Review: Marilyn Maye Hardly Needs Another Review

Marilyn Maye hardly needs another review—although I know she still enjoys reading them. Yet there she was last night Aug 1, at 98, onstage at Dizzy’s Club in New York, singing, swinging, looking terrific, and thrilling an audience just as she has for generations. 

Her voice was in magnificent form, her wit as sharp as ever, and she commanded the room with the effortless authority of a true master. Watching her perform at this stage of her remarkable career was not simply a concert experience—it was a rare opportunity to witness music history in the making. Her arrangements seem to live in the very bones of her fantastic trio—Mark McLean on drums and Tom Hubbard on bass—and you will rarely hear a tighter, more intuitive display of musicianship supporting a singer. Tedd Firth, her pianist and arranger, seems to breathe the same musical air as Marilyn. He creates an ocean of sound that surrounds and enhances her, perfectly complementing her extraordinary sense of time and phrasing.

It feels as though Marilyn and Tedd continually inspire one another, each pushing the other to greater heights. The result is something truly rare—a once-in-a-lifetime musical experience. What a privilege to have been in the room for yet another unforgettable Marilyn Maye performance.

I, like most MM friends have many Marvelous Marilyn stories, but here’s one of my favorites. After a late-night performance on a cruise ship, Eda and I shared an Apple Martini with Marilyn and then escorted her back to her cabin. As the three of us linked arms and did our best to remain “steady” navigating the passageway Marilyn suddenly blurted out, “Oh, my dear, I do hope this is the ship that’s rocking!”

BTW, Marilyn told me a while ago to keep this story to myself. So, Marilyn, if you’re reading this…oops!

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You can see Marilyn Maye at Dizzy’s tonight Aug 22 at 9PM & Sunday Aug 23 at 5 & 7pm

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