Birdland Jazz Club and Birdland Theater: December 1 – December 31 Schedule
Birdland Jazz Club and Birdland Theater are proudly open this December with a full slate of nightly performances!
At Birdland Jazz Club, catch Joe Lovano and Dave Douglas Quintet: Sound Prints, John Fedchock Sextet, Stacey Kent, Jay Leonhart, NY Youth Symphony Jazz Band, Artemis, Steven Feifke and Benny Benack Christmas Show, Christmas With Champian Fulton, City Rhythm Orchestra, and Birdland Big Band featuring Nicole Zuraitis.
Birdland Theater will present Frank Catalano Quartet, Alicyn Yaffee Band, Ted Firth Trio, Sullivan Fortner, Richard Cortez Quartet, Dave Pietro Quartet, The EarRegulars, The Anderson Brothers Quintet, Erin Bode, Allan Harris Sings A Nat King Cole Christmas, Alexa Tarantino Quartet, and Marilyn Maye New Year’s Eve Extravaganza!
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, Frank Vignola’s Guitar Night, 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
November 30-December 4 (Tuesday – Saturday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM (11/30-12/2); 8:30 & 10:30 PM (12/3-4) – Birdland Jazz Club
Joe Lovano and Dave Douglas Quintet: Sound Prints
Named “one of the foremost ensembles in jazz” by Downbeat Magazine, Sound Prints is the joint effort of modern jazz legends Joe Lovano and Dave Douglas. The band’s multigenerational line-up brings its two leaders into fluid conversation with drummer Rudy Royston, bassist Yasushi Nakamura, and pianist Lawrence Fields. Five unique voices make for endless imaginative possibilities; and consequently, the music—which these artists have developed together for nearly 10 years—often takes off into unlikely directions. Now, this special band offers music lovers its third album: Other Worlds. Released in May 2021, it showcases the ensemble after an early 2020 engagement at the famed Village Vanguard. Modern jazz fans will relish the endless interplay of these great artists.
$40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
December 2-4 (Thursday-Saturday) 8:30 PM (12/2); 7:00 & 9:30 PM (12/3-4) – Birdland Theater
Frank Catalano Quartet
Possessing a full-bodied tone and a passion for hard-hitting lines, Frank Catalano’s famed tenor saxophone power has taken him across the world and landed him on Grammy-winning and Grammy-nominated recordings with Jennifer Lopez, Destiny’s Child, John Legend, and others. The only saxman to have performed with Miles Davis, Randy Brecker, Charles Earland, Elvin Jones, Stan Getz, Betty Carter, Von Freeman, Tito Puente, Tony Bennett, Les Claypool and Louis Bellson while still in high school, Catalano signed with Delmark Records at age 18 and hasn’t let up since. His 11 albums as a leader evince a mighty musician with a broad stylistic palette and a deep commitment to the legacy of his forebears. His connection to Birdland runs deep: in fact, Catalano, who serves as the Celebrity Endorser for Drambuie Scotch Liqueur, inspired the Catalano Sidecar proudly served in The Birdland Theater with a quartet featuring drummer Mike Clark, bassist Julian Smith, and pianist Randy Ingram.
$30 tables / $20 bar seating + $20 food/drink minimum
December 5 (Sunday) 5:30 PM – Birdland Jazz Club
John Fedchock Sextet
Master trombonist John Fedchock is began his stellar career with bandleader Woody Herman’s Orchestra. Over the years, he grew into a refined composer, arranger and bandleader, performing and recording with a “who’s who” list of jazz. Fedchock’s NY Sextet, which released Into the Shadows (Summit) in July 2020, is a tight-knit unit made up of New York’s finest musicians. Downbeat calls the record “one of [Fedchock’s] most poised and assertive recordings yet” and Jazz Journal describes it as “straight from the shoulder, unpretentious jazz.” Fedchock’s virtuosity and warm sound are sure to be on display!
