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| Live at Birdland Jazz Club and Birdland Theater: September 2023 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, Valentine's Day or not, the feeling of romance is still hanging in the air. With Catherine Russell (vocals), Sean Mason (piano), Matt Munisteri (guitar), Tal Ronen (bass), Mark McLean (drums). $45 tables / $35 bar + $20 food/drink minimum September 1-3 (Friday-Sunday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM - Birdland Theater Miki Yamanaka Trio With Miki Yamanaka (piano), Jeff Tain Watts (drums), Tyrone Allan (bass). One of the best jazz piano players working in New York today, Miki Yamanaka is the favorite of Antonio Hart, Roxy Coss, Larry Goldings, Frank Lacy, Philip Harper and plenty of other revered musicians. Her powerful and elegant style is deeply rooted in the tradition of jazz piano while extending far beyond mere cliches. During the pandemic, Miki launched Miki's Mood, which became a popular livestream series from her apartment featuring husband and frequent collaborator Jimmy MacBride on drums with a host of New York's most amazing musicians joining in. She released Miki in 2018 (Cellar Live), Human Dust Suite in 2020 (Outside In), and Stairway to the Stars in 2021 (Outside In) featuring the great bassist Orlando Le Fleming and modern saxophone legend Mark Turner. Her new album comes out September 8th: a trio recording entitled Shades of Rainbow. $30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum September 3 (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 September 4 (Monday) 7:00 PM – Birdland Jazz Club Nicole Zuraitis - "How Love Begins" Album Release with special guest Christian McBride Grammy-nominated jazz singer-songwriter, pianist, arranger and vocalist, and winner of the prestigious 2021 American Traditions Vocal Competition Gold Medal, Nicole Zuraitis presents How Love Begins. Co-produced by bass luminary Christian McBride, How Love Begins is an ardent, vulnerable and relatable meditation on modern love that solidifies Zuraitis' stature as one of the pre-eminent songwriters of our time. Alongside Zuraitis' soaring vocals and pianistic refrains, this once in a lifetime concert of How Love Begins will features McBride on the bass and guitar virtuoso Gilad Hekselman as special guests, with Miki Hayama on organ and Dan Pugach on drums. Besides leading her quartet, Nicole is the premier vocalist for the Birdland Big Band and frequently headlines iconic NYC jazz clubs like Dizzy's Club at Lincoln Center, Birdland, the Blue Note, the Carlyle, and 54 Below. She has appeared as a featured soloist with the Savannah Philharmonic, Asheville Symphony and other noted pops orchestras, as well as supported on piano and vocals iconic singers such as Morgan James, Darren Criss and Livingston Taylor. $30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum September 5-9 (Tuesday-Saturday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM (9/5-7); 8:30 & 10:30 PM (9/8-9) – Birdland Jazz Club Emmet Cohen Trio Virtuoso pianist Emmet Cohen has taken the jazz world by storm. When the pandemic caused a lockdown in March 2020, the pianist—Cole Porter Fellow of the American Pianists Association, 1st prize winner of the 2019 American Pianists Awards, and Finalist in the 2011 Thelonious Monk International Piano Competition—decided to begin filming concerts from his Harlem apartment, calling them "Live From Emmet's Place" and featuring his trio of bassist Russell Hall and drummer Kyle Poole with special guest friends. The series became an instant hit; now, with over 1, 000, 000 views across more than 300 high-production videos, Emmet's Place is a (literal) household name in jazz. He brings his new trio to Birdland for the week. $40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum September 6 (Wednesday) 8:30 PM - Birdland Theater Roni Ben-Hur Quartet Roni Ben-Hur is a "limber and inventive guitarist" who "keeps the modernist flame alive and pure, " says the preeminent Gary Giddins of Village Voice. What is it that makes Ben-Hur's sound so fulfilling to listen to? It could be his swing feeling, matured during his tenure with piano master Barry Harris; perhaps it's his nimble touch, honed through his work with Brazilian vocal giant Leny Andrade; or could it be his compositional acumen, nodding to his collaborations with Marcos Valle, Sheila Jordan, or Frank Wess. Whatever secret hides in Ben-Hur's musicianship, his connection with audiences is apparent. Strong melodic lines, an uplifting energy, and a musician's dedication to a vast, world-spanning repertoire define this pure-toned six-stringer's musical identity. Come to Birdland Theater to hear his quartet for one night only. $30 tables; $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum September 7 (Thursday) 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater Celebrating the Slide Hampton Octet The late master trombonist Slide Hampton passed away in November of 2021. In homage to his artistry, veteran drummer Charles Ruggierio and top-call saxophonist Frank Basile bring together an octet to play Hampton's famous 8-piece orchestrations of the 1950s and 60s. The band recorded together in 2019, bringing these great arrangements to life for an album