Marilyn Maye

Marilyn Maye takes the Birdland Theater stage in Manhattan for a solo billed appearance. The evening is presented as a late set from a singer whose work spans song performance, acting, directing, arranging and education. No additional musicians, guests, theme or special occasion are listed, so the focus is squarely on Maye and her approach to the American popular songbook.

A Grammy-nominated recording artist, Maye was discovered by Steve Allen, whose national television appearances led to an RCA contract, seven albums and 34 singles. She made 76 appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, a record for a singer; after one performance, Carson told viewers, “And that, young singers, is the way it's done.” Her recording of “Too Late Now” was selected by the Smithsonian Institution for its collection of 110 Best American Compositions of the Twentieth Century. Maye also performs with symphonies and big bands around the United States. Writing in The Wall Street Journal, Will Friedwald called her “the only pop-song diva working today who can satisfy both crowds at once,” bringing together Broadway and cabaret listeners seeking drama with jazz audiences who expect a singer to swing.