$30 + $20 food/drink minimum
December 5 (Sunday) 7pm & 9:30 PM – Birdland Theater
Alicyn Yaffee Band
Singer, songwriter, and guitarist Alicyn Yaffee brings pensive lyrics, fretboard prowess, and lush vocals together with her exciting contemporary jazz band. Part of the movement by young artists from Northern California to blend jazz and indie rock sensibilities, Yaffee has carved out a powerful space for herself in music. Under her belt already are tours of Europe with Becca Stevens (Winner of Downbeat’s prestigious “Rising Star Vocalist” award); acting and guitar roles in Bacchae at the Classical Theater of Harlem; and an endorsement by PRS Guitars. Her debut album, Someone Else, features appearances by music greats such as Cindy Blackman Santana, Pepe Jimenez, Jeff Cressman and Ronnie Foster.
$30 table / $ 20 bar seating + $20 food/drink minimum
December 6 (Monday) 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater
Tedd Firth Trio
Tedd Firth is a renowned pianist, musical director, arranger and orchestrator. The consummate accompanist, Firth has worked with superstars Barbara Cook, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Maureen McGovern, Marilyn Maye, Joshua Bell, and many others. He has performed and/or recorded with jazz luminaries John Pizzarelli, Houston Person, Frank Wess, Mark Whitfield, Red Holloway, Benny Golson and Joe Morello. Firth recently served as the musical director for the original Broadway cast of Into The Woods and for Michael Feinstein’s “Jazz and Popular Song” concert series at Jazz at Lincoln Center. He is both a leader in his field and a truly humble music-maker. Appearances include Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Blue Note, Birdland, the Iridium, and the White House. Firth brings a sensitive, swinging trio to serenade the Birdland Theater.
$30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
December 7-11 (Tuesday-Saturday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM (12/7-9); 8:30 & 10:30 PM (12/10-11) – Birdland Jazz Club
Stacey Kent
A singer of marvelous talent, Stacey Kent’s beautiful voice and natural musicality have been the feature of 11 studio albums, including Platinum, Double-Gold and Gold records that have garnered her a much-deserved worldwide audience. With performances in over 55 countries during her stellar career, Kent’s global fandom makes perfect sense because of her miraculous fluency singing in French, Italian, German, Portuguese and English. Over the course of two decades as a recording artist, Kent’s vision has broadened beyond the Great American Songbook: French and Brazilian classics also feature prominently in her contemporary work. Her new album, Songs From Other Places, was released September of 2021. For this special week at Birdland, Kent is backed by veteran collaborators Art Hirahara (piano), Jim Tomlinson (reeds), Tom Hubbard (bass) and Anthony Pinciotti (drums). Her new studio album, Summer Me, Winter Me, is set for 2022 release.
$50 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
December 9 (Thursday) 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater
Sullivan Fortner
Widely regarded as the pianist of his generation, Sullivan Fortner stretches his talent deep into the roots of American piano and far into its future. The GRAMMY-winning artist’s work has included notable recordings such as Aria (Impulse!, 2015), Moments Preserved (Decca, 2018), and—with vocalist extraordinaire and multi-GRAMMY-winner Cecile McLorin Salvant—The Window (Mack Avenue, 2018). Fortner has been awarded first place prizes in the DownBeat Critics Poll for both Rising Star Piano and Rising Star Jazz Artist. Collaborations and credits with luminaries such as Wynton Marsalis, Paul Simon, Dianne Reeves and Ambrose Akinmusire, as well as festival engagements at Newport, Monterey, and Discover and a 2019 week-long engagement at the Village Vanguard have marked this pianist’s star-studded career. He plays solo for this night at Birdland Theater.
$30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
December 10 (Friday) 7:00 PM – Birdland Theater
Scunge! A Mobbed-Up Christmas Carol
starring Dominic Scaglione, Jr., Andy Karl, Dominic Nolfi, and Matt Bogart
Join us for the one night only premiere of Scunge! A Mobbed-Up Christmas Carol. It’s a hilarious and exuberant staged reading with a twist on Dickens that’ll make you laugh your jingle balls off. This future holiday classic was written and stars Broadway legends Dominic Scaglione, Jr., Andy Karl, Dominic Nolfi, and Matt Bogart. It’s “an offer you can’t refuse!” Come cheer wise guys, music, mangia, jokes, ghosts, nuns, Santa Claus, weed, love, and most of all Christmas with la familia. More amazing theater stars will be announced soon. (*Note: Adult humor)
$30 Cover + $20 food/drink minimum
December 11 (Saturday) 7:00 PM – Birdland Theater
Ryan Silverman
Silverman has been praised as the “smoothest, most assured bari-tenor, leading-man theatre voice at the moment” by Playbill.com. He received a Drama Desk nomination for “Best Actor in a Musical” for Side Show on Broadway, and has starred as Raoul in The Phantom of the Opera and as Billy Flynn in Chicago. Silverman also received Drama Desk and Drama League nominations for his performance as Giorgio in CSC’s 2013 production of Passion, one which the New York Times praised as “a performance of risk-taking, unconditional emotional commitment.” He has been a soloist with the New York Pops, Philly Pops, the NHK Symphony in Tokyo, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Kaohsiung Symphony in Taiwan, and Edmonton Symphony, among others. His television and film credits include “Suits,” “The Good Fight,” “Gossip Girl,” and “True Blood.”
