Marilyn Maye is highlight of UMSL jazz festival

Marilyn Maye is highlight of UMSL jazz festival - The Current - Arts and Entertainment

Maye has just returned from a run at the famed "Birdland" music club and opens at a new Kansas City club called Jardine's on Monday, so she is very busy.

Marilyn Maye lives partly in Texas and partly in Kansas City. Despite being in the same state, Maye had not performed in St. Louis for 20 years. However, she may be back before too long. She had high praise for Jim Widner, who directs both the festival and UM-St. Louis' own Jazz Ensemble. "Jim worked with me years ago on the road and in Las Vegas, playing bass in my band," she said "He is a very good musician.

Widner joined her on stage as part of her band again for the Friday night performance, along with the three other musicians, Rob Fleeman, Jimmy Eklof, and Billy Stritch, who make up her regular band.

Marilyn Maye's style harkens back to the late big band era of Ella Fitzgerald and Mel Torme, both of whom she counts among her own favorite singers. She also cited Jack Jones and Joe Williams as favorites.

"Mostly I listened to male singers," she said. "That is better for female singers, otherwise you risk picking up the style of other women singers. You want to develop your own style, to have a distinctive voice."

Marilyn Maye has that distinctive voice. She and Mel Torme are the only singers who have been invited twice to perform with the famous Philly Pops.

Maye says that when she sings on stage, she loves to connect with the audience.

"Don't sing for yourself; do a presentation," she said, talking about making that link with the listeners. She said that too many singers today look like they are singing for themselves, not for the audience. Singers, she said, are not thinking as much about the audience and are entertaining themselves.

"Don't take it too lightly," she advised new singers. "It is fun, but it is serious fun."