Birdland Jazz Club and Birdland Theater: October 1 – October 31 Schedule
Birdland Jazz Club and Birdland Theater are proudly open this October with a full slate of nightly performances!
At Birdland Jazz Club, catch Stacey Kent & Art Hirahara, Amanda Green and Friends, Scott Reeves Jazz Orchestra with Carolyn Leonhart, Ron Carter’s Golden Striker Trio, Under the Covers with Victoria Shaw and Special Guest Erin Kinsey, Marcello Pellitteri in a Benefit for the Veronica Pellitteri Memorial Fund, Chad LB Quartet, John Pizzarelli Trio, Jared Schonig Big Band, Karen Oberlin “Bewitched: The Life and Lyrics of Lorenz Hart,’ The Django Reinhardt Festival Allstars, and Migiwa Miyajima’s Miggy Augmented Orchestra.
Birdland Theater will present Natalie Douglas, Marissa Mulder, Susan Mack, The Dan Block Quartet, Victoria Shaw, Don Braden Quartet, Ann Kittredge, Tony Glausi, Fleur Seule, Christina Bianco, Myriam Phiro, Dominick Farinacci, Klea Blackhurst, Benny Benack Quartet, Sasha Dobson, Larry Fuller Trio, Anais Reno and Emmet Cohen, Vocal Gumbo, Janis Siegel & John DiMartino, and the Moipei Triplets.
Repeat engagements include Jim Caruso’s Cast Party with Billy Stritch at the piano, The Lineup with Susie Mosher, David Ostwald’s Louis Armstrong Eternity Band, Eric Comstock and Barbara Fasano and Arturo O’Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra.
*In compliance with New York City rules for indoor activities, Birdland requires proof of vaccination from all customers, staff, and performers.
See below for the full schedule! More information can be found at www.birdlandjazz.com
September 28-October 2 (Tuesday – Saturday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM – Birdland Jazz Club
Stacey Kent and Art Hirahara “Songs From Other Places” Release Celebration with Special Guest Jim Tomlinson
Songs From Other Places is a captivating and eclectic collection of voice and piano duets. Accompanying Stacey Kent on this musical journey is her dear friend, pianist, Art Hirahara. The idea for this album germinated when “I Wish I Could Go Travelling Again,” written for her by Nobel Prize-winning author, Kazuo Ishiguro, and her long-time collaborator and husband, Jim Tomlinson (who joins on saxophones and flute), was the most talked about and requested song by her fans on social media. The album includes songs by Paul Simon, Lennon & McCartney, Stevie Nicks, Gershwin, Weil, Jobim, plus two new Tomlinson / Ishiguro songs, with tracks in English, French and Portuguese. The September release is on Candid Records.
$40 tables / $30 bar seating + $20 food/drink minimum
October 1-2 (Friday-Saturday) 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater
Natalie Douglas
Twelve-time Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs winner Natalie Douglas has been called “a true force of nature” by Clive Davis of The Times (UK). She has performed at Carnegie Hall, Cafe Carlyle, The Town Hall, Rose Hall at Jazz at Lincoln Center, The Pheasantry in London, and at her NYC home club, Birdland where her award-winning “Tributes” monthly residency (Nina Simone, Stevie Wonder, Elvis Presley, Dolly Parton, Nat “King” Cole, Dame Shirley Bassey, Ella Fitzgerald, Roberta Flack, Joni Mitchell, Sammy Davis, Jr., Lena Horne, Barbra Streisand and more) ran from Summer 2017 thru January 2020. Natalie has released three albums, including the MAC Award-winning Human Heart. Having also made her mark as a much sought-after educator and actor, she is a Master Teacher for the Mabel Mercer Foundation, the St. Louis Cabaret Conference, and the Eugene O’Neill Cabaret & Performance Conference.
$35 + $20 food/drink minimum
October 3 (Sunday) 5:00 PM – Birdland Jazz Club
Scott Reeves Jazz Orchestra: Featuring Vocalist Carolyn Leonhart
Scott Reeves, award-winning New York City-based bandleader and trombonist, is thrilled to return to Birdland Jazz Club with the renowned vocalist Carolyn Leonhart! Saxophonists Vito Chiavuzzo, Jay Brandford, Rob Middleton, Tom Christiansen & Terry Goss, trumpeters Seneca Black, Freddie Hendrix, Stuart Mack, trombonists Matt McDonald, Jason Jackson, Matt Haviland & Jennifer Wharton, and a rhythm section made up of Jim Ridl on piano, Aidan O’Donnell on bass, and Andy Watson on drums make up the smokin’ ensemble. His latest album, The Alchemist, has received worldwide acclaim since release this summer.