$35 Cover + $20 food/drink minimum
December 12 (Sunday) 7:00 PM – Birdland Theater
Ari Axelrod: – “Ari’s Arias”
The MAC Award nominee and BroadwayWorld Award winner debuts his new show “Ari’s Arias.” Featuring an eclectic selection with everything from Frank Loesser, Bock & Harnick, and Stephen Sondheim to Jason Robert Brown, Sarah Bareilles, and Dolly Parton, “Ari’s Arias” promises compositions you know and love, served with a unique twist. If you like music from the 20s-that is, the 1920s and 2020s-and everything in between, this is a show for you. Axelrod is an actor, director, singer, and Jewish activist. His award-winning show, “A Celebration of Jewish Broadway,” has had performances at Birdland, St. Louis, Chicago, Boca Raton, Ann Arbor, and via Zoom during COVID. Axelrod’s first cabaret, “Taking the Wheel,” was directed by Tony Award winner Faith Prince and music directed by multiple MAC Award winner Alex Rybeck, and has been performed in numerous cities around the country.
$30 cover + $20 food/drink minimum
December 12 (Sunday) 9:30 PM – Birdland Theater
Augie Haas Trio
In-demand trumpeter, composer and teacher Augie Haas returns to Birdland Theater with his trio. Haas will perform selections from his five albums that he has released as a bandleader. His most recent release Have We Met? released in 2018, highlights the diversity of his musicianship, not only as a trumpet player, but as a crooner too. Augie has worked with artists including Harry Connick Jr., The Maria Schneider Orchestra, The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, The Gil Evans Project and the Birdland Big Band.
$30 tables / $20 bar seating + $20 food/drink minimum
December 13 (Monday) 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater
Richard Cortez Quartet
A fearless performer with profound understanding of the Great American Songbook,
Richard Cortez is a radically queer vocalist who has developed a tremendous following in New York City. Splitting his time between five weekly residencies—among them Club Cumming, Metropolitan Bar, and Rebar—Cortez has focused and refined his artistry. He presents provocative, moving portraits of love, updating and reinvigorating standard material and writing originals that may as well be standards themselves. Cortez brings his quartet, composed of New York City’s finest jazz artists, for this one-night-only engagement.
$30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
December 11 (Saturday) 5:30 PM – Birdland Jazz Club
Jay Leonhart
Bassist, singer and songwriter Jay Leonhart is both a veteran instrumentalist and an inspiring, storied vocal performer. With decades of accomplishments on his musical resume just as a bassist—including acts so varied as Tony Bennett, Ozzy Osbourne, James Taylor, Thad Jones, and Queen Latifah—Leonhart surprises many a musician with his disarming vocals and his smart, often humorous original songs, which he has recorded to critical acclaim since 1983’s Salamander Pie. An uncanny artist who has recorded nearly 20 records as a leader and appeared on some 250 as a sideman, Leonhart sure to move and entertain his audience.
$30 + $20 food/drink minimum
December 12 (Sunday) 5:30 PM – Birdland Jazz Club
NY Youth Symphony Jazz Band
The official jazz ensemble of the famed NY Youth Symphony program, this large ensemble features New York’s leading young voices performing classic material of the 1930s and 40s. Under the direction of Juilliard-trained trombonist and composer Andy Clausen (co-founder of the popular brass ensemble The Westerlies), these young talents offer special performances in the New York area and abroad, appearing at venues such Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Appel Room and even embarking on a 2016 tour of Brazil under the direction of trumpeter Matt Holman. Regularly mentored by the legends of jazz music, these young folks are keeping the torch aflame. Don’t miss this wonderful evening with the next generation of jazz talent!
