Birdland Jazz Club and Birdland Theater are proudly open this December with a full slate of nightly performances! Come celebrate the holidays with us!
At Birdland Jazz Club, catch Tom Kitt in Concert, Emmet Cohen Trio, Ehud Asherie Quartet, We Love the Winter Weather: Songs of the Season (and Livestream), Jane Monheit, Bryce Edwards Frivolity Hour (and livestream), Stacey Kent, A Swinging Birdland Christmas, Christmas with Champian Fulton, Maude Maggart in “Do Something!” Birdland Big Band (with Special Guest Hilary Kole in January).
Birdland Theater will present Elan Mehler Sextet, Hilary Gardner and The Lonesome Pines, Birdland Boptet Directed by David DeJesus, New York Voices: The Grand Finale, Ashley Pezzotti, and Marilyn Maye’s New Year’s Eve Extravaganza.
Repeat engagements include Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks, Jim Caruso’s Cast Party with Billy Stritch at the piano, David Ostwald’s Louis Armstrong Eternity Band, Frank Vignola’s Guitar Night, The High Society New Orleans Jazz Band, The Birdland Big Band, Gabrielle Stravelli, Yardbird Big Band Directed by David DeJesus, and The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra.
See below for the full schedule! More information can be found at www.birdlandjazz.com
December 1 (Monday) 7:00 PM – Birdland Jazz Club
Tom Kitt in Concert
The incredible Tom Kitt is a two-time Tony, two-time Emmy, two-time Grammy, and Pulitzer Prize Award winner. He has composed the music for six Broadway shows: Next to Normal (Tony Award, Olivier Nomination), If/Then (Tony Nomination), Almost Famous (Tony Nomination), Flying Over Sunset (Tony Nomination), High Fidelity, and Bring it On, The Musical. As an orchestrator, he won Grammys for Jagged Little Pill and Hell’s Kitchen; and he received the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for his score on the musical Next to Normal, sharing with Brian Yorkey. Kitt has received 8 Drama Desk Awards, winning one; his score for Shakespeare in the Park’s The Winter’s Tale was called “a triumph” by The New York Times; among his film and TV credits he counts the Pitch Perfect films, Grease Live, NBC’s Rise, Up Here, Royal Pains, Penny Dreadful, Sesame Street and the Disney Channel Original Movie, Freaky Friday. A Sony Masterworks artist, he recorded his debut album, Reflect, on the prestigious label in 2021. Kitt will be joined by an extraordinary cast of Broadway and West End singers including Lauren Patten, Elizabeth Stanely, Adrienne Warren, Elizabeth Gillies, and Jack Wolfe.
$30 tables / $40 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
December 2-6 (Tuesday-Saturday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM (12/2-4); 8:30 & 10:30 PM (12/5-6) – Birdland Jazz Club
Emmet Cohen Trio
The well-established pianist Emmet Cohen—Cole Porter Fellow of the American Pianists Association, 1st prize winner of the 2019 American Pianists Awards, Finalist in the 2011 Thelonious Monk International Piano Competition, and young collaborator of masters Benny Golson, Ron Carter, George Coleman, The Heath Brothers, and Christian McBride—has just brought his wildly popular livestream concert series, “Live From Emmet’s Place,” to a close. When the pandemic sent musicians and audiences into lockdown in March 2020, Cohen decided to begin filming concerts from his Harlem apartment starring his electrifyingly-swinging trio of bassist Russell Hall and drummer Kyle Poole with special guest friends and a “rent party” feeling with live audiences. The series became an instant hit; his Youtube channel now boasts over 1000 videos with an accumulated nearly 60 million views, and Emmet’s Place is a (literal) household name in jazz. So while the homebound concerts are over—for now!—you can still catch Cohen performing across the world. And this first week of December, you can catch him at Birdland, where presents the latest from his working trio.
$50 tables / $40 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
December 5-6 (Friday-Saturday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM – Birdland Theater
Elan Mehler Sextet
In what is sure to be a moving weekend of performances, pianist and composer Elan Mehler—whom The Guardian praised as able to “bring a crowded room to total silence”—assembles his sextet to bring to life his enigmatic lyrical imagination. The same sextet performed one year earlier at the Theater to sold out crowds. Insightful, dextrous, heartfelt and challenging, Mehler’s brand of pianism lives where affection for the masters of the jazz tradition meets a modernist’s insistence—and his use of space, long-hanging notes, crunchy lines, sensitive interplay, and creative outburst make his artistry fulfilling to watch, hear, and think over. Recordings with modern greats Bill Frisell, Becca Stevens, and Dave Douglas speak for his abilities, including the gorgeous Stevens collaboration Pallet On Your Floor, the Douglas collaboration If There Are Mountains, and Mehler’s own TJ and the Revenge, featuring Frisell. Mehler is also featured on Kimbrough, the special tribute album to legendary modern pianist Frank Kimbrough. For this three-night engagement his sextet includes—saxophonists Loren Stillman, Scott Robinson, and Geroge Garzone, with bassist Tony Scherr, and drummer Dor Herskovits.
