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| Live at Birdland Jazz Club and Birdland Theater: December 2023 November 28 - December 2 (Tuesday-Saturday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM (11/28-30); 8:30 & 10:30 PM (12/1-2) – Birdland Jazz Club Cyrille Aimée Cyrille Aimée returns to Birdland with a unique all Latin repertoire showcasing her Dominican heritage. Featuring songs from Mexico to Spain and original compositions with an international band from New Orleans: Cuban pianist Victor Campbell, Dominican percussionist Jafet Perez, and New York based bassist Tyrone Allen. This is Cyrille Aimée as you've never heard her before. Ya tu sabe! $40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum November 30 - December 3 (Thursday-Sunday) 8:30 PM (11/30); 7:00 & 9:30 PM (12/1-3) – Birdland Theater Bria Skonberg When The Wall Street Journal called Bria Skonberg "one of the most versatile and imposing musicians of her generation, " they were only stating facts. The Canadian trumpeter and vocalist can write, play, and sing, and as she's proven through performances with Jon Batiste, Wycliffe Gordon, Stephane Wrembel, U2, Sun Ra Arkestra and countless others, Skonberg's talent is not slowing down. A 3-time JUNO Award Nominee, the winner of Best Vocal Album for her Sony Masterworks debut, and the leader of 6 studio recordings, Skonberg's talent has earned her over 13 million streams, 85, 000 followers, and 6 Downbeat Rising Star nominations. Her music revives the "hot jazz" style, marrying its original verve, exuberance, and virtuosity with a variety of modern influences. $30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum December 3 (Sunday) 5:30 PM – Birdland Jazz Club Quintin Harris Quintet A Finalist in the American Jazz Piano Competition in Savannah, Georgia, young Quintin Harris makes his Birdland Jazz Club debut with this Sunday performance. Leading a quintet of Dakari Barclay (trumpet), Bailey Giles (saxophone), Sam AuBuchon (bass), and Marlen Suero-Amparo (drums), Harris performs dexterously on both piano and vocals, employing a suave baritone on American Songbook standards like "What A Difference A Day Makes" and "Day By Day, " and nimbly crafting piano lines over jazz standards like "Tricrotism" and "These Foolish Things." Students of Birdland favorite and master pianist Bill Charlap at William Paterson University, the members of the group's rhythm section are frequent guests at the Birdland Theater in Susie Mosher's "The Lineup" on Tuesdays. $30 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum December 4 (Monday) 7:00 PM – Birdland Jazz Club Ben Jones – "Let Me Be Frank" The show, featuring music director Rob Abel, includes swinging Sinatra standards and lush blue-eyed ballads from the songbooks of Cy Coleman, Duke Ellington, Harold Arlen, Cole Porter, and Sammy Cahn. In this follow-up to Ben's two "jaw-dropping"(BroadwayWorld) 2022 solo shows – "I Think I'm in Love" and "I Think We Should See Other People" – Ben confronts Frank truths about marriage, family and a life in the entertainment industry. Jones and Abel have brought their magic to stages around the world and together bring an incredible depth and originality to Sinatra's hits and deep cuts alike. Ben Jones is a singer, comedian, storyteller, and actor who has appeared in front of audiences worldwide, from the Edinburgh International Festival to the Shanghai Concert Hall. He's shared the spotlight with the likes of Rita Moreno, Michael Tilson Thomas, Frederica von Stade, Nathan Gunn, Isabel Leonard, and the Bang on a Can All-Stars. Ron Abel's film and television credits include composing, arranging and/or orchestrating for Michelle Pfeiffer, Kim Basinger, Lily Tomlin, Bea Arthur, and Carol Burnett. As an arranger and conductor, Ron has appeared on-stage with Bette Midler, Johnny Mathis, Liza Minnelli, Shirley Jones, Lucie Arnaz, Sam Harris, Mandy Patinkin, Patti LuPone, David Hyde Pierce, and opera diva Julia Migenes. $40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum December 5 (Tuesday) 5:30 PM – Birdland Theater Lucy Wijnands Swings Ella "Making art is being lost and found all at once, " muses the talented vocalist Lucy Wijnands—a New York favorite whose recent debut, Something Awaits, marks her transition from sought-after guest singer to leader and creator. The recording features a "who's who" of swinging creative musicians, including Gadi Lehavi, piano (Ari Hoenig Trio), Omer Avital, bass (Roy Haynes, Kenny Garrett) and Itay Morchi, drums (Johnny O'Neal Trio). With a voice that is both modern and uncannily reminiscent, Wijnands is one of the world's best new jazz voices—and an active performer both in New York City and internationally. Performances