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| Live at Birdland Jazz Club and Birdland Theater: December 2022 December 1-4 (Thursday-Sunday) 8:30 PM (12/1); 7:00 & 9:30 PM (12/2-4) – Birdland Theater Peter Bernstein Residency A guitarist's guitarist, the inimitable Peter Bernstein has been a force on the modern jazz scene in New York (and around the world) since breaking onto the scene in 1989. His 9 albums as a leader and over 200 as a sideman—with such legends as George Coleman, Sonny Rollins, Lou Donaldson, Joshua Redman, Brad Mehldau, Brian Blade, Jimmy Cobb, and Jim Hall—have cemented him as one of jazz's foremost practitioners, beloved for his warm, round tone and lyrically swinging melodicism. Bernstein's trio with drummer extraordinaire Bill Stewart and organ master Larry Goldings is one of contemporary jazz's iconic bands. For this four night engagement at Birdland, we see Bernstein performing solo (12/1), trio with bassist Peter Washington and drummer Joe Farnsworth (12/4), and with his quartet featuring contemporary piano icon Sullivan Fortner (12/2-3) $30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum December 4 (Sunday) 5:30 PM – Birdland Jazz Club Frank Perowsky Jazz Orchestra Frank Perowsky's storied career in music has seen him perform with luminaries Sarah Vaughan, Peggy Lee, Stan Getz, Billy Eckstine, and Woody Herman. After moving to New York from his native Iowa to attend Juilliard in the 1950s, he became a favorite call for some of the biggest names in music and later a veteran of the Broadway world. The legendary octogenarian brings his big band to Birdland for the 2nd time since the release of their recording An Afternoon in Gowanus. Frank's son, Ben Perowsky—drummer for John Scofield, Dave Douglas, Mike Stern and others—will join as a special guest. $30 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum December 5 (Monday) 8:30 PM - Birdland Theater Jay Clayton "3 For The Road": Jay Clayton (vocals), Ed Neumeister (trombone), Gary Versace (piano). With Jay Anderson (bass) and Billy Drummond (drums). An icon of avant-garde jazz voice, Jay Clayton has performed and recorded since the 1960s with Muhal Richard Abrams, Gary Bartz, Jane Ira Bloom, George Cables, Steve Lacy, Julian Priester, Perry Robinson, Mark Whitecage, Steve Reich, and John Cage. Well-known not only for her sublime work as a vocalist but also as a mover-and-shaker in the music world, Clayton and her husband, Frank Clayton co-founded a loft jazz series in their own home in 1967, featuring artists such as Joanne Brackeen, Cecil McBee, Jane Getz, and Sam Rivers—and she acted as Artistic Director for the first ever Women in Jazz Festival, produced by Cobi Narita in 1979. Her 17 albums as a leader and several more as a featured guest of Charlie Haden, John Cage, Muhal Richard Abrams, and others have cemented her name as one of the most important free jazz singers. Prepare to be amazed. $30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum December 5 (Monday) 7:00 PM - Birdland Jazz Club Billy Gilman – "A Billy Gilman Christmas" Gilman is the platinum-selling country music artist known for his run on NBC's "The Voice." Billy will ring in the holiday season with seasonal classics like "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" and "Sleigh Ride, " as well as some of his hits including "Warm and Fuzzy, " "New Kid in Town, " and "One Voice." Gilman burst onto the national stage in 2000 releasing the hit single "One Voice." His debut album was certified double platinum in the United States, and he was included in the Guinness Book of World Records for being the youngest singer to ever reach #1 on the Billboard "Top Country Album" charts. He has sold ten million albums worldwide and garnered awards and nods from the Grammys, the Academy of Country Music, the Country Music Association, Billboard Magazine, and the American Music Association. $40 tables / $90 VIP Tickets + $20 food/drink minimum December 6 (Tuesday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM - Birdland Jazz Club Dave Stryker Organ Trio "One of the most distinctive guitarists to come along in recent years, " states Village Voice, and "one of the most joyous feels around, " according to Pat Metheny. Dave Stryker is a fabulous guitarist who has served as the featured accompanist for Stanley Turrentine, Jack McDuff, and hundreds of others, as well as leading 30 recording projects of his own. On his latest recording, As We Are, "the jazz gods have alighted on the guitarist and elevated his playing, his composing, his soloing, and his music, " says Jazz Times's Ken Micallef. And for this engagement at Birdland, he brings his ultra-swinging organ trio, fresh from their Summer tour opening for Steely Dan, and delivering gritty, soulful sounds for modern ears. $30 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum December 7-10 (Wednesday-Saturday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM (12/7-8); 8:30 & 10:30 PM (12/9-10) – Birdland Jazz Club Kurt Elling Holiday Show Presenting a show of holiday standards with his quartet, Kurt Elling returns to Birdland for the second time this month, one week after his string of duets with piano great Danilo Perez. Elling, the winner of 3 Prix du Jazz Vocal (France), 2 German Echo Awards, 2 Dutch Edison Awards, and 2 GRAMMY wins (with 15 GRAMMY nominations), is one of contemporary jazz's most prolific, celebrated voices. The Guardian has called him "a kind of Sinatra with superpowers" and "one of jazz's all-time great vocalists." Elling's originality is intertwined with his devotion to the masters that came before him, and he regularly writes lyrics to classic melodies and improvisations by iconic artists, such as John Coltrane, Keith Jarrett, Pat Metheny, Wayne Shorter, and Jaco Pastorius. Join the singer and his group for an inspiring week of holiday classics. $45 tables / $35 bar + $20 food/drink minimum December 8 (Thursday) 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater Laszlo Gardony Trio Release Celebration Pianist Laszlo Gardony's new recording, Close Connection (Sunnyside), is a unique hybrid, blending his Central European folk roots with his devotion to jazz standards and his love for 70s prog-rock. Self-described as "Bartok meets Monk and King Crimson, " this hard-hitting trio of John Lockwood (bass) and Yoron Israel (drums) is sure to wow audiences. Called "a formidable improviser who lives in the moment" by JazzTimes, Gardony is a long-time member of the Boston veteran in-crowd. His association with such profound musicians as drummer Rakalam Bob Moses, bass legend Dave Holland, bass icon Miroslav Vitous, guitarist Mick Goodrick, and other heavies have marked his star-studded career. He teaches piano at Berklee College of Music and instructs the jazz band at Harvard University. $30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum December 9-11 (Friday-Sunday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM – Birdland Theater Carole J. Bufford – “Vintage Pop!” Vocalist Carole J. Bufford will celebrate the New York debut of her concert “Vintage Pop!” This engagement follows successful shows in London, Palm Springs, Los Angeles, San Diego, Florida, and beyond. “Vintage Pop!” travels by decade, from the 1920s to the 1980s, exploring how the style and sound of pop music developed over the years. With fresh takes on these multi-generational songs, expect an evening of powerhouse vocals, stories behind the music, and Bufford’s inimitable delivery of songs you love and perhaps a few new discoveries. The show features music made famous by Judy Garland, Sophie Tucker, Louis Armstrong, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley, The Animals, The Beatles, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Sting, Tina Turner, Prince and more. Bufford has become one of the most sought-after performers on the American vintage pop and cabaret scene. Her shows include “Speak Easy” (featuring the Grammy Award-winning Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks), “Come Together, ” and “You Don’t Own Me.” She currently tours with her solo shows as well as with symphonies across the country. Carole is also the recipient of BroadwayWorld’s Vocalist of the Year award and the recent Gold Medal winner of the American Traditions Vocal Competition. $30 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum December 11 (Sunday) 5:30 PM – Birdland Jazz Club New York Youth Symphony Jazz Band Performing Duke Ellington/Billy Strayhorn’s famed jazz adaptation of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite, the official jazz ensemble of the famed NY Youth Symphony program is a large ensemble featuring New York’s leading young voices. Under the direction of Juilliard-trained trombonist and composer Andy Clausen (co-founder of the popular brass ensemble The Westerlies), these young talents regularly perform classic material of the 1930s and 40s, offering special performances in the New York area and abroad. They have appeared at venues such Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Appel Room and even embarked on a 2016 tour of Brazil under the direction of trumpeter Matt Holman. Regularly mentored by the legends of jazz music, these young folks are keeping the torch aflame. For this special holiday-themed evening, they will perform the Ellington/Strayhorn classic in its entirety, including memorable works such as “Toot Toot Tootie Toot, ” “Peanut Brittle Brigade, ” and “Sugar Rum Fairy.” Don’t miss this wonderful evening with the next generation of jazz talent! $30 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum December 12 (Monday) 7:00 PM – Birdland Jazz Club