$40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
December 7 (Sunday) 5:30 PM – Birdland Jazz Club
Ehud Asherie Quartet
Pianist Ehud Asherie grew up attending shows at Smalls Jazz Club in New York City, where he steeped himself in the live, communal dynamics of jazz. His style—a personal combination of “old school” piano players, Brazilian masters, and the inflections of his own curious mind—has taken him around the world performing with Cécile McLorin Salvant, Wycliffe Gordon, Catherine Russell, Harry Allen, John Pizzarelli, Charles McPherson, Wilson das Neves, Duduka da Fonseca and Maucha Adnet. He has performed at clubs and festivals in South America, Europe, Asia, and throughout the U.S, and his playing is heard on acclaimed recordings—13 of his own and many for others, including the 2010 Grammy Award winning soundtrack of HBO’s Boardwalk Empire. The New Yorker calls him “A master of swing and stride.” Joined by frequent collaborators Zaid Nasser on saxophone, Joey Ranieri on bass, and Charles Goold on drums, Asherie will deliver his trademark pianism at this Sunday early evening performance.
$35 tables / $25 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
December 7 (Sunday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM – Birdland Theater
Hilary Gardner and The Lonesome Pines
Vocalist Hilary Gardner’s quartet specializes in the nexus of jazz with the cowboy songs of the Old West. With bassist Noah Garabedian, guitarist-vocalist Justin Poindexter, accordionist- vocalist Sasha Papernik, and drummer Aaron Thurston providing an easy-handed backbone, Gardner can float high above her Lonesome Pines on such romantic melodies as “Cowboy Serenade,” “I’m An Old Cowhand,” and “Lights of Old Santa Fe.” Gardner is a vocalist with vast experience: work spanning cinema, pop, Broadway, and straight-ahead jazz informs her sophisticated choices, and her jazz vocal group, DUCHESS, won Vocal Group of the Year (2021 & 2022) at the Jazz Journalists Association awards and Best Vocal Group (2021) in the Jazz Times Critics’ Poll. Gardner and her woebegone compatriots perform for two sets on this Sunday evening at the Theater.
$40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
December 8 (Monday) 7:00 PM – Birdland Jazz Club
We Love the Winter Weather: Songs of the Season (and Livestream!)
Four award-winning New York favorites—KT Sullivan, Stacy Sullivan, Jeff Harnar, and Todd Murray—bring We Love the Winter Weather to the Birdland stage, joined by music director Jon Weber. This eclectic and entertaining holiday cabaret features material by Irving Berlin, Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne, Carol Hall, Danny Apolinar, David Friedman, and Mel Tormé, with nods to “Grandma,” Elvis, Peggy Lee, and a “short attention span theater” retelling of White Christmas. Each performer is a heavyweight: KT Sullivan—Lorelei Lee in Broadway’s Gentlemen Prefer Blondes—is an internationally acclaimed cabaret artist in residence at the Algonquin Hotel and Artistic Director of the Mabel Mercer Foundation. Jeff Harnar, winner of multiple MAC, Bistro, and BroadwayWorld Awards, recently sold out Birdland with his album release SAMMY CAHN The Second Time Around. Stacy Sullivan, a MAC and Nightlife Award winner, is renowned for her Peggy Lee tribute, which has toured internationally from London to Carnegie Recital Hall. Todd Murray, known for his acclaimed album CROON and his widely heard holiday originals, has sold out venues nationwide and abroad. Their musical director, Jon Weber, hosts NPR’s Piano Jazz, and his newest release Simple Complex rose to #1 on the charts. Together, this dream team brings chemistry that will warm your winter fingers. Livestream available at veeps.com/birdland.
