Review: SALLY MAYES Continues Her Reign at The Green Room 42

Let’s talk about Sally.  Maybe when YOU think of the name Sally, actresses who come to mind might be Sally Field, Sally Kellerman, Sally Struthers, or Sally Ann Howes.  Other actresses have played protagonists named Sally in musicals– Sally Bowles of Cabaret, Sally Durant Plummer of Follies, Sally Adams of Call Me Madam, Little Sally of Urinetown, Sally Brown (the kid sister of Charlie in You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown), and the title characters of: Sally; Sally in Our Alley; Thomas and Sally; and Sally, Irene and Mary.  Over the years, there were movies with Sallys in the title — such as Sally of the Sawdust, Sally of the Scandals, Sally of the Subway, and When Harry Met…(you know who). But there’s no one like the real-life Sally Mayes, who has been performing in a series of solo shows, each with a different repertoire drawn from her stage and recording career, at The Green Room 42 — two down, two to go.  The first was a smash, kind of an overview of her career highlights and early memories, including numbers she did in musicals such as She Loves Me and Closer Than Ever.  So, the second installment was highly anticipated and had its own different treats.

“Volume 2” of the Sally Series called Now and Then had the title Jazz/ Standard Time.  Seven of the selections had lyrics by the same major writer – and had appeared on her CD The Dorothy Fields Songbook.  She certainly mined these Fields songs of bliss or bittersweet ruminations such  “Don’t Blame Me,” “Alone Too Long,” and “Close As Pages in a Book” for tenderness. The added presence of a couple of out-and-out mournful non-Fields standards, however, could have tipped the scale somewhat to the ballad-heavy side: “Angel Eyes” and “I Got It Bad (and That Ain’t Good).”  Where was our livewire sunny Sally or our sassy Sally with her playful posture?  Well, the opening number choice of the challenging jazz piece “Cloudburst,” with notes and words zipping by at super-high speed, was frisky fun, “When I Take My Sugar to Tea” was a bright spot and “Shoo Fly Pie and Apple Pan Dowdy” was a recipe for “cute.”  The brash “He Ain’t Mr. Right” checked the box for sass and irreverence. So, we did get a fair amount of variety, even if it didn’t top the first collection and show as wide a range and more of the lady’s skill set with more involving character pieces she could make uniquely her own. 

While the show’s title had “Jazz” in it, most of the jazz styling — aside from “Cloudburst” — was supplied by her two much more jazz-enveloped extraordinary musicians: pianist Tedd Firth and bassist Tom Hubbard.  Their work is exemplary and adds depth and adventure to the material, especially any old warhorses.  It’s no wonder that so many singers engage them.   

Sally Mayes’s endearing personality and down-to-earth “good ol’ gal” sensibility make for strong audience connection.  Here and there she seemed to be “pushing” her voice, causing some notes to sound harsh or in uncomfortable keys, with excess vibrato.  And I wish she would resist using a few curse words in her patter; not everyone in an audience thinks that’s cool. But she’s a prize and a pip.

 The next two programs in the Sally soirees at The Green Room 42 are set for May 16 and June 20.  The May Mayes night is titled The Stories and June brings The Great Big Huge Broadway theme.     

The club is on the fourth floor of Yotel, the hotel on West 42nd Street.  Unlike other cabaret and jazz venues, there is no minimum food/drink purchase required. But you might well get a maximum amount of entertainment.  

Tickets for the May 16 and June 20 dates are available here.

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