James Barbour – “Annual Holiday Concert” When James Barbour returns with his annual holiday concert, the audience will be entertained with incredible music and the warmth of the season. As he does every year, James and his surprise guests from the Broadway stage will help ring in the holiday season. James was nominated for the Drama Desk, Drama League and Outer Critics Awards for Best Actor in a Musical for his portrayal of Sydney Carton in the Broadway musical version of A Tale of Two Cities. He has starred on Broadway in such award-winning shows as Stephen Sondheim’s Assassins, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast as The Beast, Carousel as Billy Bigelow, Urinetown as Officer Lockstock, and Jane Eyreas as Edward Rocheste (Drama League Award nomination). He also appeared in the Broadway production of Cyrano and the national tour of The Secret Garden. His television credits range from the pilots of “The District, ” “Just Shoot Me” and “Flashpoint” to appearances on “Sex and the City, ” “Ed, ” “That’s Life, ” “Some Enchanted Evening: Celebrating Oscar Hammerstein” (PBS), ”“Beauty and the Beast: A Concert on Ice” (CBS), the PBS mini-series “American Experience: John & Abigail Adams” (playing Thomas Jefferson) and the film version of “A Tale of Two Cities” in concert for public television. $45 tables / $45 bar + $20 food/drink minimum December 12 (Monday) 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater Edmund Bagnell – “Home For The Holidays” Through music and humor, singer and violinist Edmund Bagnell shares his heartfelt and humorous recipe for a perfectly imperfect holiday season. Edmund will be joined on stage by musical director/pianist Mark Hartman and special guest Lisa Boccuzzi. Bagnell is a diverse artist, having performed as an actor, violinist, singer, and 1st violinist and singer in the internationally touring string quartet Well Strung, which released three chart-topping albums in the classical crossover genre and performed three times on the “Today” show. As an actor, Edmund was cast as Tobias in the national tour of John Doyle’s staging of Sweeney Todd, which led to a wide variety of acting roles. In 2019, he premiered and toured internationally with his solo one man show, “He Plays the Violin.” In 2020, he released his first solo album, Christmas at Home, which was included on several best of lists including USA Today. This past summer, Edmund debuted his second solo show, “Happy Days Are Here Again, ” and in the fall he released a new EP, The Road, which includes the original songs “The Water” and “The Road.” $30 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum December 13-17 (Tuesday-Saturday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM (12/13-15); 8:30 & 10:30 PM (12/16-17) – Birdland Jazz Club Stacey Kent A singer of marvelous talent, Stacey Kent’s beautiful voice and natural musicality have been the feature of 11 studio albums, including Platinum, Double-Gold and Gold records that have garnered her a much-deserved worldwide audience. With performances in over 55 countries during her stellar career, Kent’s global fandom makes perfect sense because of her miraculous fluency singing in French, Italian, German, Portuguese and English. Over the course of two decades as a recording artist, Kent’s vision has broadened beyond the Great American Songbook: French and Brazilian classics also feature prominently in her contemporary work. Her latest album, Songs From Other Places, was released September of 2021. For this special week at Birdland, Kent is backed by her normal group of veteran collaborators. Her new studio album, Summer Me, Winter Me, is set for 2023 release. $40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum December 15 (Thursday) 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater Dave Pietro One of the foremost saxophonists in the jazz world for the past several decades, Dave Pietro is renowned for his writing, arranging, bandleading, soloing, and large ensemble work. His membership over the years in the Maria Schneider Jazz Orchestra, Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society, and Toshiko Akiyoshi’s Orchestra belies his affinity for imaginative, fulfilling composition and robust improvisation. Pietro’s own projects have included a who’s who of contemporary jazz stardom since his recording career began in 1994 with Forgotten Dreams, an album featuring Dave Holland, Bill Stewart, Kenny Werner and Ben Monder. Over the next nearly three decades on the international jazz scene, Pietro established himself with scores of recording credits on projects by artists such as David Bowie, Maynard Ferguson, and Chaka Khan. He continues to write and record original work, his latest effort being 2020’s HyperSphere, released on Artist Share. $30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum December 18 (Sunday) 5:30 PM – Birdland Jazz Club New York Holidays with Svetlana’s Big Band! Svetlana's Big Band combines the classic big band sound, thrilling arrangements by the best NYC big band arrangers, and Svetlana's own captivating front woman stage presence and vocals—at once “lush” (NY Music Daily) and “energetic” (Wall Street Journal). The band reflects the idealism of the vintage swing band sound while offering a thrilling experience for jazz lovers and 21st century modern audiences alike, and for this special evening, Svetlana has prepared a heartwarming set of her favorite songs for the holidays. The band is co-directed by Emily Fredrickson (Dee Dee Bridgewater Big Band) and includes NYC top talent, including Jason Marshall, Nicole Glover, Willerm Delisfort, Curtis Nowosad, Wayne Tucker, Anthony Hervey, and more. So “prepare to swing and be moved!” (JazzLives) and experience the “sweet and naughty” (JazzLives) magic in this special New York Holidays show celebrating the things that bring us together—even when it’s cold outside! $30 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum December 19 (Monday) 7:00 PM – Birdland Jazz Club Karen Mason – “Christmas! Christmas! Christmas!” Mason returns to the club for her legendary holiday show “Christmas! Christmas! Christmas!” featuring unique interpretations of old and new holiday classics. Sassy, brassy, and tinged with confessional monologues, this show includes a slinky arrangement of “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town, ” a heartfelt “I’ll Be Home For Christmas, ” and many more. The evening is directed by Barry Kleinbort; with musical direction by Christopher Denny on piano, and Tom Hubbard on bass. Mason was recently seen playing Mrs. Marsh on Ryan Murphy’s “Halston” on Netflix. On tour, was last seen as Madame Giry in the North American premiere of Love Never Dies (Andrew Lloyd Webber’s sequel to The Phantom of the Opera). On Broadway, she starred in Wonderland, and originated the role of Tanya in Mamma Mia! (2002 Drama Desk nomination). Her other leading roles include Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard on Broadway and in Los Angeles for three years; Velma von Tussel in the Broadway company of Hairspray; “Monotony” singer and Mazeppa in Jerome Robbins’ Broadway. She is a14-time MAC Award winner, and was the recipient of the 2019 MAC Lifetime Achievement Award. $40 tables / $40 bar + $20 food/drink minimum December 19 (Monday) 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater Michael Kanan Trio The mission for The Michael Kanan Trio is clear: swing! Whether playing their own compositions, jazz classics, or a selection from their vast repertoire of standards, the trio plays melodies that sing and rhythms that dance. The group is always engaged in a three-way conversation in which and any of the instruments might suggest a new direction. Pianist Michael Kanan and bassist Neal Miner have been playing together in New York for over 30 years, and for the last 11 years have been in the group of vocal great Jane Monheit. Guitarist Greg Ruggiero completes the trio with his rich, warm sound and lyrical style. The group has a telepathic rapport creates a sound both historic and very much of the moment. They often perform at Mezzrow, the famous Greenwich Village club, where they made two live recordings. The trio also performs at The Django (in the Roxy Hotel), and Birdland. $30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum December 20-24 (Tuesday-Saturday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM (12/20-22); 8:30 & 10:30 PM (12/23-24) – Birdland Jazz Club Monty Alexander Trio A master pianist with 70 years in music, Monty Alexander is a jazz legend. Named the 5th greatest jazz pianist in history in Hal Leonard’s Fifty Greatest Jazz Piano Players of All Time, Alexander’s achievements have earned him the highest honors: native Jamaica granted him the title of Commander in the Order of Distinction; Institute of Jamaica awarded him the Musgrave Medal; and the University of the West Indies bestowed upon him an honorary doctorate. What makes this 23-time guest of the Montreux Jazz Festival such a beloved figure? According to him, it is his insatiable capacity “to build up the heat and kick up a storm”—a joyful skill that has been recorded on over 70 discs as a leader. He is sure to uplift his listeners this week at Birdland. $40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum December 20-25 (Tuesday-Sunday) 5:30 PM – Birdland Jazz Club “A Swinging Birdland Christmas” with Klea Blackhurst, Jim Caruso & Billy Stritch The 13th year of “A Swinging Birdland Christmas” will star Birdland regulars Klea Blackhurst, Jim Caruso and Billy Stritch. The trio is also releasing a Deluxe Edition of their popular album, “Christmas at Birdland, ”produced by