entitled Slide's Blues (SmallsLive) which featured the great Hampton himself on two tracks. Slide no longer being with us, the musicians join forces again to honor his life, his legacy, and his amazing music. $30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum September 8-10 (Friday-Sunday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM - Birdland Theater Geoffrey Keezer Trio with John Patitucci and Clarence Penn Hired as an 18-year-old by jazz legend Art Blakey, the virtuoso pianist Geoff Keezer has lived out star-studded life in music. Stints with Ray Brown, Joshua Redman, Diana Krall, Art Farmer, Benny Golson and Barbara Hendricks in his 20s, and subsequent tours with Wayne Shorter, Dianne Reeves, David Sanborn, Chris Botti, Sting, Joe Locke and Christian McBride have made this artist a top name for the modern age. Keezer’s music is found on primetime TV and in cinema; he sits on faculty at The Juilliard School. His is an inventive, lyrical, and worldly piano style, with influences from Hawaiian and Afro-Peruvian traditions; indeed, his album Áurea (ArtistShare, 2009) was nominated for a Best Latin Jazz Album GRAMMY. With a breathtaking technique and an effusive pianistic personality, Keezer brings audiences to their feet—as he will surely do on this weekend engagement at Birdland Theater. With Geoffrey Keezer (piano), John Patitucci (bass), Clarence Penn (drums). $30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum September 10 (Sunday) 5:30 PM – Birdland Jazz Club The Modern Martinis Led by the musical power-couple of Melanie Goerlitz and Darin Brown, The Modern Martinis offer their audiences a pared-down sound: simple, pure, melodic jazz with a finger-popping beat and a warm, vintage feeling. In their trademark easygoing style, they present a vast and engaging repertoire, from Cole Porter to Amy Winehouse, with a personal twist. This husband and wife, piano and vocals team have an undeniable chemistry; classics like “Cheek to Cheek, ” “La Vie en Rose, ” and “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love” will get audiences smiling and tapping their toes. Join them for a feel-good early Sunday evening performance. $30 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum September 11 (Monday) 7:00 PM – Birdland Jazz Club Richard Cortez A leader in the new crop of vocal talents emerging from the New York City jazz scene, Richard Cortez’s golden voice handles the Great American Songbook with a deep emotional intelligence, an unbridled passion for song, and—rare and moving—an activist’s relationship to both his material and his audience. Cortez’s openly gay renderings of timeless treasures by Cole Porter, Billie Holiday, Jerome Kern, and so many others deliver sweetness, self-assuredness and disarming vulnerability with a well-timed wit. Splitting his time between a number of weekly residencies at iconic gay venues across the city—among them Club Cumming, Metropolitan Bar, and Rebar—Cortez has focused and refined his artistry while growing his wide fan-base. Recent performances in distinguished productions such as Live at Emmet’s Place with the Emmet Cohen Trio, or Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Jazz at Pride with drummer/bandleader Bryan Carter, have marked the vocalist’s career for success. Don’t miss this already legendary new voice. $30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum September 12-16 (Tuesday-Saturday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM (9/12-14); 8:30 & 10:30 PM (9/15-16) – Birdland Jazz Club The Hot Sardines Stars of the trad-jazz world, The Hot Sardines bring early jazz into the modern day. With their love of classic jazz—jazz that feeds the heart and soul—bandleader Evan Palazzo, lead singer Elizabeth Bougerol and a New York-based ensemble have brought their music across the globe for years. Their brassy horn arrangements, rollicking piano melodies, smooth vocals and love for audience engagement earned them the respect of Downbeat Magazine, who called the group “one of the most delightfully energetic bands on New York’s ‘hot’ music scene.” The Hot Sardines have released eight records since 2011 to critical acclaim. “Everything in our DNA is about connecting with the audience, ” says Bougerol. Make sure not to miss this exciting night! $45 tables / $35 bar + $20 food/drink minimum September 14-17 (Thursday-Sunday) 8:30 PM (9/14); 7:00 & 9:30 PM (9/15-17) – Birdland Theater Champian Fulton 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 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. And with Birdland as her home, it was only fitting for her to record her latest album at the club: 2023’s Meet Me At Birdland. Fulton returns to her favorite jazz club with drummer Fukushi Tainaka and bassist Hide Tanaka, with whom she recorded Birdsong in 2020. $30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum September 17 (Sunday) 5:30 PM – Birdland Jazz Club Livio Almeida Big Band Feat. Jamile: The Sounds of Brazil Prolific saxophonist Livio Almeida crosses effortlessly between American and Brazilian stylings. A Grammy-nominee and the 2015 winner of the International Saxophone Competition Victor Assis Brasil, Almeida has made a stamp on both the New York and global scenes, performing at Carnegie