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| What's Coming Up at Birdland: Jazz Programming July 19 - July 31 July 19 (Tuesday) 5:30 PM - Birdland Theater Gabrielle Stravelli Trio Award-winning vocalist Gabrielle Stravelli was featured Tuesday nights at Birdland Theater in June—and this July, she returns with her trademark vocal style and her trio of Pat O'Leary (bass) and Michael Kanaan (piano). Together, they explore both familiar classics and lesser-known gems of the canon that highlight the diversity of creators behind the Great American Songbook—black Americans, immigrants, woman composers and more—and show that the Songbook is for everyone. For her part, Stravelli's clear tone, gutsy rhythm, impeccable scat-singing and contagious joy have delighted audiences the world over. Her recent honors include the Bistro Award for Outstanding Recording (2020); the Broadway World Cabaret Award for Best Jazz Vocalist (2019); the MAC Award for Best Female Vocalist (2015); and the Bistro Award as a Jazz Vocalist (2015). Expect a swinging, engaging set of music. $30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum July 19-23 (Tuesday-Saturday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM (7/19-21); 8:30 & 10:30 PM (7/22-3) – Birdland Jazz Club Duke Robillard and Scott Hamilton "Swingin' Again" featuring Jon-Erik Kellso / Livestream Event Thursday, July 21 at 9:30 Duke Robillard is the guitarist on over 37 records as a leader and over 40 more as a sideman or guest. The winner of the W.C. Handy Award for Best Blues Guitarist, and with two albums nominated for Best Contemporary or Traditional Blues Album, Robillard is a veteran of blues guitar who plays with groove, soul, and joy. His career includes jazz records with Herb Ellis and other major swinging musicians, including the great Scott Hamilton. Saxophone master Hamilton made his emergence onto the jazz scene in the 1970s with a sound that recalled the old swing masters Ben Webster and Zoot Sims. He recorded extensively with Rosemary Clooney, Ruby Braff, Harry Allen, Woody Herman, and countless others, including several records under his own name each year since 1977. Together, Hamilton and Robillard will deliver swinging statements filled with the grace gained from lives spent in music. Special guest and musical director is renowned swing trumpeter Jon-Erik Kellso. $40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum July 20 (Wednesday) 5:30 PM – Birdland Theater David Ostwald's Louis Armstrong Eternity Band Inspired by the noble jazz pioneers Louis Armstrong, Bix Beiderbecke, Duke Ellington, Jelly Roll Morton and their colleagues, David Ostwald's Louis Armstrong Eternity Band breathes life and passion into America's own great art form. Now in its 18th year of residency at Birdland, the weekly post-workday engagement is the city's best musical bargain! Tuba player David Ostwald leads a rotating lineup that features talents such as clarinetist Anat Cohen, trombonist/vocalist Wycliffe Gordon, pianist Ehud Asherie, drummer Marion Felder and more! $30 tables; $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum July 20 (Wednesday) 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater / Livestream Event Frank Vignola's Guitar Night It's the best jazz guitar lover's show in the world. Frank Vignola's virtuosity has made him the guitarist of choice for many of the world's top musicians, including Ringo Starr, Madonna, Donald Fagen, Les Paul, the Boston and New York Pops, and more. Every Wednesday @ 8:30pm in the Birdland Theater, Frank leads "Frank Vignola's Guitar Night at Birdland." Inspired by journeyman jazz guitarist John Pisano's now famous Los Angeles Guitar Night, "The Frank Vignola/Jimmy Bruno Quartet" featuring bassist Gary Mazzaroppi and drummer Vince Cherico, will perform tunes from the Standards repertoire + special guests: John DiMartino (4/6), Aaron Weinstein (4/13), Olli Soikkeli (4/20, Dave Stryker* (4/27), Martin Taylor (5/4). *The last Wednesday of the month is "Solo Guitar Night, " a Round-Robin of unaccompanied solo, duo, and trio guitar performances. $30 tables; $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum July 21 (Thursday) 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater Pete Ayres Band Pete Ayres combines a love for jazz harmonies with a deep sense of R&B, grooving soulfulness. His music has the sensibilities of a pop artist and the sultry growl of funk: backbeats, tight orchestrations, wistful crooning and catchy hooks. Ayres has performed at Carnegie Hall, on major U.S. stages alongside household names Mat Kearney and Gavin Degraw, and on the popular NPR show Radiolab. He released his first full-length album in 2015, Til I See You, followed by several singles in 2021. With a voice and lyrics that captures listeners' hearts, Ayres is sure to deliver a great performance this Thursday night at the Theater. $30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum July 22 (Friday) 5:00 PM – Birdland Jazz Club