$50 VIP Front Row / $40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum / $20 Livestream
December 9-13 (Tuesday-Saturday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM (12/9-11); 8:30 & 10:30 PM (12/12-13) – Birdland Jazz Club
Jane Monheit
Get ready for the holidays with Jane Monheit! With a robust, sultry tone and an uplifting stage presence, Jane has become a household name among contemporary jazz fans over the last 15 years who have come to identify her with the living tradition of swinging vocalists. Refining the Songbook standards in a way that is both all her own and still deeply dedicated to the master singers, Monheit has been the vocalist of choice on recordings by the great Terence Blanchard (Let’s Get Lost), Tom Harrell (Wise Children), Harold Mabern (Afro Blue), David Benoit (Two in Love and Believe) and other celebrated modern recordings. As a leader, she has released 13 full-length albums; recent engagements at Birdland Jazz Club saw her perform a tribute to master female vocalists alongside favorites Champian Fulton and Lezlie Harrison, and celebrated the release of her album Come What May (Club44, 2021). Monheit is at her peak: sharpened by years on the road, she is calm and nourished by a closeness to her loved ones. Performing with her long-time group that features her husband, Rick Montalbano, on drums, Monheit will bring audiences into her warm world for this cheerful and intimate week of pre-holiday performances.
$50 tables / $40 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
December 12-14 (Friday-Sunday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM – Birdland Theater
Birdland Boptet Directed by David DeJesus
Celebrate Charlie “Yardbird” Parker, the giant of American music and namesake of Birdland Jazz Club! To honor this legend, Birdland Theater presents David DeJesus and his ensemble, the Boptet. Alto saxophonist DeJesus is a master musician fluent across Latin, jazz and dozens of other styles, and he is an expert on the life of Charlie Parker. He serves, too, as the director of the Birdland Big Band, and has been a fixture on the New York City music scene for three decades, performing with the best of the best: the Village Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, the Mingus Big Band, the Dizzy Gillespie Alumni All-Stars, Ron Carter’s Great Big Band, and Jimmy Heath’s Big Band; the Grammy-nominated Arturo O’Farrill Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, Bobby Sanabria Big Band, Ruben Blades, Larry Harlow, and Gilberto Santa Rosa. DeJesus is also a passionate educator, serving as Professor of Jazz Studies at SUNY Purchase and directing the conservatory’s Latin Jazz Orchestra. Gather to celebrate this weekend: Bird lives!
$40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
December 15 (Monday) 7:00 PM – Birdland Jazz Club
Bryce Edwards Frivolity Hour (with Livestream)
On Monday, December 15th at 7pm, nouveau vaudevillian Bryce Edwards will once again storm the Birdland stage with his Frivolity Hour! Back by popular demand! Come see why BroadwayWorld just named The Bryce Edwards Frivolity Hour as one of the best solo cabaret shows of 2024, alongside entertainment royalty such as Patti LuPone, Bernadette Peters, and Marilyn Maye (to name a few). Crooning troubadour Edwards will share his original brand of hot traditional jazz and early 20th century popular music, playing all the lush serenades and hot novelties you never knew you always wanted to hear. Edwards is a unique vocalist that takes equal cues from the crooners and soft singers of the late 1920s and early 30s and from the bombastic voices of the earlier acoustic phonograph era—as well as an instrumentalist who plays banjo, ukulele, tenor guitar, and mandolin in the “modernistic” jazz idiom. Leading a hot combination featuring extraordinary jazzmen Scott Ricketts (cornet), Ricky Alexander (clarinet, alto saxophone), Conal Fowkes (piano), and Jay Rattman (bass saxophone), Edwards channels his passion into reviving some of that long lost intangible quality of the Jazz Age and igniting interest in an all too often overlooked era of music that—despite being an entire century old—still bubbles with lively humor, beauty, and an oft-defiant youthful energy. He brings his singular verve and sensibility to songs made famous by great artists such as Cliff Edwards, Ted Lewis, Jack Teagarden, Rudy Vallée, and Bing Crosby. Steeped in jazz age novelty, Bryce Edwards takes frivolity very seriously, and vows to entertain his audience or die trying. Livestream available at veeps.com/birdland.
$40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum / $20 Livestream
December 16-20 (Tuesday-Saturday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM (12/16-18); 8:30 & 10:30 PM (12/19-20) – Birdland Jazz Club
Stacey Kent
Beloved vocalist Stacey Kent has released her long-awaited new recording, The Summer We Crossed Europe in the Rain—a highly unique collaboration with Booker and Nobel Prize-winning author Kazuo Ishiguro and Kent’s partner, the saxophonist and arranger Jim Tomlinson. 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 clocking over 500 million streams. With performances in over 55 countries during her stellar career, Kent’s global fandom makes perfect sense: over the course of two decades as a recording artist, her miraculous fluency singing in French, Italian, German, Portuguese and English allows her to relate to audiences across cultural borders. Naturally, 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 studio album Summer Me, Winter Me (Naive Records) in November of 2023. The new recording comes from an illustrated book of lyrics—written specifically for Kent to sing—by best-selling author Kazuo Ishiguro (Never Let Me Go, The Remains of the Day) and illustrated by Bianca Bagnarelli. For this special week of shows, Kent is backed by her working group of veteran collaborators.