$30 + $20 food/drink minimum
October 3 (Sunday) 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater
Marissa Mulder – “Souvenirs: A Tribute to the Songs of John Prine”
Award-winning singer Marissa Mulder will interpret the music of one of the greatest songwriters of our time, John Prine. The Grammy Award winner wrote some of his most beloved songs while working as a mailman. John Mellencamp said “There are only two people who write songs like that – God and John Prine.” Marissa Mulder has become one of the most successful young cabaret artists on the Manhattan scene. In 2011, she beat out 60 other singers to win the MetroStar Challenge at the Metropolitan Room. Marissa is the winner of the 2013 Noel Coward and Julie Wilson Awards. Time Out NY named Marissa, “Rising Star of The Year” in 2013 and has continued to call Marissa “one of the biggest breakout successes of the past five years.” She was a featured guest on NPR’s “Piano Jazz.” She has three albums: Two Tickets Left, Tom…In His Words, and Illusions.
$30 + $20 food/drink minimum
October 4 (Monday) 7:00 PM – Birdland Jazz Club
Amanda Green and Friends: “Vaxxed AF!”
Tony Award-nominated lyricist/composer and award-winning performer Amanda Green will be joined by some amazing Broadway friends, including Ariana DeBose, Darius de Haas, Ann Harada, Lesli Margherita, Curtis Moore and Dan Finnerty of The Dan Band for an evening of Amanda’s hilarious and poignant songs from her Broadway shows and projects past and upcoming. Amanda revised the book and lyrics for the recent revival of Kiss Me Kate, and is currently writing lyrics for a new musical with Billy Crystal and Jason Robert Brown, and Female Troubles, an original musical comedy conceived by Amanda and composer Curtis Moore. Her Broadway credits include: On The Twentieth Century, revival starring Kristin Chenoweth (Addt’l Lyrics); Bring It On, co-Lyricist w/ Lin Manuel Miranda; nominated for Tony Award Best Musical, Drama Desk Award, Lyrics; Hands on a Hardbody, Lyrics, Co-Composer; Tony Award, Outer Critics Circle Award and 2 Drama Desk Award nominations (Music & Lyrics); High Fidelity (Lyrics). As a performer, Amanda has appeared in concerts everywhere from Carnegie Hall to Joe’s Pub.
$40 + $20 food/drink minimum
October 5-9 (Tuesday – Saturday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM – Birdland Jazz Club
Ron Carter’s Golden Striker Trio with Russell Malone & Donald Vega
One of the most celebrated bassists in the history of American music, Ron Carter has performed on over 2,000 albums since starting his career in the 1960s. Besides a five-year stint with the Miles Davis Quintet, Mr. Carter’s appearances with Bill Evans, B.B. King, and Dexter Gordon, Jacki Byard, Cannonball Adderly, and countless others have cemented him as an inspiring sideman. As a leader, he has commanded ensembles from big band to trio, and with this engagement at Birdland Jazz Club, he brings his famed Golden Striker Trio, which includes master musicians Russell Malone on guitar and Donald Vega on piano.
$40 tables / $30 bar seating + $20 food/drink minimum
October 6 (Wednesday) 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater
Dan Block
Saxophonist and clarinetist Dan Block’s big sound and swinging sensibilities have placed in orchestras led by Maria Schneider, Toshiko Akyoshi, David Berger, and Ken Peplowski, and Wynton Marsalis. Honing his talents over the years with jazz greats Tom Harrell, Frank Wess, Jack McDuff, Harry Allen and Richard Wyands, Block brings a deep experience in jazz music to his performances. A seasoned accompanist to vocalists, he has backed up Bobby Short, Michael Feinstein, Rosemary Clooney, Anne Hampton Calloway, Catherine Russell, and Tony Bennett, as well as performing in over 30 Broadway shows. He brings a quartet to Birdland Theater.