The Birdland Big Band Every Friday, and for two headlining weeks a year, the "BBB" roars into action playing a thrilling and original mix of jazz, funk, Brazilian, Latin and world music for sold-out audiences. Featured weekly guest artists drop in from television bands (David Letterman, Saturday Night Live) and pop music touring bands (Rob Thomas, Rod Stewart). Come see for yourself why Time Out New York called the BBB "A completely unique experience… there isn't another band like this anywhere, " and why yelp.com proclaims, "If you hear one band in NYC make sure this is it… and prepare to be blown away!" $30 + $20 food/drink minimum July 22-24 (Friday-Sunday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM – Birdland Theater Gunhild Carling International sensation, virtuoso multi-instrumentalist, vocalist extraordinaire—shall we say, conceptualist? The real question is: what can't you say about Gunhild Carling? She seems to do it all: performing on trumpet, trombone, bagpipes, drums, piano, bass, three trumpets at once, a trumpet balanced vertically using no hands, all on one song which she is singing—Carling continuously proves she can, and will, break any limitation in front of her. And with her feel-good revival of 1920s hot swing, this brilliant entertainer makes audiences smile and dance as she wows them with unheard-of talents. Featured on Scott Bradlee's Post Modern Jukebox, Carling has put the 20s twist on popular contemporary songs such as Madonna's "Material Girl, " Rick Astley's "Never Gonna Give You Up, " and Pharell's "Happy." This will surely be a weekend filled with surprises! $30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum July 24 (Sunday) 5:30 PM – Birdland Jazz Club Danny Jonokuchi Big Band A trumpeter, composer, and arranger extraordinaire, the young talent Danny Jonokuchi is bringing swing music to audiences all over the world with his lively, danceable arrangements and classic swing era energy. Supported by a team of New York's finest jazz talent, Jonokuchi leads one of the most authentically toe-tapping dance bands in the country. Unanimously named winner of the inaugural Count Basie Great American Swing Contest by a panel of noteworthy judges including Christian McBride, Branford Marsalis, and Mark Ruffin, this young artist is no stranger to success: his songs have been performed by such major artists as Lady Gaga, Grammy-nominated vocalist Nicole Zuraitis, Postmodern Jukebox singer Hannah Gill, The Duke Ellington Legacy, The Budapest Scoring Orchestra, The Terell Stafford Quintet, Brian Newman, Charles Turner & Uptown Swing, Ulysses Owens Jr.'s New Century Big Band, The Birdland Big Band, and many more. $30 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum July 24 (Sunday) 8:30 & 10:30 PM – Birdland Jazz Club Arturo O’Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Ensemble Pianist, composer and educator Arturo O’Farrill—leader of the “first family of Afro-Cuban Jazz” (The New York Times)—leads the GRAMMY® award winning Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra (ALJO), who bring together the drama of big band jazz, the culture of Latin music, and the virtuosity of eighteen of the world’s most accomplished solo musicians. Twelve years of critically-acclaimed performances internationally have firmly established the ALJO as the standard-bearer for creative interpretation of Latin jazz greats such as Tito Puente, Frank “Machito” Grillo, and Chico O’Farrill, as well as the driving force behind new commissions from Latin music’s most talented composers and arrangers. $30 + $20 food/drink minimum July 25 (Monday) 7:00 PM – Birdland Jazz Club Marilyn Kleinberg & Will Galison: “Let Your Heart Lead the Way” CD Release You’ve heard Will Galison’s unique, soulful harmonica sound on the themes of “Sesame Street”, “The Untouchables”, “Bagdad Café” and hundreds of other movie scores, albums and commercials. Harmonica master, Toots Thielemans, called Will “The most original and individual of the new generation of harmonica players”. He has recorded and/or performed with stars as varied as Sting, Donald Fagen, Tommy Emmanuel, Barbra Streisand, Carly Simon, Chaka Khan, Ruth Brown, Jaco Pastorius, Madeleine Peyroux, the O’Jays and Peggy Lee. Marilyn’s stage presence, confidence and time-honored soulful voice hearkens back to that ol’ diva style. It’s as if the internationally renowned and much loved American jazz and blues singers passed the torch to her in gratitude for keeping the jazz flame alive. She’s the real deal. Marilyn Kleinberg & Will Galison CD Release party: “Let Your Heart Lead the Way” will feature John DiMartino -piano, Noriko Ueda-bass, and Willie Jones lll – drums. $30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum July 26 (Tuesday) 5:30 PM - Birdland Theater Gabrielle Stravelli Trio Award-winning vocalist Gabrielle Stravelli was featured Tuesday nights at Birdland Theater in June—and this July, she returns with her trademark vocal style and her trio of