$50 tables / $40 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
December 19-21 (Friday-Sunday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM – Birdland Theater
New York Voices: The Grand Finale
By now, New York Voices has joined the ranks of the legendary vocal groups in American history. 38 years of excellence performing the world over, collaborating with such giants as the Count Basie Orchestra, Paquito D’Rivera, and the Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band, led to multiple Grammy nominations and the praise of the global music community. Fans were sad to hear that the group will retire by the end of 2026, but the peace and quiet is hard-earned and well-deserved—and thus the iconic group will gift its audiences with “The Grand Finale”: the New York Voices’ farewell tour. “New York Voices lives up to its reputation as the most exciting vocal ensemble in current jazz,” says Boston Herald. Vocalists Peter Eldridge, Kim Nazarian, Darmon Meader, and Lauren Kinhan earned a devoted fan base over their 19 albums, which featured the vocal quartet’s incredible virtuosity, extraordinary chemistry, and tremendous heart. Their repertoire has spanned widely across genres—their last album, 2019’s Reminiscing in Tempo, included songs by The Beatles, Duke Ellington, Cole Porter, pianist Fred Hersch, Brazilian composer Ivan Lins, and pianist Chick Corea. But their core concept, which began electrifying audiences in the mid-80s—has remained singular to this day. Don’t miss this weekend with one of the best acts to ever do it—as they say goodnight.
$45 tables / $35 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
December 21-22 (Sunday-Monday) 5:30 (12/21); 5:30, 8:30 & 10:30 PM (12/22) – Birdland Jazz Club
A Swinging Birdland Christmas
This wildly successful extravaganza has been celebrating the holidays at this historic music room since 2010. Inspired by the great television variety specials of yesteryear, the show brings together Klea Blackhurst, Jim Caruso, and Billy Stritch for an evening of swinging seasonal cheer. Equal parts music, merriment, and Birdland magic, the trio of singers will perform swinging arrangements of “The Christmas Waltz,” Kay Thompson’s “Holiday Season,” “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm,” “Snow,” and “It Happened in Sun Valley,” among other favorites. Klea Blackhurst is an actress, singer, and comedienne known for her award-winning tribute to Ethel Merman, Everything the Traffic Will Allow; Jim Caruso, winner of six MAC Awards and eight BroadwayWorld Awards for his work in nightclubs, is the host of “Jim Caruso’s Cast Party,” the wildly popular Birdland weekly open mic running since 2003; and Billy Stritch has been a highly-sought-after accompanist for four decades, currently working with such leading vocalists as Linda Eder, Marilyn Maye, Linda Lavin, Christine Ebersole, and Ann Hampton Callaway. The trio released a Deluxe Edition of their popular CD, Christmas at Birdland, produced by Wayne Haun on the Club44 Records label. They will be joined by Steve Doyle on bass and Eric Halvorson on drums for this limited engagement of only four special performances. Don’t miss!
$50 tables / $40 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
December 23-27 (Tuesday-Saturday) 5:30, 8:30 & 10:30 PM – Birdland Jazz Club
Christmas with Champian Fulton
Birdland favorite Champian Fulton returns to her favorite jazz club for Christmas week, starting one night before Christmas Eve, for a run that will be sure to bring warmth and Yuletide cheer. A true jazz singer is something special, and something special indeed is Champian Fulton. Daughter of trumpeter Stephen Fulton, Champian grew up inside a world of jazz artists and jazz tradition. 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 17 albums to her name, including 3 named Album of the Year by the NYC Jazz Record, she is understandably a Birdland fan favorite. And with Birdland as her home, it was only fitting for her to record her latest solo album at the club: 2023’s Meet Me At Birdland. Fulton has since released Every Now and Then (2024, Cellar Live) in collaboration with Cory Weeds, and musical-directed the album Flying High: Big Band Canaries Who Soared (The Styles and Sounds of the Great Female Jazz Vocalists)—and most recently, At Home (2025), a duo with reedist Klas Linquist. With three sets a night the whole week, you have extra chances to join Champian—and to toe-tap your way through the holidays.