$30 + $20 food/drink minimum
October 7 (Thursday) 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater
Under the Covers with Victoria Shaw and special guest Erin Kinsey
Hosted by award-winning songwriter Victoria Shaw, “Under the Covers” has become a favorite recurring highlight at Birdland, featuring a wide variety of top-selling songwriters and musical acts from across the pop, rock and country worlds, and offering intimate acoustic performances of huge hit songs, along with the little-known stories behind them. A pop/country songwriter responsible for over 65 million CD sales, she opened for Garth Brooks in Central Park and wrote one of his biggest hits, “The River.” Shaw is a two-time Emmy Award-winning composer who also wrote songs for Ricky Martin, Christina Aguilera, Olivia Newton-John, Boyzone, Faith Hill, LeAnn Rimes, Reba McEntire, Tricia Yearwood, Billy Ray Cyrus, and Michael McDonald. She co-produced the double-platinum debut album of Lady Antebellum.
$30 + $20 food/drink minimum
October 8-9 (Friday – Saturday) 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater
Don Braden Quartet
Tenor Saxophonist, flute player, and composer Don Braden has toured the world with jazz legends — Betty Carter, Tony Williams, Roy Haynes, Freddie Hubbard, Wynton Marsalis, and more. His 21 recordings as a leader, not to mention his compositions and arrangements for film and television programs on Nickelodeon and CBS, reveal a distinctive personal sound which radiates both joy and virtuosity. Don Braden (tenor saxophone/flute) Oscar Perez (piano) Kenny Davis (bass) Jeremy Warren (drums)
$30 + $20 food/drink minimum
October 10 (Sunday) 5:00 PM – Birdland Jazz Club
Marcello Pellitteri
Drummer Marcello Pellitteri’s long tenure in music has seen him perform on over 100 recordings; in concert at venues such as Radio City Music Hall, The White House, and Boston Symphony Hall; and with music luminaries Joe Henderson, Jon Hendricks, Miroslav Vitous, and Paquito D’Rivera. A teacher at Berklee College of Music nearly 35 years, Pellitteri’s record of service in music is vast. In this special engagement at Birdland, he plays in honor of his daughter, Veronica, who passed unexpectedly in October 2014. A Memorial Fund has been named in her honor at LaGuardia High School of Music and her Art in New York City—where she trained as a vocalist—to benefit young musicians in their studies. This benefit concert, from which proceeds are given to that fund, is dedicated to her.
$30 + $20 food/drink minimum
October 10 (Sunday) 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater
Ann Kittredge – “Movie Night” with Alex Rybeck and Sean Harkness
Kittredge, who has worked on Broadway and off and at major venues across the country, presents the show “Movie Nite,” which highlights her favorite songs from the movies and draws on the breadth of movie music beginning in 1927 to today. The show includes a stunning folk-opera rendition of the classic “Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life” as well as a vivid reimagining of the opening number from the 2016 movie, La La Land. From the greatest composers of the golden age of movies to today, Ann brings passion, energy, and her unique storytelling to songs introduced by such luminous talents as Carly Simon, Barbra Streisand, Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, and Doris Day. Alex Rybeck serves as music director with Sean Harkness on guitar. Kittredge is a recipient of the MAC award for her show “One Night Only” at Feinstein’s/54 Below, and her evening of Ahrens & Flaherty has garnered rave reviews.
$30 + $20 food/drink minimum
October 11 (Monday) 7:00 PM – Birdland Jazz Club
Chad LB Quartet
Hailed early on as a virtuoso of the saxophone, Chad Lefkowitz-Brown has matured into one of the first prominent jazz musicians emerging out of the millennial generation. As a soloist and sideman, he has toured globally, performing at venues such as Carnegie Hall, the Super Bowl, and Madison Square Garden. Image Manifesto, his debut album, was named “Debut Album of the Year” by jazz critic Doug Ramsey—and Onward, his May 2017 release, was named as an Editor’s Pick for 2017 by Downbeat. Tours with Taylor Swift and Chris Botti have marked his star-studded career. He brings his quartet to the Birdland Theater featuring some of New York’s most exciting young jazz talent.
