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| Live at Birdland Jazz Club and Birdland Theater: August 2023 August 1-5 (Tuesday-Saturday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM (8/1-3); 5:30, 8:30 & 10:30 PM (8/4); 8:30 & 10:30 PM (8/5) – Birdland Jazz Club Birdland Big Band *New Release Preview 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. This week, they headline. Expect some featured guest artists who drop in weekly from iconic television bands (David Letterman, Saturday Night Live) and touring pop 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!" $40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum August 3 (Thursday) 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater The McKrells Celtic bluegrass band The McKrells is internationally renowned as a seminal group of the genre. Rising to fame in the 1980s, the group spins brilliant four-part harmony across its members, each of whom belongs on a "who's who" of North Country roots music. Besides the top bluegrass festivals around the world, the band has performed at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln center; its members include guitarist Peter Pashoukos, percussionist Brian Melick, fiddler Frank Orsini, banjoist Scott Hopkins and bassist Arlin Greene, as well as the legendary Kevin McKrell (who founded the groundbreaking and highly influential American Celtic outfit, Donnybrook Fair before The McKrells). Fun, soulful, and virtuosic, this band is as engaging as it is iconic. A special treat in the Theater, not to be missed. $30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum August 4-6 (Friday-Sunday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM - Birdland Theater Wycliffe Gordon Quartet Widely regarded as one of the foremost voices on trombone in the world today, the great Wycliffe Gordon brings his Quartet to Birdland for a weekend of good old New Orleans fun. The trombonist-composer has been presented with some of the jazz's highest distinctions: the 2019 Sonny Award from Suncoast Jazz; the 2018 "Louie Award" by the Louis Armstrong House Museum; the 2017 International Trombone Association Award; the 2017, 2016, 2015, and 2014 ASCAP Plus Awards for his composing; Downbeat Magazine's "Best Trombone" Award in 2020, 2018, 2016, 2014, 2013 and 2012; and the Jazz Journalists Association "Trombonist of the Year" Award a whopping 14 times. His signature artistry is a combination of impossible technique, jubilant swagger, and soul-drenched expression. $30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum August 6 (Sunday) 5:30 PM – Birdland Jazz Club Jumaane Smith Quartet Seventeen years the trumpeter of choice for crooner icon Michael Buble, Jumaane Smith has debonair presence, authentic spirit, and a whole lot of experience to boot. Smith's combination of elegant trumpet playing and charming vocals makes his performances engaging and fun, with an emphasis on singability, the beauty of a note, and the joy of jazz rhythm. Smith has performed on 5 GRAMMY Award-winning records (selling more than 60 million copies), two Emmy Award-nominated TV performances, the GRAMMY Awards with Stevie Wonder, in Steven Spielberg's West Side Story (as a trumpet solo actor), at the White House, on the Today Show, Tonight Show, Oprah, Good Morning America, and American Idol—as well as his 17 years with Buble—but in his own work, he never strays far from this tradition of classic showmanship. $30 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum August 7 (Monday) 7:00 PM – Birdland Jazz Club Klea Blackhurst and Billy Stritch – "Dreaming of a Song: The Music of Hoagy Carmichael" Vocalist Klea Blackhurst and singer/pianist Billy Stritch return in their acclaimed show "Dreaming of a Song: The Music of Hoagy Carmichael." These two powerhouse performers reunite to bring The duo has mined the Carmichael catalog to unearth lesser-known gems as well as beloved treasures such as "Skylark, " "Georgia On My Mind" and "Stardust." You won't want to miss this "remarkably entertaining show with all the Heart and Soul of the legendary composer himself" (Theatre Scene). Blackhurst is an actress, singer and comedienne known for her award-winning tribute to Ethel Merman, Everything the Traffic Will Allow. She starred in Hazel during its world premiere production at Drury Lane in Chicago, as Dolly Levi in the highly acclaimed 50th Anniversary production of Hello, Dolly! at The Goodspeed Opera House, and as Miss Lemon in The Nutty Professor, directed by Jerry Lewis and featuring a score by Marvin Hamlisch and Rupert Holmes. She's performed with symphony orchestras and in theatrical productions across the country and abroad including the London Palladium presentation of Jerry Herman's Broadway with Angela Lansbury, Carnegie Hall, and The Chicago Humanities Festival. Stritch is one of the premier singer-pianists on the New York and national jazz and cabaret scenes. In addition to his 25-year collaboration with