Broadway or soul, the ladies sing it true.
Marie Meringolo gives a night at NYC’s Iridium to perform the lyics of Alan and Marilyn Bergman, with most of the melodies at the pen of Michel Legrand on this rich anthology of Broadway themes. The team of Boots Maleson/b, Sipho Kunene/dr works under the direction of pianist Doyle Newmyer and teams well with Meringolo, delivering three versions of “The Way We Were,” and each one rich with different lights and reflections. Meringolo’s pitch and timing have a bit of Streisand in the dna, flowing in “The Windmills of Your Mind” and assertive yet calm on “Nice ‘N’ Easy.” She works the room well, telling stories between songs and even closing with an inspiring message on “On My Way to You/Something New In My Life.” A nice time out on the town.
Sy Smith creates a myriad of moods as she rotates a team of Mark Whitfield-Jairus Mazee/g, Lucia Micarelli/vi, Lee Pearson II/dr, Ty Macklin/pr, Ian Martin/b and gest horns and voices on this personal album of soul. Her fragile delivery teams with a synth R&B pulse on “Can’t Get Over You” while she wisps with gentle guitar on”I’ll Always Come Bck to You.” A handful of vignettes with voices are delightfully intimate on “Doowop with Dad” and “Sure Speaks” while a childlike chorus is celestial on “We Were Never Free.” She slinks to some bopping moods on “Now and Later” and is dramatically riveting on the title track. She’s got a story to tell!