$30 + $20 food/drink minimum
October 12-16 (Tuesday – Saturday) 7:00 PM & 9:30 – Birdland Jazz Club
John Pizzarelli Trio
John Pizzarelli charms audiences with his warmth, sense of humor, and musical chops. Through his multifaceted career as a jazz guitarist, vocalist and bandleader, the son of the legendary New Jersey native guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli, has become one of the most recognizable faces and voices in contemporary jazz for his interpretations of classic standards, romantic ballads and the cool jazz flavor he brings to his performances and recordings. While maintaining a busy touring schedule, John also founded “Radio Deluxe with John Pizzarelli,” a nationally syndicated radio program co-hosted with his wife, Broadway star Jessica Molaskey. The trio includes bassist Michael Karn and pianist Isaiah Thompson.
$40 tables / $30 bar seating + $20 food/drink minimum
October 13 (Wednesday) 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater
Tony Glausi Quartet
With EVERYTHING AT ONCE, his new album out September 3rd, Tony Glausi makes an unblinking transition from standards-driven jazz trumpeter to full-blown R&B star. A full set of lyric-centered songs, rapped verses and funk horn backgrounds; guest appearances and cinematic music videos; and an inspiring melange of deep backbeats, jazz drumming, and string section arrangements; Glausi’s EVERYTHING AT ONCE manages really to do everything at once—and, in the process, defines a totally new vision for his artistry. Deftly handling keys, vocals, and trumpet on the lushly produced new release, he cements a new path: the jazz musician is not gone, but he is only one country on a much larger map. Of course, Tony the trumpeter is highly accomplished: the 1st Prize Jazz Division winner of both the 2014 National Trumpet Competition and the 2017 ITG International Trumpet Competition, and the winner of the 2017 Carmine Caruso International Jazz Solo Competition. From this appearance at Birdland, however, expect to see a much broader array of powers unleashed by a blossoming visionary.
$30 + $20 food/drink minimum
October 14 (Thursday) 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater
Fleur Seule “Latin Love Songs”
Fleur Seule, the glamorous retro jazz band, takes audiences back in time to the days of elegant music and Hollywood fashion. Allyson Briggs leads this tight-knit group with her lush vocal renditions of beloved classics and rare gems. Performing their successful new set, “Latin Love Songs,” Fleur Seule returns to Birdland to treat audiences to new renditions of classic songs of Cuba, Puerto Rico, Brazil, and beyond. Expect hits by Celia Cruz, La Lupe, Vikki Carr, Eydie Gorme, and more. After 7 years performing at Manhattan’s prestigious Tavern on the Green, and now returning for their 7th concert series at Birdland, Fleur Seule is a real band, and it shows in their joyous uptempo numbers, heart wrenching ballads, and gorgeous arrangements. Don’t miss this chance to fall in love all over again!
$30 + $20 food/drink minimum
October 15-16 (Friday-Saturday) 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater
Christina Bianco – “A Lot to Unpack”
Christina’s bags are packed for London but before she leaves her hometown this globetrotting, genre-crossing, multi-voiced, multi-wig-wearing funny girl has some serious unpacking to do…from her stint playing Fanny Brice in Funny Girl in Paris, to her upcoming turn in Little Voice, and how “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” pirates and glitter curtains saved her life. With the help of her fabulous band and some very special guests, Christina will use music, comedy, and impressions to get to the bottom of her baggage and give New York the farewell performance it deserves! From stage to screen, Bianco’s singular voice and comedic charm have brought audiences around the world to their feet. She captured international acclaim as a YouTube sensation with her ‘diva’ impression videos, gaining over 25 million views. Dubbed “the girl of a thousand voices,” Christina has performed on major television programs such as “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” and NBC’s “Today.” Her debut live album, Life of the Party, is available on all major music platforms.
$30 + $20 food/drink minimum
October 17 (Sunday) 5:00 PM – Birdland Jazz Club
Jared Schonig Big Band
Grammy-Award winning drummer, composer & bandleader Jared Schonig celebrates the September release of two new albums on Anzic Records with an exciting new big band. Teaming up with modern compositional masters Jim McNeely, Darcy James Argue, Miho Hazama and others, Schonig—one of New York’s hottest drummers on the jazz scene—brings his own original music to life featuring a cast of the world’s finest players. Music lovers will marvel at Nir Felder on guitar, Scott Wendholt on trumpet, Marshall Gilkes on trombone, Jason Rigby on saxophone, and many others. Schonig himself has toured and/or recorded internationally with Kurt Elling, Kristen Chenoweth, Cynthia Erivo, Nicholas Payton, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Tim Hagans, Fred Hersch, Wycliffe Gordon, and Tom Harrell, to name a few. A fixture on the Broadway circuit, he held the drum chair in the Tony-, Grammy- and Emmy-award winning Broadway revival of The Color Purple and currently plays drums and percussion for Moulin Rouge! The Musical.