are near (in West Village favorite Mezzrow) and far (in Paris's Sunset-Sunside)—Oakland's The Sound Room and Oslo's Club Gustav. For this special one-nighter at home in the Theater, she pays tribute to the great Ella Fitzgerald. Fitting: she is the winner of the 2021 Ella Fitzgerald Vocal Competition and graduated from SUNY Purchase's jazz conservatory as an Ella Fitzgerald Scholar. Don't miss Lucy on this early Tuesday evening. $30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum December 5-9 (Tuesday-Saturday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM (12/5-7); 8:30 & 10:30 PM (12/8-9) – Birdland Jazz Club Joey Alexander Trio + Special Guest Theo Croker 3x Grammy nominee and early piano prodigy Joey Alexander recently released Origin (Mack Avenue, 2022) to critical acclaim. Featuring his heavy-hitting trio of Kendrick Scott and Larry Grenadier, as well as his collaborators Chris Potter and Gilad Hexelman, the passionate virtuoso Alexander is in the company of masters. At only 20 years old, he has already lived a musician's dream life, performing on the world's biggest stages (Obama's White House, the Grand Ole Opry, Carnegie Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Newport Jazz Festival) with its most revered names (Wayne Shorter, Wynton Marsalis, Jeff "Tain" Watts, Esperanza Spalding)—all since the age of 11. For this week at the Jazz Club, Alexander will bring the latest moment of his mature genius to your ears, and he will feature the rising trumpet star Theo Croker. The effortless Croker, whose Afro Physicist and Star People Nation put him on the map, is a Grammy-nominee and 3x-Echo Award nominee renowned for his cosmic-leaning hybridization of jazz and hip-hop idioms. $40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum December 7 (Thursday) 8:30 PM - Birdland Theater Edmund Bagnell – "Home for the Holidays" Singer and violinist Edmund Bagnell will return with "Home for the Holidays." The countdown to the holidays is on, and through music and humor Bagnell shares his heartfelt and humorous recipe for a perfectly imperfect holiday season. This new show will feature selections from his 2020 USA Today top-ranked holiday album, Christmas at Home, along with Edmund's original tunes. He will be joined on stage with actress and singer Kate Simone, and music director Mark Hartman on piano. Edmund 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 live three times on the NBC's "Today" show. 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 released a new EP The Road, which includes the original songs "The Water" and "The Road." $30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum December 8-10 (Friday-Sunday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM - Birdland Theater Richard Bona Assante Trio One of the world’s greatest bass players, Richard Bona is a Grammy-winning musician whose stylings as both bassist and vocalist have contributed to genre-defining and genre-breaking musical projects with Pat Metheny, Herbie Hancock, Harry Belafonte, Sting, Stevie Wonder, Quincy Jones, Bobby McFerrin, George Benson, Cucho Valdes, Chick Corea, and other trailblazers. Deeply invested in Afrobeat, Afropop, Flamenco, and other world styles, Bona’s sound is iconic and unmatched. A true modern master, he brings his Assante Trio to Birdland Theater for three unforgettable nights. Put simply: not to be missed. $30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum December 10 (Sunday) 5:30 PM – Birdland Jazz Club Winter Wonderland Big Band Holiday Party with the George Gee Swing Orchestra After conducting a 1979 radio interview with the legendary William “Count” Basie, George Gee determined he would one day lead his own big band. Now, with nearly 40 years experience as a conductor and 20 years leading weekly shows in Times Square’s SWING46, Gee’s swing band dreams have blossomed wildly, and he leads what is perhaps New York’s most popular swing dance orchestra. Inspired by the styles of Basie, Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, Lionel Hampton, and Benny Goodman, Gee—a native New Yorker—began leading his big band in the Big Apple right when swing dancing was revived as an international sensation among young audiences. And—bringing New York’s best musicians along for a stomping-good time—he has been a hit ever since. Now, celebrating the release of their latest recording, Winter Wonderland, the Orchestra performs for one swinging Sunday evening in December, featuring vocalist John Dokes with special guest Naama Gheber. Let Gee and his band swing you into holiday cheer! $30 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum December 11 (Monday) 7:00 PM – Birdland Jazz Club Karen Mason – “Christmas! Christmas! Christmas!” Broadway, recording and concert star Karen Mason returns for her annual holiday show. With Karen’s unique interpretations of holiday classics old and new, the holidays will never be the same. 