Wayne Haun on the Club44 Records label. In the tradition of beloved seasonal specials, Blackhurst, Caruso and Stritch perform swinging arrangements of “The Christmas Waltz, ” Kay Thompson’s “The Holiday Season, ” “Sleigh Ride, ” “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm, ” “Snow, ” and “It Happened In Sun Valley, ” among other favorites.The show will also include a musical tribute to Birdland regular Freddy Cole, who was also a holiday tradition. The singers will be joined by Steve Doyle on bass and Daniel Glass on drums. $30 cover, $10 food/drink minimum December 22-25 (Thursday-Sunday) 8:30 PM (12/22); 7:00 & 9:30 PM (12/23-25) – Birdland Theater Christmas with Champian This Christmas, celebrate with something special–and something special indeed is Champian Fulton, singer and pianist par excellence. Daughter of trumpeter Stephen Fulton, Champian grew up inside the world of jazz, and as she grew she developed a swinging sound on the piano and a voice beyond her years—a sound reminiscent of the old master vocalists. Named the Hot House Readers Poll 2019 Pianist and Vocalist of the Year, and with 14 albums to her name, she is understandably a Birdland fan favorite. Fulton returns to the jazz club for three nights culminating in a Christmas night celebration that will leave you grinning from ear to ear. Enjoy Champian’s latest album, Live From Lockdown, with her father Stephen Fulton, for a taste of this great artist’s style. $30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum December 26 (Monday) 5:30 PM, 8:00 PM and 10:00 PM - Birdland Jazz Club Our Sinatra: A Musical Celebration Our Sinatra returns to Birdland to celebrate the music of Frank Sinatra. Three performers playfully interact with one another, sharing their joy and passion for this great music as they lovingly sing the hits of Sinatra, individually and in combination, taking the audience back to relive memories. The show includes over 50 songs interspersed with witty banter and humor. The show covers Sinatra’s entire musical cannon from the classic ballads of the ‘40s to the saloon and torch songs, the ‘50s and ‘60s swingers and the all-time hits. Our Sinatra steers clear of imitation and impersonation as these accomplished performers deliver the great music of Sinatra. The New York Times calls Our Sinatra “an utterly winning tribute to Ol’ Blue Eyes” and “superior entertainment.” After two sold-out national tours, and a recent successful limited engagement at the Birdland, Our Sinatra will celebrate 1500 performances Off Broadway and its 20th anniversary. Directed by Kurt Stamm, the production team also includes Richard Maltby, Jr. (Production Supervisor). $40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum December 26 (Monday) 8:30 PM - Birdland Theater Tadd Dameron: A Celebration of Songs (Album Release Show) Tadd’s All, Folks! That’s the name of the latest recording by a marvelous collective of musicians led by veteran bari saxophonist Gary Smulyan: Matt Wilson (drums), Ugonna Okegwo (bass), Pete Maliverni (piano), and featured guest Anais Reno (vocals). Honoring the colorful music of bebop genius Tadd Dameron, this group hits the Birdland Theater stage for one night to celebrate their new album which sets the music of Dameron to lyrics. Swinging is an understatement for these folks—and tadd’s all she wrote! $30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum December 27-31 Birdland Big Band (Tuesday-Saturday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM (12/27-29); 5:30 & 8:30 & 10:30 PM (12/30); 8:00 & 10:30 PM (12/31) – Birdland Jazz Club Few can lead you into the new year better than the Birdland Big Band. An exhilarating ensemble praised for its ability to switch between multiple musical universes at the drop of a hat, Birdland’s very own comes out roaring to end this year with a bang. Comprised of New York’s premier jazz talent, the band that Time Out New York called “a completely unique experience“ seamlessly transitions between classic jazz, Brazilian, and funk styles, all with saxophonist and director David DeJesus—a New York jazz veteran and who also serves as the director of SUNY Purchase’s Latin Jazz Orchestra—effortlessly leading the way. Audiences will delight as this stellar cast rings in the dawn of a great 2023. 12/27-30: $50 tables / $40 bar + $20 food/drink minimum 12/31, 8:00 PM: $75 tables / $50 bar + $20 food/drink minimum 12/31, 10:30 PM: $150 tables / $50 bar + $20 food/drink minimum December 29 - January 1 (Thursday-Sunday) 8:30 PM (12/29); 7:00 & 9:30 PM (12/30); 7:00 & 11:00 PM (12/31); 7:00 & 9:30 PM (1/1) – Birdland Theater Marilyn Maye What do these three scenes have in common? 1) Steve Allen discovers a young singer at The Colony in Kansas City and presents her to a national audience. 