Pat O’Leary (bass) and Michael Kanaan (piano). Together, they explore both familiar classics and lesser-known gems of the canon that highlight the diversity of creators behind the Great American Songbook—black Americans, immigrants, woman composers and more—and show that the Songbook is for everyone. For her part, Stravelli’s clear tone, gutsy rhythm, impeccable scat-singing and contagious joy have delighted audiences the world over. Her recent honors include the Bistro Award for Outstanding Recording (2020); the Broadway World Cabaret Award for Best Jazz Vocalist (2019); the MAC Award for Best Female Vocalist (2015); and the Bistro Award as a Jazz Vocalist (2015). Expect a swinging, engaging set of music. $30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum July 26-30 (Tuesday-Saturday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM (7/26-8); 8:30 & 10:30 PM (7/29-30) – Birdland Jazz Club Delfeayo Marsalis and the Uptown Jazz Orchestra / Livestream Event Thursday, July 28 at 9:30 The great New Orleans trombonist, producer, composer, and educator Delfeayo Marsalis is a powerful force in the music world. With over 120 recording credits as a producer (including one GRAMMY Award and several nominations) and nearly 50 recordings as a trombonist, Delfeayo could be said to have made his mark. But in 2000, this committed educator created the Uptown Music Theatre, a non-profit that leads musical theater training for youth. The UMT’s sister organization is the Uptown Jazz Orchestra, which Marsalis formed in 2008 as the jazz arm of the endeavor. This 18-piece band upholds the traditions of New Orleans swing, ensemble riff-playing, and infectious, soulful dance music that form the foundations of American jazz. With a star-studded cast, they never fail to amaze. $40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum July 27 (Wednesday) 5:30 PM – Birdland Theater David Ostwald’s Louis Armstrong Eternity Band Inspired by the noble jazz pioneers Louis Armstrong, Bix Beiderbecke, Duke Ellington, Jelly Roll Morton and their colleagues, David Ostwald’s Louis Armstrong Eternity Band breathes life and passion into America’s own great art form. Now in its 18th year of residency at Birdland, the weekly post-workday engagement is the city’s best musical bargain! Tuba player David Ostwald leads a rotating lineup that features talents such as clarinetist Anat Cohen, trombonist/vocalist Wycliffe Gordon, pianist Ehud Asherie, drummer Marion Felder and more! $30 tables; $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum July 27 (Wednesday) 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater / Livestream Event Frank Vignola’s Guitar Night It’s the best jazz guitar lover’s show in the world. Frank Vignola’s virtuosity has made him the guitarist of choice for many of the world’s top musicians, including Ringo Starr, Madonna, Donald Fagen, Les Paul, the Boston and New York Pops, and more. Every Wednesday @ 8:30pm in the Birdland Theater, Frank leads “Frank Vignola’s Guitar Night at Birdland.” Inspired by journeyman jazz guitarist John Pisano’s now famous Los Angeles Guitar Night, “The Frank Vignola/Jimmy Bruno Quartet” featuring bassist Gary Mazzaroppi and drummer Vince Cherico, will perform tunes from the Standards repertoire + special guests: John DiMartino (4/6), Aaron Weinstein (4/13), Olli Soikkeli (4/20, Dave Stryker* (4/27), Martin Taylor (5/4). *The last Wednesday of the month is “Solo Guitar Night, ” a Round-Robin of unaccompanied solo, duo, and trio guitar performances. $30 tables; $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum July 28 (Thursday) 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater The Piaf Experience by Margot Sergent Transport yourself back to the 1920 and 30s with Margot Sergent. In her native French, the exquisite vocalist and harpist brings you right into the world of romance, despair, and Bohemian grandeur which characterize the favorite songs of Edith Piaf, Charles Aznavour, and Charles Trenet. Sergent’s trio, So French Cabaret, features double bass and guitar, and together they invite you on a storyteller‘s journey, performing classics like “La Vie en Rose, ” “Non, je ne regrette rien, ” and “l’Hymne à l’Amour.” Sergent has performed across Paris and at France’s legendary l’Olympia. As saxophone legend Archie Shepp describes: “What she does is pure poetry. No doubt she is one of the most captivating artists of her generation.” She makes her second appearance at Birdland Theater this summer, after a successful debut in January. $30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum July 29-30 (Friday-Saturday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM – Birdland Theater Tony DeSare The excellent jazz vocalist and pianist Tony DeSare has released 11 albums of music, delivering a gem of a recording nearly every year since 2007. A crooner’s crooner, he is a master interpreter of the American Songbook. But over the course of his career, he also ventured into pop classics