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 more. The show is directed by Barry Kleinbort; with music director Christopher Denny on piano and Tom Hubbard on bass. Mason is the star of Broadway’s Mamma Mia!, Wonderland, Hairspray, and Sunset Boulevard, as well as the first US tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s Love Never Dies. She is also the recipient of the 2019 MAC Lifetime Achievement Award. She has graced the stages of Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, and The Drury Lane Oakbrook, as well as Royal Albert Hall in London. She has eight albums, including her latest release Let the Music Play, featuring the title song from Paul Rolnick and David Friedman. $40 tables / $40 bar + $20 food/drink minimum December 12-16 (Tuesday-Saturday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM (12/12-14); 8:30 & 10:30 PM (12/15-16) – Birdland Jazz Club Stacey Kent A singer of marvelous talent, Stacey Kent’s beautiful voice and natural musicality have been the feature of 12 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 September 2021 album, Songs From Other Places, was released to critical acclaim; she released her newest studio album, Summer Me, Winter Me, in November of this year. For this special show premiering her latest batch of songs, Kent is backed by her working group of veteran collaborators. $40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum December 14 (Thursday) 5:30 PM & 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater Kat Edmonson Holiday Show Critically-acclaimed vocalist and songwriter Kat Edmonson has graced major stages across the United States, Europe and Japan. Her unique brand of music, self-described as “vintage-pop, ” had led to her appearance in major motion pictures (with Woody Allen and with Harry Connick, Jr.); performances on radio (including several appearances on NPR) and television (both Jay Leno and Dave Letterman’s nightly shows); and the release of four albums to date, earning her #1 spots on Amazon, iTunes, and Billboard Charts. Arranged in the style of jazz, world music, and chamber-pop, she draws influences from Africa, Brazil, China, India, Mexico, Europe, and early to mid-century America. On 2020’s Dreamers Do, the vocalist took listeners on a journey through the emotional struggle of daring to dream—all in the course of one sleepless night. Now, Edmonson has dived into a timeless form: a Christmas record! Her latest album is Kat Edmonson Christmas Vol.1: Holiday Swingin’! She covers a battery of favorites with her characteristic panache, including “White Christmas, ” “Let It Snow!, ” “Jingle Bell Rock, ” “O Christmas Tree, ” and other classics. On this cold Thursday evening at the Theater, expect this iconic material for her holidays-themed show. $30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum December 15-17 (Friday-Sunday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM - Birdland Theater Mingus Orchestra Celebrating the music of its founder Sue Mingus’s late husband, this 10-piece ensemble—the sister group to both the larger Mingus Big Band and smaller Mingus Dynasty—explores lesser known works by the great bassist/composer with unconventional orchestrations and fiery imagination. For decades, the Orchestra, Big Band, and Dynasty held a famed weekly residency in New York City until the COVID-19 pandemic put them on pause. The Orchestra’s Birdland performance in 2022 marked its public re-entrance, and it honored its namesake with a knockout performance. Charles Mingus laid his legacy in powerful bass playing, groundbreaking compositions of visionary genius, and an openness to the individual personalities of his groups’ members. The Mingus Orchestra continues this legacy with a cast of New York’s most inventive, accomplished jazz musicians. Sue Mingus passed in September 2022; with each performance the group honors her legacy, too. $30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum December 17 (Sunday) 5:30 PM – Birdland Jazz Club New York Holidays with Svetlana’s Big Band! “Lush” (NY Music Daily) and “energetic” (Wall Street Journal), Svetlana's Big Band delivers that unmistakable vintage sound you know and love, animated by thrilling arrangements from the best NYC big band arrangers—all while highlighting Svetlana’s own captivating frontwoman stage presence and vocals. The band reflects the idealism of the classic swing band sound while offering an exhilarating experience for jazz lovers and 21st century modern audiences alike. 