2) Johnny Carson tells America on live TV, “And that, young singers, is the way it’s done.” 3) Standing room only audiences gather for a recent 8-day engagement of: “Her Way: A Salute To Sinatra.” The answer? They all depend on the talent of musical legend Marilyn Maye. A treasure of American song with 76 appearances on The Tonight Show, a 1966 Grammy nomination for Best New Artist, and lifetime achievement awards from both the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame and the American Jazz Museum, Maye will lead audiences into the New Year with the grace that she has brought to her jaw-dropping performances for the past eighty—yes, eighty—years on stage. Without question, these will be nights to remember. 12/29-30, 8:30 PM: $50 tables / $40 bar + $20 food/drink minimum 12/31, 7:00 & 11:00 PM: Tiered Seating $75-150 tables / $75 bar + $20 food/drink minimum 1/1, 7:00 & 9:30 PM: $50 tables / $40 bar + $20 food/drink minimum Monthly Engagements: December 5, 12, 19 (Mondays except 12/26) 9:30 PM - Birdland Jazz Club Jim Caruso’s Cast Party “Jim Caruso’s Cast Party, ” a New York institution for almost two decades, is a wildly popular weekly open mic night/variety show that has brought a sprinkling of Broadway glitz and urbane wit to Birdland since 2004. Called “show-business heaven” by The New York Times and “the gold-standard of open mic nights” by The Wall Street Journal, “Cast Party” will take advantage of the city’s post-pandemic nightlife renaissance to keep presenting a potent mix of Broadway stars, jazz swingers and cabaret legends, in addition to new faces and rising talent from every genre. The buoyant, sharp and charming Caruso guides the entire affair, while musical genius Billy Stritch (Liza Minnelli, Tony Bennett) holds court at the ivories and leads the Cast Party Symphony Orchestra (Steve Doyle on bass and Daniel Glass on drums). $30 + $20 food/drink minimum December 6, 13, 20, 27 (Tuesdays) 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks Catch Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks at their 7-week Tuesday night residency at the Birdland Theater. Giordano, the recipient of a GRAMMY Award for his work scoring the HBO show Boardwalk Empire, is a master composer and arranger whose 11-piece band, The Nighthawks, recreate the jubilant 1920s jazz sound with amazing definition, using violins, tubas, banjos, and collector’s item drum sets. The band has provided soundtracks for film and television productions including The Cotton Club, The Aviator, Finding Forrester, Revolutionary Road, Cafe Society, Boardwalk Empire, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and many more. Not to be missed! $30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum December 7, 14, 21, 28 (Wednesdays) 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 December 7, 14, 21, 28 (Wednesdays) 8:30 PM - Birdland Theater 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 at 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 Trio, featuring bassist Gary Mazzaroppi and drummer Vince Cherico, will perform tunes from the standard repertoire, inviting up a rotation of special guests: "Sadowsky Players Night" featuring Jimmy Bruno (12/7), Harry Allen (12/14), Pasquale Grasso and Rodney Jones (12/21), Karrin Allyson and Ken Peplowski (12/28) $30 tables; $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum December 2, 9, 16 (Fridays except 12/23—And headlining from 12/27-12/31) 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 December 3, 10, 17 (Saturdays except 12/24, 31) 5:30 PM - Birdland Jazz Club Eric Comstock & Barbara Fasano Hailed as “the truest heir to Bobby Short” in The New York Times, pianist/singer Eric Comstock returns to Birdland with star bassist/composer Sean Smith with songs by everyone from George Gershwin to George Harrison. These two masters met on the Off-Broadway hit Our Sinatra (which Eric co-wrote) and have since worked separately and together around the world. Vocalist Barbara Fasano joins them at Birdland for a swinging Saturday supper where the music and stories are equally great. Sean Smith has been an integral part of the international jazz scene for over 25 years, and has performed with Gerry Mulligan, Phil Woods, Benny Carter, Art Farmer, Flip Phillips, Clark Terry and many others. Barbara Fasano has been praised as “a gorgeous, soulful singer who has an actor’s intensity in whatever she sings” by The New York Post and “a lyrically sensitive interpreter” by The New York Times. Her latest album Busy Being Free is the recipient of the MAC Award for “Major Recording of the Year.” $30 + $20 food/drink minimum December 6, 11, 18, 25 (Sundays) 8:30 & 10:30 PM - Birdland Jazz Club Arturo O’Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra 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 write your comments about the article :: © 2022 Jazz News :: home page |