$30 + $20 food/drink minimum
October 17 (Sunday) 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater
Myriam Phiro – “A Tribute to Edith Piaf”
Phiro, a French-Canadian chanteuse who has garnered accolades both as a jazz singer and as a cabaret performer, returns to Birdland with her critically acclaimed Tribute to Edith Piaf, her greatest inspiration. Phiro escorts audiences on a journey through the fascinating and decadent world of Piaf. For this occasion, the vocalist will be accompanied by Hyuna Park on piano and accordion, and Elias Bailey on upright bass. Following sold-out performances at Birdland and Joe’s Pub, as well as acclaim for her most recent album Phiro chante Piaf, the evening will feature select songs from the album, captivating untold stories about the icon and special guests including Grammy Award winner Linus Wyrsch on clarinet. By using Piaf’s timeless songs to retell the life of the icon, as well as a selection of other well-known French numbers, Phiro is sure to dazzle and entice audiences by recreating the atmosphere of the Parisian nightclubs and cabarets of yesteryear.
$30 + $20 food/drink minimum
October 18 (Monday) 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater
Dominick Farinacci
Don’t let his impeccable three-piece suit fool you: Dominick Farinacci may blow cool as Miles on Porgy and Bess, but this visionary artist’s broad stylistic palette and ever-expanding conceptualism don’t fit into any neat box. Armed with a venerable technique and a penchant for bringing large-scale grandeur to his arrangements, Farinacci—who launched his career in 2005 after graduating Juilliard and releasing a prodigious 8 albums in Japan—composes powerful records with world-class casts and genre-bending orchestrations. A successful career has seen him featured in Vanity Fair and on ABC’s Good Morning America, as well as giving a TED Talk in 2014 at the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts; dates at the Newport Jazz Festival, Monterey Jazz Festival, Jazz at Lincoln Center, and festivals and clubs throughout the world have made Farinacci a force to be reckoned with in the jazz world. His latest album, Short Stories, was produced by legendary Grammy Award-winning producer Tommy LiPuma and features guest artists like Jacob Collier, Christian McBride, and Steve Gadd.
$30 + $20 food/drink minimum
October 18 (Monday) 7:00 PM – Birdland Jazz Club
Broadway Booker Revue
Broadway Booker, a mobile-friendly website that allows you to book your favorite Broadway stars for both virtual and in-person events, is bringing their roster of bookable Broadway stars to Birdland for a one-night-only concert! The stars performing include Kate Rockwell (Mean Girls), Teal Wicks (The Cher Show), Erika Henningsen (Mean Girls), Tally Sessions (Big Fish), Jackie Burns (Wicked), Kirstin Scott (Rock of Ages), Krystina Alabado (Mean Girls), Justin Sargent (Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark) and Ryann Redmond (Frozen).
October 19-23 (Tuesday – Saturday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM – Birdland Jazz Club
Issac Delgado y la 9na (9th street band) Special Guest Pedrito Martinez
Known as the “Chevere de la Salsa,” vocalist and composer Issac Delgado has been on the cutting edge of Cuban popular dance music for decades including his stint as lead vocalist with NG la Banda, the originators of Timba. Issac Delgado y La Novena (The 9th Street Band), a new band featuring some of Cuba’s best and brightest musicians, will be joined by percussionist and special guest, Pedrito Martinez. The group will play new music in addition to Delgado’s hits and cornerstones of Afro-Cuban music, Son, Bolero, Guaracha, Rumba and Guaguancó.
$40 tables / $30 bar seating + $20 food/drink minimum
October 20-22 (Wednesday – Friday) 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater
Klea Blackhurst: “One of the Girls: the Words and Music of Jerry Herman”
Blackhurst turns her long association with Broadway’s Jerry Herman into a brand new show, “One of the Girls.” One of Herman’s premier interpreters, Klea became one of “Jerry’s Girls” when she starred in the 50th Anniversary Production of Hello, Dolly! When Jerry heard Klea sing one of the cut Hello, Dolly! songs, he invited Klea to sing with the London Philharmonic and she’s been singing his songs ever since. “One of the Girls” focuses on the memorable women in Jerry’s life. Both real, like his mother Ruth, who taught him that you could throw a party simply because “It’s Today” and characters like Mame, who encouraged us to “Open a New Window”, Dolly Levi, who decided to rejoin the human race “Before The Parade Passes By” and Zaza, who bravely declared, “I Am What I Am.” Jerry has lifted wonderful women off the page and into our hearts for almost six decades. The show is directed by Mark Waldrop, with musical direction by Michael Rice, who leads the Pocket Change Trio.