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 features NYC’s top talent: Jason Marshall, Nicole Glover, Willerm Delisfort, Curtis Nowosad, Wayne Tucker, Anthony Hervey, and other city veterans. 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 18 (Monday) 7:00 PM – Birdland Jazz Club James Barbour – Annual Holiday Concert Broadway leading man James Barbour returns in his annual Holiday Concert. The audience will be entertained with holiday classics, incredible music, and the warmth of the season. With Rachel Kaufman at the piano, James and his surprise guests from the Broadway stage will help you ring in the holiday season. James Barbour 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, and won the Sarasota Magazine “Best Actor” award for the Asolo Rep pre-Broadway production. He has starred on Broadway in such Tony 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 Eyre as Edward Rochester (Drama League Award nomination). $45 tables / $35 bar + $20 food/drink minimum December 19 (Tuesday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM - Birdland Jazz Club Isaiah Thompson Trio: A Guaraldi Holiday One of the brightest young lights in piano today, Isaiah Thompson is the winner of the 2023 American Pianists Awards and the Cole Porter Fellowship in Jazz of the American Pianists Association. A graduate of the Juilliard School, he holds both a Bachelors and a Masters from the institution, and his performance credits speak of a full-fledged career: master musicians Ron Carter, John Pizzarelli, Christian McBride, Wynton Marsalis, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Steve Turre, Buster Williams, and others. For this Tuesday night performance, Thompson pays homage to one of his heroes, the iconic Vince Guaraldi, composer of the classic music for Charlie Brown. Thompson’s trio just released A Guaraldi Holiday (Outside In Music, 2023), featuring 12 tracks from the iconic cartoon soundtrack. They will perform from this repertoire just in time for a warm and merry Christmas. $30 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum December 20 (Wednesday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM - Birdland Jazz Club Orrin Evans Holiday Extravaganza Ft. Captain Black Big Band and Friends The prolific pianist, composer, and bandleader Orrin Evans is known for his effortless combination of influences from jazz to gospel to hip-hop and classical; his recent work as the second pianist in the iconic progressive jazz trio, The Bad Plus; his Downbeat Critics Poll wins; and his innovative ensembles from trio, to quartet, all the way up to his Grammy-nominated 17-piece Captain Black Big Band. On this special Wednesday night performance at Birdland, Evans’s Captain Black Big Band—a launching pad for the careers of such young luminaries as Immanuel Wilkins, Mark Whitfield Jr., Sean Jones, Troy Roberts, and others—performs in a Holiday Extravaganza, featuring vocalists Milton Suggs, Alexia Bomtempo, Michelle Lordi, and JD Walter. $30 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum December 21-25 (Thursday-Monday) 5:30 PM - Birdland Jazz Club 14th Annual “A Swinging Birdland Christmas” – with Klea Blackhurst, Jim Caruso, and Billy Stritch This wildly successful extravaganza has been celebrating the holidays at this historic music room since 2010. In the tradition of beloved seasonal specials, the trio of singers will perform swinging arrangements of “The Christmas Waltz, ” Kay Thompson’s “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 vocalists will be joined by Steve Doyle on bass and Daniel Glass on drums. Klea Blackhurst is an actress, singer, and comedienne known for her award-winning tribute to Ethel Merman, Everything the Traffic Will Allow. 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, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra tribute to Marvin Hamlisch, 15 Mabel Mercer Cabaret Conventions, New York's Town Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and The Chicago Humanities Festival. Jim Caruso is the host of “Jim Caruso’s Cast Party, ” the wildly popular weekly open mic night that has brought a sprinkling of Broadway glitz and urbane wit to Birdland in New York City every Monday night since 2003. “Cast Party” has been seen at Jazz at Lincoln Center, across the country, and, most recently, on YouTube as “Pajama Cast Party.” Jim made his Broadway debut alongside Liza Minnelli in the Tony Award-winning Liza’s at the Palace!, singing, dancing and celebrating the music and arrangements of Kay Thompson and the Williams Brothers. He has won six MAC Awards and eight BroadwayWorld Awards for his work in nightclubs. Billy Stritch is a pianist-singer who has been