$30 + $20 food/drink minimum
December 13 (Monday) 7:00 PM – Birdland Jazz Club
Kimberley Locke – “Christmas is Here” Album Release Concert
Kimberley Locke, along with the band EMP3, will celebrate the holidays and the release of the new album Christmas is Here. Auditioning for the 2003 series of TV talent show “American Idol” was a life-changing decision for Kimberley, eventually placing as second runner-up. She signed to Curb Records where she became a successful recording artist and released three full-length albums with the label. Among her many achievements, she’s had eight Top 20 Adult Contemporary hits and four #1 Dance hits across various Billboard charts. Her #1 club hit, a remake of the Freda Payne classic “Band of Gold,” was included on Billboard’s “Top 50 Dance Songs of the Decade” list. She’s also made history as being the only recording artist to score a #1 Christmas song on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart three years in a row. The band EMP3 features Eli Menezes on guitar, Manny Laine on drums, and Patrick Andy on bass.
$30 Cover, $10 food/drink minimum
December 14 (Tuesday) 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater
Dave Pietro Quartet
One of the foremost saxophonists in the jazz world for the past several decades, Dave Pietro is renowned for his writing, arranging, bandleading, soloing, and large ensemble work. His membership over the years in the Maria Schneider Jazz Orchestra, Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society, and Toshiko Akiyoshi’s Orchestra belies his affinity for imaginative, fulfilling composition and robust improvisation. Pietro’s own projects have included a who’s who of contemporary jazz stardom since his recording career began in 1994 with Forgotten Dreams, an album featuring Dave Holland, Bill Stewart, Kenny Werner and Ben Monder. Over the next nearly three decades on the international jazz scene, Pietro established himself with scores of recording credits on projects by artists such as David Bowie, Maynard Ferguson, and Chaka Khan. He continues to write and record original work, his latest effort being 2020’s HyperSphere, released on Artist Share.
$30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
December 14-18 (Tuesday-Saturday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM (12/14-6); 8:30 & 10:30 PM (12/17-18) – Birdland Jazz Club
Artemis
The women of ARTEMIS comprise a jazz supergroup, organized by 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, saxophonist Nicole Glover, trumpeter Ingrid Jensen, clarinetist Anat Cohen, 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.
$45 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
December 18 & 19 (Saturday-Sunday) 7:00 PM – Birdland Theater
James Barbour – 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. 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. 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 as Edward Rochester in Jane Eyre (Drama League Award nomination). His television credits include “Sex and the City,” “Ed,” “That’s Life,” “Some Enchanted Evening: Celebrating Oscar Hammerstein” (PBS).”
$40 cover charge/$20 minimum
December 19 (Sunday) 5:00 PM – Birdland Jazz Club
Steven Feifke and Benny Benack Christmas Show
This dynamic duo, comprised of two young musicians at the height of their still early careers, brings the holiday cheer through swinging jazz music. Their 2019 joint release, Season’s Swingin’ Greetings, released this year as a Deluxe Edition with Cellar Music, features pianist Feifke—called “masterful” by JAZZIZ—and trumpeter/crooner Benack—finalist in the 2014 Thelonious Monk Competition—celebrating various year-end holidays. From classics like “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” and “The Dreidel Song” all the way to the tongue-in-cheek original “My Girlfriend Is An Elf,” Season’s Swinging Greetings is an upbeat good time. Benack and Feifke follow up the success of the record with their holiday performance at Birdland, spreading good tidings far and wide through snappy tunes and fun-loving music.
$30 tables + $20 food/drink minimum
December 18 (Saturday) 9:30 PM – Birdland Theater
The EarRegulars
Renowned brassman Jon-Erik Kellso and virtuosic guitarist Matt Munisteri formed the EarRegulars in 2007. Known for their popular residency at local jaunt The Ear Inn, these two master musicians perform swinging, melodic classic jazz with an ever-changing roster of players. Listeners will hear everything from New Orleans style through the Tin Pan Alley classics, the swing era, and mainstream jazz in this high-energy, uplifting show. Featuring Matt Munisteri (guitar, vocals), Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet) and Scott Robinson (saxes).