$40 + $20 food/drink minimum
October 24 (Sunday) 5:00 PM – Birdland Theater
Jennifer Wharton’s BONEGASM
Bass trombonist Jennifer Wharton presents her trombone-powered ensemble, Bonegasm, whose second record, Not a Novelty, was released in April 2021. After the group’s self-titled album was released in 2019 on Sunnyside Records to great critical and popular acclaim, Wharton knew she had created something important by highlighting the primacy of the trombone in jazz music. Bonegasm features trombonists John Fedchock, Nate Mayland and Alan Ferber, along with the rhythm section of pianist Michael Eckroth, bassist Evan Gregor and drummer Don Peretz. Producing a record during the height of the pandemic—which meant making music while adhering to social-distancing practices—wasn’t easy. But Wharton’s skills and ambition led her through, having been honed through years performing in some of the world’s top modern big bands and Broadway shows: like Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society, The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Birdland’s-own Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, West Side Story, and Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. Enjoy BONEGASM at Birdland as they rip through imaginative originals and arrangements with their unique sound.
$30 + $20 food/drink minimum
October 24 (Sunday) 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater
Benny Benack Quartet
A trumpeter’s trumpeter with a true entertainer’s gift, Benny Benack’s boundless energy and charismatic crooning has earned him his spot at the front of his generation’s jazz talent. With trumpet chops in the legacy of Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, and Freddie Hubbard—and with a singing voice reminiscent of Sinatra and Mel Torme—Benny has brought his high spirits and remarkable virtuosity across the country and around the world. Appearing as a soloist with Josh Groban, Ben Folds and fashion icon Isaac Mizrahi, as well as with jazz bass extraordinaire Christian McBride, cabaret legend Ann Hampton-Callaway (at Birdland!), and several regarded philharmonic orchestras, Benack is a captivating figure to watch and hear. He brings a quartet to Birdland, comprised of New York’s finest jazz talent.
$30 + $20 food/drink minimum
October 25 (Monday) 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater
Karen Oberlin – “Bewitched: The Life and Lyrics of Lorenz Hart”
Oberlin – hailed as one of premier interpreters of the Great American Songbook by both The New York Times and London’s Classical Source – will present this brand-new show with dazzling arrangements by Tedd Firth, fleshing out the complexities and genius of Lorenz Hart’s songbook while delving into the details of this complicated, troubled and fascinating figure. Lorenz “Larry” Hart transformed the world of lyric writing, and we’ve never looked back. Where many songwriters had been rehashing love-story tropes, Hart delivered substance and sophistication to create songs that were fresh, substantial, and utterly contemporary. His legendary ability to create intricate yet conversational rhymes remains unparalleled. The show iconic hits such as “A Lady is A Tramp,” “Manhattan,” “My Romance,” and “Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered.” Oberlin has received the Mabel Mercer Foundation’s Award for Excellence in Cabaret, the New York Nightlife Award for Jazz Vocalist of the Year. She has had major engagements at the Algonquin’s Oak Room, Feinstein’s/54 Below, the Café Carlyle and Birdland, along with performances at Carnegie Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, and Caramoor.
$30 + $20 food/drink minimum
October 25 (Monday) 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater
Sasha Dobson Girl Talk Release Celebration
Singer, composer, and stylistic chameleon Sasha Dobson has released projects with such defining voices as Norah Jones, Chris Byars, and Don Was; composed with Bill Murray; opened for Willie Nelson; and toured with Neil Young. Her career has positioned her as a singer-songwriter at the vanguard of the folk and rock worlds—but, as Dobson recently revealed to The New Yorker, “In my heart and soul, I am a jazz singer and improviser.” This must be why her September 10th release, Girl Talk, feels so special. Featuring bebop stalwart Neal Miner on bass, folk-jazz star Kenny Wollesen on drums, and straight-ahead star Peter Bernstein on guitar, Girl Talk places Dobson squarely into the world of jazz—a world in which she grew up, with her father, Smith Dobson, a famous jazz pianist and her mother, Gail Dobson, a regarded jazz vocalist. Audiences will love Dobson’s new sound, which she brings to this engagement at Birdland. Sasha Dobson (vocals) Peter Bernstein (guitar) Smith Dobson (vibes) Steven Bernstein (trumpet) Ian Hendrickson Smith (alto sax) Neal Miner (bass) Kenny Wollesen (drums) Mauro Refosco (percussion) plus Special surprise guests.