by Carole King, Prince, and the Beatles; and while he certainly remains a descendant of the Rat Pack singers and the swinging tradition, DeSare has also carved out space as an interpreter of songs even further outside his genre’s norm, covering New Order, Philip Bailey, and Bob Dylan. With a smooth, clear voice and an entertainer’s sensibility, DeSare found himself in long-time collaboration with jazz giant Bucky Pizzarelli and in shows like Our Sinatra. Now a veteran of the music, DeSare will deliver a weekend at the Theater that’s sure to have audiences swooning. $30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum July 30 (Saturday) 5:30 PM – Birdland Jazz Club Jay Leonhart and John Webber Duo “Double bass” takes on new meaning with this special Saturday evening performance by two of jazz’s great contemporary low-end string masters: Jay Leonhart and John Webber. The astounding bass artist Leonhart is a jazz veteran, boasting decades of accomplishments on his musical resume including acts so varied as Tony Bennett, Ozzy Osbourne, James Taylor, Thad Jones, and Queen Latifah. He has appeared on some 250 recordings as a sideman. He also surprises many with his disarming vocals and his smart, often humorous original songs, which he has recorded to critical acclaim on no less than 20 recordings as a leader. The St. Louis born-, Chicago raised-, and New York-based bassist John Weber has served as an accompanist to the stars of jazz for 40 years. The picture of excellence, Webber has held the bass chair in the bands of Johnny Griffin, George Coleman, Eric Alexander and Jimmy Cobb’s Mob, as well as groups led by Etta Jones, Horace Silver, Ryan Kisor, Lou Donaldson, Milt Jackson, Benny Greene, Barry Harris, Brad Mehidau and many, many others. Who knows what Leonhart and Webber will bring to the stage together early on Saturday evening? Certainly they’ll create some powerful—and delightful—musical sparks. $30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum July 31 (Sunday) 5:30 PM – Birdland Jazz Club Remy LeBeouf Assembly of Shadows Orchestra “I’ve always felt that in order to best honor a tradition, ” says award-winning saxophonist Remy LeBoeouf, “one ought to expand upon it. I am simply…taking the colors and gestures of jazz and 20th-century American classical music in some new directions.” New directions indeed: on their debut (and twice Grammy-nominated) recording, Assembly of Shadows, LeBeouf’s large ensemble—composed of some of New York’s most original and revered musicians—paints a sonic portrait of an imaginative story which LeBeouf wrote. A little girl wanders into the forest, falls asleep, and upon waking is met by forest shadows come alive to teach her transformative lessons. When she returns home, she cannot tell if what she saw was real—but certainly, LeBeouf’s suite of music is some of the realest big band writing presented by a contemporary composer. As for the saxophonist himself, Remy’s career has been highly successful: he has worked with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, the JACK Quartet, HAIM, and many other stars; as well as receiving commissions and awards from SFJAZZ, Chamber Music American, the NFAA, and other top organizations. Don’t miss this adventurous, cathartic, and beautiful music. $30 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum July 31 (Sunday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM – Birdland Theater Maurizio Spista Organ Trio A talented Italian drummer with a well-developed fusion-jazz technique, Maurizio Spista has performed for the past forty years with internationally-recognized artists in funk, jazz, and world musics. As a composer and arranger, his work has been performed in movies, on TV, and in theaters, including by international sensations Hisabel Dhazir and Youssou N’Dour. Spista also collaborated for 10 years with percussion virtuoso Karl Potter of the Isley Brothers Band. He brings an organ trio to Birdland, which is sure to provide funky, soulful sounds for this Sunday evening. $30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum July 31 (Sunday) 8:30 & 10:30 PM – Birdland Jazz Club Arturo O’Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Ensemble Pianist, composer and educator Arturo O’Farrill—leader of the “first family of Afro-Cuban Jazz” (The New York Times)—leads the GRAMMY® award winning Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra (ALJO), who bring together the drama of big band jazz, the culture of Latin music, and the virtuosity of eighteen of the world’s most accomplished solo musicians. Twelve years of critically-acclaimed performances internationally have firmly established the ALJO as the standard-bearer for creative interpretation of Latin jazz greats such as Tito Puente, Frank “Machito” Grillo, and Chico O’Farrill, as well as the driving force behind new commissions from Latin music’s most talented composers and arrangers. write your comments about the article :: © 2022 Jazz News :: home page |