Liza Minnelli, Billy recently toured with the legendary Tony Bennett as Tony's pianist and musical director. A solo entertainer in his own right, he has performed his own shows (including tributes to Mel Tormé and Cy Coleman) in concert halls and nightclubs across the country. Billy also serves as musical director for such leading vocalists as Linda Eder, Christine Ebersole and Linda Lavin. He has recorded five solo CDs and his latest CD release "Billy's Place" (Club44 Records). $40 tables / $40 bar + $20 food/drink minimum August 8-12 (Tuesday-Saturday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM (8/8-10); 8:30 & 10:30 PM (8/11-12) – Birdland Jazz Club Duke Robillard and Scott Hamilton: "Swingin' Again" Blues guitarist Duke Robillard & Tenor sax giant Scott Hamilton, together with the Duke Robillard Band present a set of classic jazz and blues that are bound to make you tap your feet entitled, "Swingin' Again." The group features trumpeter Jon-Erik Kellso and guitarist Chris Flory. Robillard and Hamilton became friends when they were still youngsters growing up in Rhode Island. Robillard has made a name for himself as a founding member of Roomful of Blues and has since established an impressive solo career with his group, The Pleasure Kings. He also spent a few years playing guitar for The Fabulous Thunderbirds. Scott Hamilton has kept the classic tenor tradition alive. Although he broke into the jazz scene in the 1970s, during the height of fusion, Hamilton was intent on maintaining the more traditional styles of players like Ben Webster, Illinois Jacquet, and Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis. As Robillard once said, "Of all the musicians I know, Scott is not just the keeper of the flame, but actually the flame itself." $40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum August 10 (Thursday) 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater Daryl Sherman & Jay Leonhart Duo Rhode Island born Daryl Sherman has been a part of the New York City jazz scene since the mid-70s and she is one of the rare singing pianists equally talented in both roles. When Artie Shaw formed a new band after his retirement, Sherman was his chosen singer, calling her “a first rate singer–musician.” Her albums are in regular rotation on Cable TV's Music Choice, Sirius/XM Radio, BBC, JazzRadio Berlin and she’s been a frequent guest on NPR’s “Piano Jazz.” Bassist, singer and songwriter Jay Leonhart is both a veteran instrumentalist and an inspiring, storied vocal performer. With decades of accomplishments on his musical resume just as a bassist—including acts so varied as Tony Bennett, Ozzy Osbourne, James Taylor, Thad Jones, and Queen Latifah—Leonhart surprises many a musician with his disarming vocals and his smart, often humorous original songs. Named The Most Valuable Bassist in the recording industry three times by the National Association of Recording Arts and Sciences between 1975 and 1995, he is sure to move and entertain his audience—this time in duo format with Sherman. $30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum August 11-13 (Friday-Sunday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM - Birdland Theater Vanessa Rubin A singer with a robust sound, a storyteller’s smile, and an ear for classic jazz, Rubin treats audiences to real deal, swinging music. Indeed, her latest release, 2019’s The Dream Is You: Vanessa Rubin Sings Tadd Dameron, received a nomination for Outstanding Jazz Album at the 2020 NAACP Image Awards, and so this vocalist—who has released 8 studio albums—continues to swing audiences into the night with her easygoing presentation and her clear tone. Rubin’s earliest recordings reached #1 spots on radio and featured Frank Foster, Cecil Bridgewater, Kenny Burrell, and Grover Washington, among other jazz greats. In 2011 she received a nomination for the Kevin Klein Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical for her work in the one-woman show Yesterdays: An Evening with Billie Holiday. Enjoy Ms. Rubin’s stylings for three nights—sultry, swinging, and full of life—at Birdland Theater. $30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum August 13 (Sunday) 5:30 PM – Birdland Jazz Club Sean Nelson’s New London Jazz Orchestra ft. Wayne Bergeron and John Riley Catch this special performance of a hip new big band featuring two master musicians! Comprised of New England’s finest jazz artists, the 17-piece New London Big Band established its beginnings performing swinging classics from the repertoire of Maynard Ferguson, Sammy Nestico/Count Basie, Duke Ellington, the Buddy Rich Big Band, and other great ensembles. For this engagement at Birdland, they explore the long lost—but recently discovered!