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 A RARE ENGAGEMENT A KC jazz legend is all set for a memorable series of shows. © 1998 Mike Metheny
The roots of this support run deep. Among many things, there was an eleven year run from 1959 to 1970 at Ralph Gaines' Colony Steak House in the Ambassador Hotel on Broadway. And there was also a long working relationship with the noted area band leader and jingle producer, Warren Durrett. Marilyn has fond memories of both. "I did commercials for Warren even before the Colony. He was the commercial man in town. We did everything from bread to banks to bug killer! Warren is a gentle man, a very good businessman and the consummate producer. He paid such close attention to detail, which is where I picked up a lot of my tenacity about things like sound, lighting... all the things that add up to a good show. And, of course, I sang with his band, too! And the Colony... what can I say? The personal contact there was such great fun. It was a small house that could seat 65 people, and they all became friends. You weren't working to an audience, you were working for your friends. There were a lot of magical evenings there." After years of dues in Kansas City, it was only a matter of time before Marilyn Maye would become a nationally established and highly visible singer. There were engagements from coast to coast and throughout Europe, critically acclaimed albums for RCA, television commercials for Lincoln-Mercury (with good friend, Ella Fitzgerald), and a record number of appearances on Johnny Carson's "Tonight Show." "Well, it was the record for singers: 76 times. And it was always so much fun to do that show. When I'd go to rehearse with Doc (Severinsen) and the band, of course the first time through they were great. But then Doc would say, 'Don't you think we ought to do that again?!'... And I'd say 'Absolutely!' just so we could do it one more time for ourselves. It sounded that good." Despite the renown Marilyn Maye has enjoyed since her days in KC, her ties to the Midwest have remained strong. And for the first time in years, she will be appearing in an extended run at an intimate Kansas City venue. From September 9 through September 20, Ms. Maye will be in concert at the Quality Hill Playhouse, 303 W. 10th Street with her trio of John Rodby, piano, Andy Hall, bass, and KC's Tommy Ruskin on drums. (In a bit of irony, Ruskin was Maye's regular drummer for many of the Colony years.) The show is called "Her Way (A Tribute to Sinatra)" and the performance schedule looks like this: Wednesday, Sept. 9 through Saturday, Sept. 19 there will be evening shows nightly at 8:00 p.m. (with the exception of Tuesday, Sept. 15 when the theater will be dark); and there will be 3:00 p.m. matinees on Sunday, Sept. 13, Saturday, Sept. 19 and Sunday, Sept. 20. Tickets are $21 and are now on sale at the Central Ticket Office (816-235-2700). Much like the concerts at Yardley last March, this engagement will be a homecoming of sorts. "It's a great opportunity to get back to my roots," says Marilyn with contagious enthusiasm. And, as always, it will be an opportunity -- and a rare one at that -- for Marilyn Maye's longtime followers (as well as many new ones) to hear a performer who continues to rank as one of the finest in her profession. "I really love singing to the people," Marilyn says. "And I want them to come to the Quality Hill Playhouse in September, and then come back and back while I'm there!" An offer aficionados of fine singing will find hard to refuse. And one that comes from an artist who, after all these years, still loves to sing, still loves Kansas City jazz, and still loves the town where it all began. RETURN TO AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 1998 MAIN INDEX ------------------------------------------------------------------------ © Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors 1996-2001. All rights reserved. |
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