$30 tables / $20 bar seating + $20 food/drink minimum
December 19 (Sunday) 9:30 PM – Birdland Theater
The Anderson Brothers Quintet
Juilliard-trained identical twins Peter and Will Anderson have been hailed as “virtuosos on clarinet and saxophone” by The New York Times. Their passion for classic jazz shines through each time they perform. Having shared the stage with some of the music’s biggest straight-ahead jazz acts—including Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Wycliffe Gordon, Cecile McLorin Salvant, Paquito D’Rivera, and Wynton Marsalis—the brothers constitute a formidable force. They’ve headlined shows at Carnegie Hall, The Blue Note, Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, and live on Garrison Keillor’s Prairie Home Companion Radio Program. Birdland welcomes them for one Sunday night set of straight-down-the-middle jazz.
$30 tables / $20 bar seating + $20 food/drink minimum
December 20 (Monday) 7:00 PM – Birdland Jazz Club
Daniel Reichard – “Let’s Christmas”
Since 2006, Reichard has made his holiday concert an almost annual event, having played sold-out engagements at venues including Birdland, Lincoln Center, Feinstein’s 54 Below, the Alvin Ailey Theatre, and Haswell Green’s. This year, he will present a one-night-only evening of stories and songs at Birdland where he has headlined multiple times over the past decade. The evening will feature holiday hits from various decades, as well as Reichard’s signature storytelling and comedic observations. The show is directed by The Band’s Visit choreographer, Patrick McCollum. Reichard is featured on the Jersey Boys’ Grammy-Award Winningand multi-platinum cast album, and received a Drama Desk Award nomination for his performance. He made his New York City debut after graduating from the University of Michigan in the world-famous Forbidden Broadway. His signature style and talent paved the way to starring roles in New York City and beyond, including his triumphant portrayal of artist and social activist Keith Haring in Radiant Baby at the Public Theater. Other major credits include his starring as the title role in the New York City Opera’s Candide and the film version of Forever Plaid. With his fellow Jersey Boys co-stars, he founded the vocal group “The Midtown Men,” who have performed hundreds of concerts worldwide, recorded two albums, and produced two television specials for PBS.
$50 tables / $75 VIP + $20 food/drink minimum
December 20 (Monday) 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater
Erin Bode
A Twin Cities native from a musical family, Erin Bode has pioneered a unique style that balances itself on the nexus of jazz, pop, and folk. Her October release, YourSong (Ropeadope, 2021) is a collection of songs that Bode presents directly to listeners’ hearts. It comes as her latest in a string of impressive records that includes 2004’s Don’t Take Your Time (MAXJAZZ), 2006’s Over and Over (MAXJAZZ), 2008’s The Little Garden (Native Language Music) and A Cold December Night (Omagatoki), 2010’s Photograph, and 2016’s Here and Now. Bode’s yearning, soulful tone reaches new depths with this latest recording. She brings her music to Birdland Theater for one set.
$30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
December 21-25 (Tuesday-Saturday) 5:30 PM – Birdland Jazz Club
“A Swinging Birdland Christmas” with Klea Blackhurst, Jim Caruso & Billy Stritch
The 12th year of “A Swinging Birdland Christmas” will star Birdland regulars Klea Blackhurst, Jim Caruso and Billy Stritch. In 2019, the trio released the album Christmas at Birdland, through Club44 Records, and distributed worldwide through Sony/Provident. In the tradition of beloved seasonal specials, Blackhurst, Caruso and Stritch perform swinging arrangements of “The Christmas Waltz,” Kay Thompson’s “The Holiday Season,” “Sleigh Ride,” “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm,” “Snow,” and “It Happened In Sun Valley,” among other favorites. The singers will be joined by Steve Doyle on bass and Daniel Glass on drums.
$30 cover, $10 food/drink minimum
December 21-25 (Tuesday-Saturday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM (12/21-23); 8:30 & 10:30 PM (12/24-5) – Birdland Jazz Club
Christmas With 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. Fulton returns to the jazz club with drummer Fukushi Tainaka and bassist Hide Tanaka, with whom she recorded Birdsong in 2020. Her latest album is Live From Lockdown with her father Stephen Fulton. For this week at Birdland, Champion will perform Christmas classics to soothe the soul.