—music of Harry James, penned for him by the legendary Thad Jones. Playing the role of James in this exciting proposition is the great Wayne Bergeron, the iconic trumpet player of both Maynard Ferguson and Los Angeles session fame. In the drum chair will sit John Riley, the 33-year-tenured drummer for the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra. This new project comes after 2022’s Social Hour!, which saw the ensemble venturing into uncharted territory, performing a wide variety of original music that draws from across genres. Under direction of its founder, the multi-award-winning trombonist Sean Nelson, the band recently won “Best Jazz Band” for CTNOW’s Best of Hartford. Don’t miss this fresh new ensemble! $30 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum August 14 (Monday) 7:00 PM – Birdland Jazz Club Matt Baker & Luke Hawkins – “The Buddy Boys Take Birdland” Join jazz pianist Matt Baker and tapper/singer Luke Hawkins, along with a few talented friends for an exciting night of music, magic and a little mayhem. Matt Baker performs regularly as a sideman at jazz venues including Birdland and The Blue Note, tours both within the USA and internationally as a bandleader and sideman and has released 6 albums, his latest a DVD album Live at Birdland. In 2019 Matt premiered his new project “A Rhapsody of Gershwin, ” presenting a new spin on the music of one of America’s most celebrated composers. Baker’s sideman credits include touring and performing with vocalists Jennifer Holliday, Vanessa Williams, Patti LaBelle, Veronica Swift, Tierney Sutton, and Judy Collins. He won the 2003 Montreux International Solo Jazz Piano competition. Luke Hawkins is a NYC based tap dancer and choreographer. He performed in and choreographed the Broadway show, Harry Connick Jr.- A Tribute to Cole Porter and has choreographed Connick and performed alongside him at The Hollywood Bowl, La Seine Musicale in Paris, the Palladium in London, and more. Luke’s theatre credits include the Broadway production of Xanadu, Cirque du Soleil's Banana Shpeel (NYC) and Joya (Cancun, Mexico) as well as New York City Center Encores! productions of No, No, Nanette; Gentlemen Prefer Blondes; and On Your Toes. His TV and film credits include tap dancing alongside Channing Tatum in the Coen Brothers’ HailCaesar, the 2015 TonyAwards, “Gossip Girl, ” “America's Got Talent, ” “The Colbert Report, ” “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, ” the 2021 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and Annie Live. $30 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum August 15-19 (Tuesday-Saturday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM (8/15-17); 8:30 & 10:30 PM (8/18-19) – Birdland Jazz Club Cindy Blackman Santana Band One of jazz’s superstar drummers, Cindy Blackman Santana has performed and recorded with Lenny Kravitz (for no less than 17 years), Carlos Santana (for the last 13 years), Pharoah Sanders, Bill Laswell, Joss Stone, Joe Henderson, Don Pullen, Hugh Masakela and others legends. Her powerhouse, fire-breathing style, deeply devoted to the innovations of Miles Davis drummer and jazz-rock fusion trailblazer Tony Williams, has been recorded on nearly 100 albums, including 11 as a leader. Her latest recording, Give The Drummer Some, features Santana, John McGlaughlin, Vernon Reid (Living Colour) and other greats. Do not miss this icon in this 5-night stint. With Emilio Modeste (sax), Felix Pastorius (electric bass), Marc Cary (keyboards), David Gilmore (electric guitar). $40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum August 17 (Thursday) 8:30 PM - Birdland Theater Joie Bianco and Friends After two sold-out solo performances, “Joie Bianco and Friends” makes a comeback to showcase Bianco’s own arrangements of favorite standards, debuting vocal trio/duo arrangements as well as debuting some of her original lyrics. Bianco will be joined by talented musicians and friends she’s befriended during her four years of music school. With Eric Stern on piano, Blake Aldridge on bass and Henry Mohr on drums, hear Joie’s take on sassy up-tempos, the blues, and heart-wrenching ballads as a vehicle to tell stories from a young woman’s perspective on life. Bianco is a 22 year-old jazz singer from NYC and recently received her degree in jazz vocal performance at the University of Miami, Frost School of Music. Joie has appeared in many of NYC’s jazz and cabaret clubs, including Jazz at Lincoln Center, Birdland and Carnegie Hall. Joie was the 2019 winner in the jazz vocal category in Young Arts, and the recipient of the 2023 DownBeat Student Music Award for Best Solo Jazz Vocalist. Stephen Holden of The New York Times referred to her as a “prodigious discovery.” $30 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum August 18-20 (Friday-Sunday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM - Birdland Theater Benny Green Solo With every note, the amazing Benny Green—a modern master of piano—honors his musical mentors: Art Blakey, Betty Carter, Freddie Hubbard, Ray Brown, and Oscar Peterson, all of whom he performed and recorded with extensively. A beloved child of the 1980s and 90s New York scene, Green’s