Photos: Marilyn Maye 'Birdland Theater New Year's Eve'

Marilyn Maye and a singing champagne toast at midnight are becoming as much of a New Year's Eve tradition as Times Square and a Swarovski Crystal Ball. Both are equally glittering affairs.
This year's Birdland Theater New Year's weekend engagement was a properly festive event. Ms. Maye bid farewell to the busy old year and hello to a hopeful new beginning with her well known positive flair.
She continues to defy the odds for any age and any level of experience...following 2 runs of early autumn season and pre-Christmas shows in the city - she proved that her friends and fans will still sell out 7 shows in a 4 night Marilyn Maye NYE run (that's 2 shows on most evenings!). This engagement brought quite a few faithful fans and even some new and very young ones! She is as timeless as she is indefatigable.
To quote the club owner, "She's not just the Marvelous Marilyn Maye... she's AMAZING!".

As for a joyful and triumphant holiday, well, that quite literally defines a Maye performance.
Marilyn began her show with a snappy Cole Porter medley followed by a set of songs to prove her affection for the crowds who came to celebrate with her.
There are always welcome familiar favorites in a Maye set list. But she also manages to throw something unexpected in the mix. After a favorite and rousing "Any Place I Hang My Hat is Home", Marilyn surprised the crowd with a stripped down version of "I've Got The World On A String" (while pointedly toying with a decorative balloon floating about the stage). She kept the energy flying upwards with "No Bad News" followed by her familiar "Rainbow Medley". It must be noted that one of the song writers for "Rainbow Connection" - Mr. Kenny Ascher - just happened to be playing with Birdland Big Band upstairs for the same nights as Marilyn (and he was determined to sneak down for a quick listen when he had a break).
Following this colorful medley, she brought back a few tunes she hasn't done for awhile. "Here's That Rainy Day/Stormy Weather" was a favorite request of Marilyn's friend Johnny Carson. It's been awhile since NYC has seen her take on "Drinking Again/One For My Baby" and the audience reaction proved it was a highlight of the evening (eliciting standing ovations during the run).
Maye brought the set list to a fitting New Year's close with "This Could Be The Start Of Something Big", "It's A Most Unusual Day", "Here's To Life", and her perennial mantra "It's Today".

Marilyn's trio for this run was also a newer combination for her faithful fans.
Ted Rosenthal on piano brought a subtle lyrical virtuosity to the arrangements that allowed her to delve into a more intimate vocal territory. Daniel Glass on drums proves that a good percussionist knows how, and when, to read the singer's mind. Tom Hubbard on bass provided her with a dependably creative collaboration that can only come from years of working together.
Surprise featured guests also popped up in several shows. Her choreographer friend Josh Prince was brought up one night for a quick pas de deux time step with Marilyn.
On closing night a mutual friend - of club owner Gianni Valenti, Rosenthal, and Maye - brought his horn up onstage to tear down the roof in a powerful collab of "World On A String". Jerry Weldon and his sax with Marilyn's jazzy improvised vocals did indeed bring down the house and left the audience hoping for a more extended version of Maye/Weldon someday.

A welcome bonus announcement for the recent run of 2022 shows from Marilyn is that she will be headlining her own symphony orchestra concert at Carnegie Hall on March 24th of 2023.
Tickets on sale now.

The New York Pops: The Marvelous Marilyn Maye | Carnegie Hall

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Photo Credit: Kevin Alvey