$30 + $20 food/drink minimum
October 27 (Wednesday) 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater
The Larry Fuller Trio
Pianist extraordinaire Larry Fuller—the same deep-swinging, blues-soaked pianist that, early in his career, graced vocal giant Ernestine Anderson’s unit in the late 80s; drum icon Jeff Hamilton’s classic trio in the 90s; and bass legend Ray Brown’s trio in its final days—brings his own effusive trio to Birdland for one night only. Fuller has brought his vibrant pianism to Carnegie Hall with the New York Pops, Symphony Hall with the Boston Pops, the Hollywood Bowl, Kennedy Center, Bern International Jazz Festival, Vancouver International Jazz Festival, and other first-rate venues across continents. A master of jazz stylings, his is a talent not to be missed.
$30 + $20 food/drink minimum
October 26-30 (Tuesday – Saturday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM – Birdland Jazz Club
Django Reinhardt Festival Allstars
Gypsy Jazz guitar legend Django Reinhardt’s unmistakable sound has made him an icon for an unlikely range of luminaries from Carlos Santana to Eric Clapton to Jimi Hendrix to Willie Nelson. What began as a tribute performance at Birdland in 1999 has developed into the annual Django Reinhardt NY Festival. The Django Festival All-Stars have become a brilliantly cohesive group of musicians who have performed at top concert halls and festivals around the world. Led by guitarist Samson Schmitt, the oldest son of the Schmitt family of Gypsy jazz musicians from the Lorraine region of France, the group features violinist Pierre Blanchard, accordionist Ludovic Beier, guitarist/vocalist DouDou Cuillerier & bassist Antonio Licusati
$40 tables/$30 bar seating + $20 food/drink minimum
October 28 (Thursday) 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater
Anaïs Reno CD Release with The Emmet Cohen Trio
Reno is celebrating her debut album, Lovesome Thing – Anaïs Reno Sings Ellington and Strayhorn, recorded at age 16, with The Emmet Cohen trio, which was in the top 10 on the jazz charts for 4 weeks, peaking at no 6. At age 17, Anaïs Reno has many accolades under her belt, such as the Forte International Competition Platinum award, The Inspiration Award in Michael Feinstein’s competition, first place in the Mabel Mercer Competition and most recently the Julie Wilson Award. Since age 13, Anaïs has performed several solo shows to sold out audiences at prestigious venues such as Feinstein’s/54 Below, Birdland, Jazz on the Narrows, and The Cutting Room. Additional performances include Carnegie Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center and NJPAC. Anaïs was recently featured on the New York State of Mind video with Sara Bareilles, Idina Menzel and Stephen Colbert.
$30 + $20 food/drink minimum
October 29 (Friday) 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater
Vocal Gumbo
Vocal Gumbo is at again! The brainchild of veteran vocalists Janis Siegel and Lauren Kinhan, Vocal Gumbo began in 2018 as “Vocal Mania,” a monthly concert series in New York City, often at Birdland, where the two singers presented new material and staged guest appearances and collaborations with other stars of jazz voice. When the pandemic hit in 2020, Siegel and Kinhan—long-time members of the legendary groups The Manhattan Transfer and New York Voices, respectively—wanted to keep alive the momentum of the community that had formed around their series. They went digital. What ensued was Vocal Gumbo: an online series that featured guests such as Dianne Reeves, Sheila Jordan, Kurt Elling, Catherine Russell, Jane Monheit, and Dee Bridgewater, to name a few. Now that we’re back in person, Vocal Gumbo jumps off the screen for a one-night-only event at Birdland, bringing the joy that Kinhan and Siegel cultivated online and serving it up right to your table.