a presence on the New York and national nightclub scene for nearly four decades. A solo entertainer, he has performed his own shows (including tributes to Mel Tormé and Cy Coleman) in concert halls and nightclubs across the country and his 2022 solo run at Birdland was named Best Jazz Vocal Engagement by BroadwayWorld. Billy is a highly sought after accompanist, currently working with such leading vocalists as Linda Eder, Marilyn Maye, Linda Lavin, Christine Ebersole, and Ann Hampton Callaway. $40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum December 21-25 (Thursday-Monday) 8:30 PM (12/21); 7:00 & 9:30 PM (12/22-24); 5:30 & 8:30 (12/25) – Birdland Theater Champian Fulton Trio 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 her trio of piano, bass, and drums, leading up through Christmas Eve and culminating in a performance on Christmas night. $35 tables / $25 bar + $20 food/drink minimum December 21-25 (Thursday-Monday) 8:30 & 10:30 PM – Birdland Jazz Club Monty Alexander Holiday Show With Luke Sellick (bass) and Jason Brown (drums). 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 with this holiday-themed show. Don’t miss it! $40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum December 26-31 (Tuesday-Sunday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM (12/26-28); 5:30 & 8:30 & 10:30 PM (12/29); 8:30 & 10:30 (12/30); 8:00 & 10:30 (12/31) – Birdland Jazz Club Birdland Big Band 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. $40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum December 28-31 (Thursday-Sunday) 8:30 PM (12/28); 7:00 & 9:30 PM (12/29-30); 7:00 PM & 11:00 PM (12/31) – 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 music 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 toward 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. 12/28-30: $50 tables / $40 bar + $20 food/drink minimum 12/31: Tiered Seating $50-100 tables / $40 bar + $20 food/drink minimum Monthly Engagements: December 4, 11, 12, 18, 19, 26 (Mondays except 12/25, and Tuesdays except 12/5) 5:30 & 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks Catch Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks for a collection of Monday and Tuesday evenings in December 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 December 4, 11, 18 (Mondays except 12/25) 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 2003. Called “show-business heaven” by The New York Times and “the gold-standard of open mic nights” by The Wall Street Journal, “Cast Party” presents 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). Eric Adams, the Mayor of the City of New York, recently proclaimed, “Whereas, I am enormously proud to lead a city renowned as a global capital of the arts, ‘Jim Caruso’s Cast Party’ has enriched our dynamic cultural landscape since 2003, and on the occasion of its 20th anniversary, I am pleased to recognize the weekly show's tremendous contributions to our performing arts and nightlife sectors.” $30 + $20 food/drink minimum December 5 (Tuesday, only 12/5 in December) 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 December 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 December 6, 13, 20, 27 (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 pianist Ted Rosenthal, bassist Gary Mazzaroppi, and drummer Vince Cherico, will perform tunes from the standard repertoire, bringing in special guests Olli Soikkeli (guitar 12/6), Ed Cherry (guitar 12/13), Sara Caswell (violin 12/20), Mike Stern (guitar 12/27), and Ken Peplowski (clarinet (12/27). *Guitar night streams live every week at YouTube.com/RadioFreeBirdland $30 tables; $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum December 1, 8, 15, 29, 26-31 (Fridays except 12/22, plus a headlining week 12/26-31) 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!” $40/$30 ($50-100 12/31) + $20 food/drink minimum December 2, 9, 16, 30 (Saturdays except 12/23) 5:30 PM - Birdland Theater Gabrielle Stravelli Award-winning vocalist Gabrielle Stravelli takes over the Saturday early set at Birdland Theater in December with her trademark vocal style and her trio featuring Pat O’Leary (bass) and a rotation of New York’s most captivating pianists: John DiMartino (12/2), Art Hirahara (12/9), and Michael Kanan (12/16 and 12/30). The trio 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; 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 December 3, 10, 17 (Sundays except 12/24, 31) 8:30 & 10:30 PM - Birdland Jazz Club The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra The GRAMMY® award winning Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra (ALJO) 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 :: © 2023 Jazz News :: home page |