Joel, to George Gershwin, to Cy Coleman...she was able to turn back to face the twinkling cityscape itself and profess her love for it and the music it has inspired.

But Marilyn Maye never turns her gaze from her audience for long...they are her confidants and always a part of the story she is telling. And she is a masterful and witty storyteller.

She tells us What The World Needs Now Is Love and follows suit by calling up more of the theme...

Let There Be Love, It's Love, My Romance, I'm Gonna Love You Come Rain or Come Shine. Even her hat tip to Broadway's My Fair Lady is all about the romantic side of living.

She made sure to show her love for favorite artists by saluting medleys of Johnny Mercer, Duke Ellington, Fats Waller, and her beloved Ray Charles.

Listening to Marilyn Maye is like the reward of a warm candlelit bubble bath with a side of sparkling champagne and a snappy jazz riff filling the room. She is sensational because she enlivens all the senses.

The audiences at Dizzy's come from all walks of life. From tourist to local, from movie star to businessman, Broadway Babies to Midwest mavens, and novice singers to jazz musician "insiders".

And Ms. Maye's jazz musicians are always the best. Leading her trio was the impeccable Tedd Firth on Piano with irrepressible Phil Palombi on Bass and implacable Todd Strait on drums! ("...something's gotta give, something's gotta give, something's gotta give....")

Indeed, in the great tradition of jazz artists sitting in with each other, on Saturday night the talented jazz trumpeter Benny Benack III was in the audience and was spontaneously brought onstage to join in the fun. The group fittingly improvised Gotta Lotta Livin To Do. Appropriate because Ms. Maye embodies the celebratory theme of the song and also because it's the title of Mr. Benack's newest C.D. release. It was an inspiring show of support from a veteran performer to a young up and comer.
And when Benny pointed the horn at Marilyn and blew in an improvised quote of "Mona Lisa, Mona Lisa...men have named you" it garnered smiling applause in recognition of the homage that was being paid to a Legendary Artist and Lady of Song - Marilyn Maye.

www.marilynmaye.com

www.jazz.org/dizzys

Photo Credit: Kevin Alvey