Hall, Birdland, The Iridium, Dizzy’s Coca-Cola Club, The Jazz Gallery, and many other iconic venues. His work with Arturo O’Farrill’s Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, the Birdland Big Band, Mike Holober, Boris Koslov, Ari Hoenig, Helio Alves, and other luminaries has thrust him further into the limelight. Almeida brings his 10-piece big band to Birdland’s stage, where he will feature the brilliant and popular young vocalist, Jamile—herself also a cross pollinator between Brazilian and American jazz idioms. Enjoy a beautiful night of music. $30 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum September 18 (Monday) 7:00 PM – Birdland Jazz Club Amanda McBroom – “Such Good Friends” Golden Globe-winning singer and songwriter Amanda McBroom, along with her musical director and writing partner Michele Brourman, will present this new evening of music “Such Good Friends.” This concert will feature songs by Amanda’s favorite female songwriters, including Susan Werner, Ann Hampton Callaway, Julie Gold, Dorothy Fields, Marilyn Bergman, and Michele Brourman. The show will celebrate the musical riches from the hearts and minds of some of the great women in the world of song. Amanda McBroom was called “the greatest cabaret performer of her generation, an urban poet who writes like an angel and has a voice to match” by The New York Times. She first came to the attention of music lovers when Bette Midler’s version of Amanda’s song “The Rose” hit number one all over the world in 1979. In addition to Midler, her songs have been recorded by a wide variety of artists including Amy Poehler and Jack Black, Barry Manilow, Judy Collins, Barbara Cook, LeAnn Rimes, Harry Belafonte, Betty Buckley, The Manhattan Transfer, Donny Osmond, and Kurt Cobain. $35 tables / $35 bar + $20 food/drink minimum September 19-23 (Tuesday-Saturday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM (9/19-21); 8:30 & 10:30 PM (9/22-23) – Birdland Jazz Club Coltrane Revisited A special all-star tribute to the saxophonist that many have called the greatest musician in American history. “Coltrane Revisited”—now in its 22nd consecutive year—has brought sold out audiences to Birdland Jazz Club for over two decades and counting. This year, the great Jimmy Greene and Greg Osby lead a saxophone frontline, with pianist James Weidman, bassist Lonnie Plaxico, and drummer Billy Drummond forming the rhythm section. A hard-hitting, spiritually-inclined event, this week of performances is not to be missed. $40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum September 21 (Thursday) 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater Michael Kanan Trio Consummate jazz pianist Michael Kanan has established himself as a voice in modern jazz with his versatility, his gorgeous touch, and his melodic sensibility. A student of the bebop masters, Kanan grew a reputation not only as a modern voice—performing extensively with peers Kurt Rosenwinkel, Mark Turner, Ben Street, and Jorge Rossy—but also as a vocal accompanist, touring the world with contemporary jazz vocal star, Jane Monheit. His own recordings on prominent Barcelona-based label, Fresh Sound New Talent, include The Gentleman Is a Dope and Convergence. He has performed on nearly 50 albums, including several with jazz vocal giant “Little” Jimmy Scott. He brings his swinging trio to Birdland Theater for one night. Don’t miss! $30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum September 22-23 (Friday-Saturday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM - Birdland Theater Lucy Yeghiazaryan Quintet One of the finest vocalists to emerge from New York City in recent times, the Armenian-born Lucy Yeghiazaryan has received the ringing endorsement of her peers and elders. Master pianist Johnny O’Neal is effusive: “Lucy possesses an engaging tone with a warm flair of musical diplomacy. As smooth as maple syrup on pancakes!” and trumpet great Joe Magnarelli calls her “A breath of fresh air.” A finalist in the 2015 Thelonious Monk Vocal Competition, Yeghiazaryan has gone on to release three critically-appraised albums under her name: Blue Heaven (2019), In Her Words with Vanisha Gould (2021) and Lonely House (duo with Michael Kanan) (2023). The La Reserve artist is a frequent guest in the trio of Birdland favorite, Emmet Cohen, and performs regularly at Jazz at Lincoln Center, Birdland, Mezzrow, Symphony Space, and other venues across the country. $30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum September 24 (Sunday) 5:30 PM – Birdland Jazz Club Grace Fox Big Band In March of 2022, Grace Fox—a precocious talent then only 19 years old—celebrated the release of her debut album, and premiered her compositions at Birdland with her 17-piece all-female jazz ensemble. On her the recording, Eleven O’ Seven (Next Level), Fox assembled a brilliant, multiethnic and multigenerational cast of jazzwomen from across the country that deftly represented her originals and arrangements—like “Sterile, ” which Fox penned to illustrate the deadening effects of early pandemic quarantine, or “Strasbourg St. Denis, ” the Roy Hargrove anthem which Fox orchestrated for large ensemble. “I had the opportunity to get this band together and I couldn’t say no, ” the trumpeter stated in an interview