Marilyn Maye
Birdland315 West 44th Street, New York 10036
Marilyn Maye brings her vocal performance to Birdland for this December 30 engagement. The listing bills Maye alone and does not identify accompanying musicians or a particular theme for the set. Expect an evening centered on her songcraft and performance, from an artist whose work spans singing, acting, directing, arranging and teaching.
Born in Wichita, Kansas, Maye built a career through Topeka, Des Moines and Kansas City before becoming a national television presence. She made 76 appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, a record for a singer, and Steve Allen’s presentations led to an RCA contract, seven albums and 34 singles. A Grammy-nominated recording artist, she has sung with symphonies and big bands and alongside Ella Fitzgerald; her recording of “Too Late Now” was selected for the Smithsonian’s collection of 110 Best American Compositions of the Twentieth Century. The Wall Street Journal critic Will Friedwald called her “the only pop-song diva working today who can satisfy both” Broadway and cabaret listeners as well as the jazz crowd. Exeunt Magazine found her “razor sharp,” writing that the music she sings is “embedded in her soul.”
Birdland offers a refined jazz experience in a room where the audience sits at tables close to the stage, allowing every note to reach you clearly. The venue features a full menu with dishes like New Orleans-style gumbo alongside a well-stocked bar, making it easy to enjoy a meal or drinks while listening. Each show is ticketed per set, encouraging focused listening as the music unfolds in roughly 45-minute segments. The club’s walls echo decades of jazz history, having hosted legends and continuing to attract top contemporary artists. Located in Manhattan’s Theater District, the space balances a serious music environment with the energy of a night out, where attentive audiences savor the performances without distraction. Booking ahead is essential, as the club fills quickly for its celebrated lineup.