ultra-swinging, bluesy approach is a developed combination of his all-hearing ears, joyous commitment to jazz, and humbling mastery of both harmony and piano—not to mention his rhythmic slickness and his seemingly endless capacity to generate fresh ideas. He performs solo for three nights. $30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum August 19 (Saturday) 5:30 PM - Birdland Jazz Club Champian Fulton Duo with Hide Tanaka A great jazz singer is something special, and something special indeed is Champian Fulton. Daughter of trumpeter Stephen Fulton, Champian grew up inside the world of music, 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 more than 15 albums to her name, she is understandably a Birdland fan favorite. Fulton recorded “Birdsong” in 2020 with the great bassist and drummer team of Hide Tanaka and Fukushi Tainaka. Her latest album “Meet Me At Birdland” is out now and was recorded live at the famed venue. Here she joins us for a special duo performance with Tanaka. $30 + $20 food/drink minimum August 20 (Sunday) 5:30 PM – Birdland Jazz Club John Yao and His 17-Piece Instrument (JY-17) Plays Bird at Birdland Trombonist and composer John Yao is an award-winning, innovative artist whose work includes five albums as a leader and long-term relationships with some of the best in the business, including the Grammy-winning Vanguard Jazz Orchestra and Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, Paquito D’Rivera, Eddie Palmieri, Danilo Perez, Chris Potter and Kurt Elling, among many others. In possession of a round, warm sound on his instrument and a clear-headed, lyrical approach as a writer, Yao’s own projects have been both small and large, including John Yao and His 17-Piece Instrument as well as his small group, the John Yao Quintet. He serves as a faculty member at both Berklee College of Music and Molloy College. For this Sunday performance at Birdland, Yao plays the music of Charlie “Yardbird” Parker, jazz’s heavenly bebop pioneer for whom Birdland is named. $30 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum August 21 (Monday) 7:00 PM – Birdland Jazz Club Wendy Moten Nashville vocalist Wendy Moten – best known for her 2021 run on NBC’s “The Voice” – returns to the venue following her sold-out debut at Birdland last May and a six-show engagement at Birdland Theater that fall. This performance will feature compositions from Richard Whiting to the Queen of Soul. Most recently Wendy made another appearance on “The Voice” to perform with CeeLo Green for Blake Shelton’s final show. Wendy’s new single “Don’t Give Up” was released earlier this year. At Birdland, she will be joined by Mike Ricchiuti on keyboards, Brian Delaney on drums, David M. Santos on bass, and Paul Livant on guitar. Wendy Moten is a bridge from Memphis to Nashville to the rest of the world. Respected in the music business as a consummate professional for years, the wider public discovered her talent and charm during her remarkable run on NBC’s “The Voice” in 2021. She turned all four judges chairs during her blind audition and ended up as a finalist. A native of Memphis, Wendy sang Pop/R&B on a major label in the ‘90s, then moved to Nashville to become an in-demand harmony singer. She has recorded duets with Michael McDonald, Julio Iglesias, Kirk Whalum, Peabo Bryson, Vince Gill, Keb’ Mo’, Buddy Guy, Paul Brown, John Oates, and others. Wendy has performed as a solo artist on the Grand Ole Opry multiple times and recently with Blake Shelton. $50 tables / $50 bar + $20 food/drink minimum August 22-26 (Tuesday-Saturday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM (8/22-24); 8:30 & 10:30 PM (8/25-26) – Birdland Jazz Club Bird With Strings: Ken Peplowski Quartet & Orchestra with guest Terell Stafford Cleveland native tenor saxophonist and clarinetist Ken Peplowski, "...arguably the greatest living jazz clarinetist, " (BBC) presents "Bird With Strings" a birthday celebration of Bird's best loved album - Charlie Parker with Strings, originally released in 1950. For this special engagement at Birdland the ensemble will perform the recorded arrangements as well as newly discovered and unheard arrangements commissioned by Charlie Parker from his favorite arrangers: Gerry Mulligan, John Carisi, George Russell, John Lewis, Mercer Ellington, Ed Herzog, Neal Hefti. With Ken Peplowski (clarinet), Glenn Zaleski (piano), Peter Washington (bass), and Willie Jones III (drums), plus an 8-piece orchestra featuring guest soloist, Terell Stafford (trumpet). $40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum August 24-27 (Thursday-Sunday) 8:30 PM (8/24); 7:00 & 9:30 PM (8/25-27) – Birdland Theater Charlie Parker Birthday Celebration with David DeJesus Celebrate Charlie “Yardbird” Parker, the giant of American music and namesake of Birdland Jazz Club! To honor this legend, Birdland Theater presents David DeJesus and his ensemble. Alto saxophonist DeJesus is a master musician fluent across Latin, jazz and dozens of