$30 + $20 food/drink minimum
October 30 (Saturday) 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater
Janis Siegel and John DiMartino: “Cryin’ in My Whiskey”
In the hands of the sensational Janis Siegel, every song is an exploration. And with “Cryin’ In My Whiskey,” Siegel explores a collection of classic country pieces through the jazz lens, accompanied by her long-time musical compatriot, the great John DiMartino. Siegel, a nine-time Grammy winner and a seventeen-time Grammy nominee, has sustained a powerful solo career as well as continuing to perform with the legendary Manhattan Transfer. DiMartino is a veteran pianist whose Grammy-nominated work with Freddy Cole, Bobby Sanabria, Issac Delgado, and Ray Baretto, as well as his work as a leader with star-studded groups, makes him a stunning pianist to witness. Together, DiMartino, Siegel, and an all-star band create a cross-genre fusion that is emotive, honest, and original.
$30 + $20 food/drink minimum
October 31 (Sunday) 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater
The Moipei Triplets Embrace New York
The Moipei Triplets (Mary, Maggy and Marta), a vocal trio hailing from Nairobi, Kenya, interpret well-known selections from the American Songbook and dazzle with their illuminating take on Broadway, new and old. They throw in a dash of Duke Ellington and Benny Goodman to swing, a flash of pop to provoke, and add a traditional Swahili children’s song to bring it all back home. The exceptional talents of these three sisters blend these music genres to create an amazing, fulfilling, and entertaining evening. Their musical journey began at the Kenya Music Festival, which awarded them 1st place honors for four consecutive years. They have taken part in cultural festivals in Tanzania, Uganda, Canada, Venezuela, China, and the US. They represented Kenya in the Young People’s Festival, at the age of 12 the sisters were appointed Kenya’s first ever UNICEF Child Ambassadors. They were awarded the Head of State Commendation (HSC), by the President of Kenya, for their outstanding contribution. The show features music direction by Phil Reno and is directed by Matthew Inge.
October 31 (Sunday) 5:00 PM – Birdland Jazz Club
Migiwa Miyajima and the Miggy Augmented Orchestra
Japan-born, New York-based Migiwa “Miggy” Miyajima is an artist of expansive scope. Author, composer, arranger, and pianist, she was also the former conductor and associate producer of jazz master Slide Hampton’s big band. This month, Birdland welcomes back Miyajima and her famed Miggy Augmented Orchestra for a special night filled with her imaginative arrangements which bring together rising stars and accomplished veterans in a radiant 17-piece ensemble, delivering complex, melodic and urgently swinging original music. March 2021 marked a milestone for Miyajima as she released a book with accompanying music, entitled “Your Future Story,” as the first product of her year-long “Unbreakable Hope and Resilience” project. The work is based on the real stories of survivors and volunteers of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. Miyajima is the recipient of the 2019 Jerome Hill Artist Fellowship. Her music, highly unique and often evocative of nature, is not to be missed.
$30 + $20 food/drink minimum
Monthly Engagements:
October 4, 11, 18, 25 (Mondays) 8:30 – 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
October 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
October 6, 13, 20, 27 (Wednesdays) 5:00 – Birdland Jazz Club
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
October 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 (Saturdays) 5:00 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
October 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 (Sundays) 7:00 & 9:30 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” (New York Times)—leads the GRAMMY® award winning Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra (ALJO), who bring together the drama of big band jazz, the culture of Latin music, and the virtuosity of eighteen of the world’s most accomplished solo musicians. Twelve years of critically-acclaimed performances internationally have firmly established the ALJO as the standard-bearer for creative interpretation of Latin jazz greats such as Tito Puente, Frank “Machito” Grillo, and Chico O’Farrill, as well as the driving force behind new commissions from Latin music’s most talented composers and arrangers.
$30 + $20 food/drink minimum
October 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 (Fridays) 5:00 PM – Birdland Jazz Club
The Birdland Big Band
Every Friday, and for two headlining weeks a year, the “BBB” roars into action playing a thrilling and original mix of jazz, funk, Brazilian, Latin and world music for sold-out audiences. Featured weekly guest artists drop-in from television bands (David Letterman, Saturday Night Live) and pop music touring bands (Rob Thomas, Rod Stewart). Come see for yourself why Time Out New York called the BBB, “a completely unique experience… there isn’t another band like this anywhere,” and 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