$40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
December 23-24 (Thursday-Friday) 8:30PM (12/23) 7:00 & 9:30PM (12/24) – Birdland Theater
Allan Harris Sings A Nat King Cole Christmas
Head into Christmas with the rich voice of Allan Harris paying tribute to crooning legend Nat King Cole. Harris, whose luxurious balladry and bluesman slickness make him one of jazz’s leading men, has performed at festivals and halls in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, as well as the 2012 Olympics in London. At home, he has toured nationally and performed at top venues such as New York’s Lincoln Center and D.C.’s Kennedy Center. A three-time recipient of the New York Nightlife Award for “Outstanding Jazz Vocalist” and the DownBeat Critics Poll Award for “Rising Star Vocalist,” Harris brings his storied life into each song. His Nat King Cole tribute builds off of his 2007 release, Long Live The King, which was met with critical acclaim.
$30 tables / $20 bar seating + $20 food/drink minimum
December 26 (Sunday) 5:00 PM – Birdland Theater
City Rhythm Orchestra
Led by Pete Spina and Nick Vallerio, the City Rhythm Orchestra has performed swinging classics for the last two and a half decades. After seven tours of Italy, five albums, and performances in every major American hotel, country club and music venue along the East Coast, City Rhythm has developed a name for itself as a powerhouse ensemble that brings—true to their motto—“Great Music and Great Fun” wherever they go. Their last recording, entitled Vibrant Tones, featured Hammond B3 organ master Joey DeFrancesco and made Jazzweek’s Top 50 CDs for 2005. City Rhythm doesn’t disappoint: come get into the swing of things!
$30 tables / $20 bar seating + $20 food/drink minimum
December 27 (Monday) 7:00 PM – Birdland Jazz Club
Ty Herndon
Herndon is a Grammy Award-nominated and Dove Award-winning recording artist with a career spanning two decades, 20 Billboard singles and five million albums sold. As a live performer, he gained popularity while playing the honky-tonks in Texas, and in 1993 he was named Texas Entertainer of the Year. That honor led to interest from Music Row and a record deal with Epic Records. Herndon made his chart debut in 1995 with “What Mattered Most,” which became his first #1 song. Starting in 1995, Herndon charted 17 singles, including his three #1s and numerous Top Ten hits, such as “I Want My Goodbye Back,” “Loved Too Much,” “A Man Holding On,” and “Hands of a Working Man.” In 2010, Herndon released his album Journey On, which represented his first foray into songwriting. In 2014, he was the first major male country artist to publicly come out as gay. Herndon has donated his time to organizations such as the Trevor Project, Make A Wish, St. Jude, GLAAD, HRC and Feed the Children. In 2018, Herndon was honored with the HRC Visibility Award. His latest album is 2019’s Got It Covered.
$30 tables / $20 bar seating + $20 food/drink minimum
December 27 (Monday) 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater
Alexa Tarantino Quartet
Wynton Marsalis has called Alexa Tarantino “an indomitable force for expression, education, and absolute excellence.” The prodigious young jazz saxophonist, called “high-octane” by JAZZIZ and “sharply plotted but gracefully unencumbered” by The New York Times, released Firefly in 2021, a follow-up to 2020’s Clarity and 2019’s Winds of Change, all on Posi-Tone Records. Named one of the Top 5 Alto Saxophonists of 2019 by the JazzTimes Critics’ Poll and nominated as a Rising Star for Alto Saxophone by Downbeat Magazine’s 2021 and 2020 Critics’ Poll, Tarantino is truly an up-and-coming force. Her lyrical melodies and genuine improvisations engage listeners and, backed by a band of New York’s finest young artists, she is sure to deliver moving statements and an unforgettable night of heartfelt music.
December 28 – January 1 (Tuesday-Saturday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM (12/28-30); 8:00 & 11:00 PM (12/31); 8:30 PM & 10:30 PM (1/1) – Birdland Jazz Club
Birdland Big Band Featuring Nicole Zuraitis
Few can lead you into the new year better than the Birdland Big Band featuring vocalist Nicole Zuraitis. 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 musical chameleon Zuraitis—Gold Medalist and winner of the Ben Tucker Jazz Award in the 2021 American Traditions Competition—effortlessly leading the way. Saxophonist David DeJesus, a veteran of New York’s most prestigious large ensembles, directs the band. Audiences will delight as this stellar cast rings in the dawn of a great 2022.