other styles. The director of the Birdland Big Band, he has been a fixture on the New York City music scene for three decades, performing with the best of the best: the Village Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, the Mingus Big Band, the Dizzy Gillespie Alumni All-Stars, Ron Carter’s Great Big Band, and Jimmy Heath’s Big Band; the Grammy-nominated Arturo O’Farrill Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, Bobby Sanabria Big Band, Ruben Blades, Larry Harlow, and Gilberto Santa Rosa. DeJesus is also a passionate educator, serving as Professor of Jazz Studies at SUNY Purchase and directing the conservatory’s Latin Jazz Orchestra. $30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum August 27 (Sunday) 5:30 PM – Birdland Jazz Club Yardbird Big Band August 29th, 1920 was American music hero Charlie “Yardbird” Parker’s birthday. One hundred and three Augusts later, Birdland celebrates Parker’s life and legacy with a slew of performances dedicated to Bird’s genius. Join the Yardbird Big Band, directed by David DeJesus, on August 27th for a tribute to the great master’s music. This band brings together some of the best musicians in New York City to play Bird’s songs, and DeJesus—an expert on the life of Charlie Parker—will guide audiences through this evening of iconic music. The songs may be classic, but the arrangements are fresh. Enjoy the Yardbird Big Band! $30 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum August 28 (Monday) 7:00 PM – Birdland Jazz Club Cashino with Susie Mosher and John Boswell “Cashino, ” the long-running LA and NYC cult hit, stars Susie Mosher (Hairspray and host of Birdland’s “The Lineup”) and recording artist John Boswell as Pepper Cole and Johnny Niagra in a special concert version of the critically acclaimed multimedia musical show. “Cashino” began in the early 2000s with a series of short films about the lives of two legendary singers and their continuing struggle to become internet entrepreneurs. Since then, Johnny and Pepper have entertained audiences on both coasts with high energy, high strung and emotionally charged live sets. Known for seamlessly blending ‘80s pop/rock with classic show tunes, medleys include: “The Queen & I, ” “Midler On the Roof, ” “Chicago” and “The Prince & The Poppins.” After 10 years of vocal rest, Johnny and Pepper are back and ready to rock your world! Pianist John Boswell has served as musical director for Judy Collins, Andy Williams, Bob Newhart, Faith Prince, Carmen Cusack, and more. John played the role of “Moose” in the national tour of Crazy for You and has appeared on “The Tonight Show, ” “Today Show, ” “General Hospital” and was the piano playing hands of Nancy McKeon on “The Facts of Life.” Susie Mosher has been performing professionally since she was sixteen in the west coast premiere of Godspell. Nightclubs, theater, television and movies have been along her checkered path, including films “View from the Top, ” “It’s Pat, ” and “The Wedding Planner.” She has been seen on TV in “Beverly Hills 90210, ” “The L Word, ” and “Nurse Jackie.” Susie played Prudy Pingleton in Hairspray for the last two years of its run on Broadway. $35 tables / $35 bar + $20 food/drink minimum August 29 - September 2 (Tuesday-Saturday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM (8/29-31); 8:30 & 10:30 PM (9/1-2) – Birdland Jazz Club Catherine Russell Internationally-renowned vocalist Catherine Russell is jazz royalty. Her grandfather, Elisha Ray, graduated from Juilliard in 1925 and performed with Harlem Renaissance legend James Reese Europe. Her mother, vocalist Carline Ray, toured with the International Sweethearts of Rhythm and attended The Juilliard School and Manhattan School of Music in the 1950s. And her father, Luis Russell, was Louis Armstrong’s musical director. Born into the music, Ms. Russell possesses an easy feeling and genuine soulfulness, documented on seven acclaimed recordings under her own name and over 200 recordings for and with other major artists. Her two most recent albums as a leader—2019’s Alone Together and 2016’s Harlem on My Mind—received Grammy nominations for Best Jazz Vocal Album. 2014’s Bring It Back (Jazz Village) received a rare 5-star rating from Downbeat Magazine. Russell’s style tastefully mixes early Harlem jazz stylings and American Songbook gems with New Orleans music and country blues stylings. Last year, for Valentine’s week, Russell celebrated the release of her latest recording, Send For Me (Dot Time). Well, she’s back—and the feeling of romance is still hanging in the air. $40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum August 31 (Thursday) 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater Cady Huffman and Mary Ann McSweeney – “Just Play” Tony winner Cady Huffman and jazz and Broadway bass player Mary Ann McSweeney are two veteran performers who love playing music. “Just Play” explains their need to come together and play during the pandemic…and what