with Jazz Philadelphia. “It’s my dream, as corny as that may sound.” Now she brings the group back to the Birdland stage for Round 2. Come enjoy what this special ensemble has in store! $30 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum September 24 (Sunday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM - Birdland Theater 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 September 25 (Monday) 7:00 PM – Birdland Jazz Club Bill Russell – “My Side of the Show” Bill Russell, who received Tony Award nominations for his book and lyrics of the beloved Broadway musical Side Show, will perform the New York premiere of his evening “My Side of the Show.” Mr. Russell will discuss how Side Show, a musical about Daisy and Violet Hilton, conjoined twins who were the highest paid entertainers in the history of vaudeville, got to Broadway in 1997. It’s an inside look at that process through a series of readings, workshops and the Broadway productions – the writing, casting, triumphs and mishaps along the way. The concert will include songs he wrote with composer Henry Krieger, performed by vocalists Erin Davie, Charity Angél Dawson, Jenna Pastuszek, and Jason Veasey, who have all appeared in productions of Side Show. The show will feature music director Greg Jarrett on piano, Larry Lelli on drums, and George Farmer on bass. $30 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum September 26-30 (Tuesday-Saturday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM (9/26-28); 8:30 & 10:30 PM (9/29-30) – Birdland Jazz Club Artemis On the heels of their latest release, In Real Time (Blue Note), the women of ARTEMIS comprise a jazz supergroup assembled by the legendary Blue Note Records. Featuring an internationally diverse lineup of individually-established leaders, ARTEMIS conjures original compositions or arrangements from its members. Bringing together pianist and musical director Renee Rosnes, bassist Noriko Ueda, saxophonists Nicole Glover and Erica von Kleist, trumpeter Ingrid Jensen, and drummer Allison Miller, the band offers lush, moving orchestrations and explorative solos. The group has performed at the Newport Jazz Festival, Carnegie Hall, and NPR’s Jazz Night in America. $40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum September 29 - October 1 (Friday-Sunday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM - Birdland Theater “Bouncin with Bud” Bud Powell Birthday Celebration Over his life in music, the singular master drummer Steve Smith has proven himself a dedicated practitioner of big band, rock, fusion, South Indian music, and straight ahead bebop. In this engagement, he celebrates the life of genius American pianist Bud Powell, the modern jazz innovator of the 1940s and 50s. Joined by bassist Lonnie Plaxico (bass) as well pianist Manuel Valera (of Smith’s Vital Information band), Smith presents Bud Powell’s seminal music, canonized as fundamental and unavoidable for the last 60 years of jazz. Bud Powell was born on September 27th, 1924 and would be 99 for this birthday celebration. Help Steve and crew wish the beloved pianist a happy birthday as they bounce through his radiant music. $30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum Monthly Engagements: September 4, 11, 18, 25 (Mondays) 5:30 & 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks Catch Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks every Monday evening in September 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! $40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum September 4, 11, 18, 25 (Mondays) 9:30 PM - Birdland Jazz Club Jim Caruso’s Cast Party “Jim Caruso’s Cast Party, ” a New York institution for 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 September 5, 12, 19, 26 (Tuesdays) 5:30 PM - Birdland Theater Gabrielle Stravelli Award-winning vocalist Gabrielle Stravelli takes over Tuesday nights at Birdland Theater in September with her trademark vocal style and her trio featuring Pat O’Leary (bass) and a rotation of New York’s most captivating pianists. Together, they will explore both familiar classics and lesser-known gems of the canon, highlighting a diverse repertoire that will show the Great American Songbook is for everyone. Stravelli’s clear tone, gutsy rhythm, impeccable scat-singing and contagious joy have delighted audiences the world over; 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 month of music. $30 + $20 food/drink minimum September 5, 12, 19, 26 (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 September 6, 13, 20, 27 (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 September 13, 20, 27 (Wednesdays except 9/6) 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: Sara Caswell (violin, 9/13), Peter Bernstein (guitar, 9/20), Alexis Cole (vocals, 9/27). *Guitar night streams live every week at YouTube.com/RadioFreeBirdland $30 tables; $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum September 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 (Fridays) 5:30 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 September 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 (Saturdays) 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 September 3, 10, 17, 24 (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 |