12/28-30: $40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
12/31, 8:00 PM: $75 tables / $40 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
12/31, 11:00 PM: $150 tables / $50 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
1/1: $40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
December 29 – January 1 (Wednesday-Saturday) 8:30 PM (12/29-30); 8:00 & 11:00 PM (12/31); 7:00 PM (1/1-2) – Birdland Theater
Marilyn Maye New Year’s Eve Extravaganza!
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 in April 2015 for an 8-day engagement at 54 Below: “Her Way: A Salute To Sinatra.” The answer? They all depend on the talent of musical legend Marilyn Maye. A treasure of American song with 76 appearances on The Tonight Show, a 1966 GRAMMY nomination for Best New Artist, and lifetime achievement awards from both the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame and the American Jazz Museum, Maye will lead audiences into the New Year with the grace that she has brought to her jaw-dropping performances for the past eighty—yes, eighty—years on stage. Without question, this will be a night to remember.
12/29-30, 8:30 PM: $50 tables / $40 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
12/31, 8:00 & 11:00 PM: Tiered Seating $75-150 tables / $75 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
1/1-2, 7:00 PM: $150 tables / $50 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
$40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
Monthly Engagements:
December 6, 13, 20, 27 (Mondays) 9:30 PM – Birdland Jazz Club
Jim Caruso’s Cast Party
“Jim Caruso’s Cast Party,” a New York institution for almost two decades, is a wildly popular weekly open mic night/variety show that has brought a sprinkling of Broadway glitz and urbane wit to Birdland since 2004. Called “show-business heaven” by The New York Times and “the gold-standard of open mic nights” by The Wall Street Journal, “Cast Party” will take advantage of the city’s post-pandemic nightlife renaissance to keep presenting a potent mix of Broadway stars, jazz swingers and cabaret legends, in addition to new faces and rising talent from every genre. The buoyant, sharp and charming Caruso guides the entire affair, while musical genius Billy Stritch (Liza Minnelli, Tony Bennett) holds court at the ivories and leads the Cast Party Symphony Orchestra (Steve Doyle on bass and Daniel Glass on drums).
$30 + $20 food/drink minimum
December 7, 21, 28 (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
December 1, 8, 15, 22,29 (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 1, 8, 15, 22 (Wednesdays) 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater
Frank Vignola’s Guitar Night
One of the world’s most exciting jazz guitarists for the last 25 years, Frank Vignola’s virtuosity and pan-stylistic expertise has led to work with such stars as Ringo Starr, Madonna, Donald Fagen, Tommy Emmanuel, and the Boston and New York Pops. This December, Vignola will take charge at Birdland every Wednesday (with two exceptions) for a night of brilliant guitar playing. Accompanied by his versatile and masterful quartet featuring Jimmy Bruno (guitar), Peter Washington or Josh Marcum (bass), and Vince Cherico (drums), he will invite special guests each evening: on December 1st, Henry Acker will join; on the 8th, Peter Bernstein; on the 15th, Vinny Raniolo; and on the 22nd, Cheryl Bailey. Guitar and music lovers will delight!
$30 tables; $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
December 4, 18 (Saturdays) 5:30 PM – Birdland Jazz Club + December 25-26 (Saturday-Sunday) 7pm & 9:30pm Birdland Theater
Eric Comstock & Barbara Fasano
Hailed as “the truest heir to Bobby Short” in The New York Times, pianist/singer Eric Comstock returns to Birdland with star bassist/composer Sean Smith with songs by everyone from George Gershwin to George Harrison. These two masters met on the Off-Broadway hit Our Sinatra (which Eric co-wrote) and have since worked separately and together around the world. Vocalist Barbara Fasano joins them at Birdland for a swinging Saturday supper where the music and stories are equally great. Sean Smith has been an integral part of the international jazz scene for over 25 years, and has performed with Gerry Mulligan, Phil Woods, Benny Carter, Art Farmer, Flip Phillips, Clark Terry and many others. Barbara Fasano has been praised as “a gorgeous, soulful singer who has an actor’s intensity in whatever she sings” by The New York Post and “a lyrically sensitive interpreter” by The New York Times. Her latest album Busy Being Free is the recipient of the MAC Award for “Major Recording of the Year.”
$30 + $20 food/drink minimum
December 5, 12, 19, 26 (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” (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
December 3, 10, 17, 31 (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