they discovered along the way. Combining voice with bass, and whatever else strikes their fancy, the duo will pirouette from Peggy Lee to Jimi Hendrix, with a promise that nothing is off-limits. Cady Huffman started playing the Euphonium in 3rd grade, eventually putting it aside in favor of high kicks and belting out show tunes. In recent years she has taught herself the ukulele, couching the high kicks and refining her vocals to include her softer side. Influenced by Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, and Blossom Dearie, she infuses her music with a huge heart, humor and megawatt smile. Ms. Huffman won the 2001 Tony Award for playing "Ulla" in The Producers. She was nominated for an Outer Critics' Circle Award for The Nance, and nominated for a Tony Award for The Will Rogers Follies. She also appeared on Broadway in La Cage Aux Folles, Steel Pier, Dame Edna: The Royal Tour and Big Deal. Mary Ann McSweeney has played with jazz legends Dizzy Gillespie, Joanne Brackeen, Lee Konitz, Gil Goldstein and Bucky Pizzarelli. She has played for famous conductors Leonard Bernstein, Lalo Schifrin, and John Williams. As a freelance bassist she has played 45 different Broadway and Off- Broadway productions. She continues to compose and arrange music for her “Urban Fado” project and is looking forward to recording her Urban Fado Project II. $40 tables / $40 bar + $20 food/drink minimum Monthly Engagements: August 7, 14, 21, 28 (Mondays) 5:30 & 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks Catch Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks every Monday evening in August at 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 August 7, 14, 21, 28 (Mondays) 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 August 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 (Tuesdays) 5:30 PM - Birdland Theater Nicole Zuraitis A Grammy-nominated musician, powerhouse vocalist, and New York-based bandleader, Nicole Zuraitis continues to establish herself as an undeniable force in the modern jazz landscape of both NYC and beyond. Nicole is the premier vocalist for both the Birdland Big Band and the Dan Pugach Nonet; her co-produced collaboration “Oil on Water: How Love Begins” with bassist Christian McBride is set to release in 2023. Nicole’s touring ensemble, Generations Of Her: Women Songwriters and Lyricists of the Last 100 Years, has played to sold-out houses in NYC and around the country. As a recording artist, Nicole has released four albums as leader, including 2020’s All Wandering Hearts on Dot Time Records. In 2019, Nicole was nominated for a Grammy alongside her husband, renowned drummer and bandleader Dan Pugach, for their arrangement and performance of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene.” Nicole has won awards including the New York City Songwriting Competition Coffee Music Project (2016), the Herb Alpert ASCAP Young Composer Award (2014), and the Gold Medal, Ben Tucker Jazz Award, People’s Choice, and Johnny Mercer Award. In 2015, Nicole was the second runner-up in the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition. $20 + $20 food/drink minimum August 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 (Tuesdays) 8:30 PM - Birdland Theater The Lineup with Susie Mosher “The Lineup with Susie Mosher” is a wild, anything-goes variety show featuring entertainers from the Broadway, cabaret and comedy scenes, ranging from today’s hottest headliners to the best up-and-coming stars of tomorrow. Mosher – the noted actress and singer from Broadway and beyond, called “one of those talents you need to see to believe” by Time Out New York – hosts the spontaneous extravaganza every Tuesday, and each Lineup is unique and promises to deliver an unforgettable night of quintessential New York City entertainment. $20 + $20 food/drink minimum August 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 (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 August 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 (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 Quartet, featuring bassist Gary Mazzaroppi, drummer Vince Cherico, and pianist Ted Rosenthal, will perform tunes from the standard repertoire, with special guests: Dave Stryker (8/2), Mike Stern, Pasquale Grasso, Jimmy Bruno (8/9), Ted Rosenthal (8/16), Sheryl Bailey (8/23), Karrin Allyson (8/30). *Guitar night streams live every week at YouTube.com/RadioFreeBirdland $30 tables; $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum August 11, 18, 25 (Fridays) 5:30 PM - Birdland Jazz Club The Birdland Big Band Every Friday, and for two headlining weeks a year—including the first whole week of August—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 August 5, 12, 26 (Saturdays except 8/19) 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 August 6, 13, 20, 27 (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. write your comments about the article :: © 2023 Jazz News :: home page |