$50 tables / $40 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
December 24-28 (Wednesday-Sunday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM – Birdland Theater
Ashley Pezzotti
Called a “performer to watch” by DownBeat Magazine, Queens-born Ashley Pezzotti takes an early set on the Birdland Jazz Club stage four consecutive Saturdays in October to deliver her trademark renditions of American standards. This 27-year-old rising star has performed with jazz icon Wynton Marsalis (on his 2020 recording The Ever Fonky Lowdown and on their latest national tour), country legend Keith Urban, and piano prodigy Joey Alexander. On her debut recording, We’ve Only Just Begun, she was backed by the Emmet Cohen Trio and other young lions. With vocals indebted to the great jazz singers like Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, and Carmen McRae, Pezzotti offers listeners a chance to relax into the music they know and love, while bringing a freshness of presence that enchants her audiences.
$50 tables / $40 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
December 29 (Monday) 7:00 PM – Birdland Jazz Club
Maude Maggart in “A Tiny Match”
Since her debut in 2001, singular cabaret artist Maude Maggart has gained a loyal following and critical acclaim, performing across the United States and Europe: notably at Cafe Carlyle and at her longtime yearly engagement at The Oak Room of The Algonquin Hotel. Maude has been featured in Michael Feinstein’s “Standard Time” at Carnegie Hall, and A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor. She has also performed at Lincoln Center with Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks and sung at Princeton University for a celebration of Dr. Cornel West. On film, Maude can be seen in the Johnny Mercer documentary for TCM, This Time the Dream’s On Me, directed by Clint Eastwood. She has been the subject of NPR’s Morning Edition, and is a favorite of radio personality Jonathan Schwartz. Maude is featured on her sister Fiona Apple’s Grammy-award-winning album Fetch the Bolt Cutters. Maude has five solo albums, including her latest, “Here Come the Dreamers.”
$40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
December 30-January 3 (Tuesday-Saturday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM (12/30); 7:00 & 11:00 PM (12/31); 7:00 & 9:30 PM (1/1); 5:30, 8:30 & 10:30 PM (1/2-3) – Birdland Jazz Club
Birdland Big Band (with special guest Hilary Kole in January)
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 the Latin Jazz Orchestra at prestigious the SUNY Purchase conservatory) effortlessly leading the way. Audiences will delight as this stellar cast rings in the dawn of a great 2025. The band finishes out the week with three nights featuring singer, composer, and arranger Hilary Kole. Kole has headlined in the United States and around the world at the Umbria Jazz Festival, The Montreal Jazz Festival, Town Hall, The Blue Note, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall with the New York Pops, and throughout Japan and Europe, recording with music legends David Brubeck, Oscar Peterson, Michel LeGrand, Hank Jones, John Pizzarelli, Monty Alexander, Kenny Barron, Freddy Cole, the Indianapolis Symphony, and The Colorado Symphony, among others. Her own albums have won the Gold Disc Award in Japan, received 4-star reviews in Downbeat, been named as “Record Of The Year” in USA Today, and received the “Record of the Year” Bistro Award. She joins the unmatched congregation of modern-day style that is the Birdland Big Band to kick off 2026.
12/30: $50 tables / $40 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
12/31: 7:00 PM, $100 tables / $50 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
12/31: 11:00 PM, $150 tables / $75 premium bar / $50 GA bar
1/1: $50 tables / $40 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
1/2-1/3: 5:30 PM, $40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
1/2-1/3: 8:30 & 10:30 PM, $50 tables / $40 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
December 31, January 2-4 (Wednesday, Friday-Sunday) 7:30 & 11:00 PM (12/31); 7:00 & 9:30 PM (1/2-4) – Birdland Theater
Marilyn Maye’s 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 for a recent 8-day engagement of: “Her Way: A Salute To Sinatra.” The answer? They all depend on the talent of the legend of American music, 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 Maye will give audiences a night of inspiration leading into the New Year, performing her beloved New Year’s Eve Extravaganza. She leaves New Year’s Day free before finishing her run from Friday through Sunday. Throughout this string of shows, expect 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.
12/31: $100 premium tables / $75 tables / $50 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
1/2-1/4: $40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
Monthly Engagements:
December 1-2, 8-9, 15-16, 22-23, 29-30 (Mondays and Tuesdays) 5:30 & 8:30 PM; 7:00 & 9:30 PM (12/22-12/23) – Birdland Theater
Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks
Catch Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks every Monday and Tuesday evening 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 partial view table seating + $20 food/drink minimum
December 1, 8, 15, 29 (Mondays except 12/22) 9:30 PM – Birdland Jazz Club
Jim Caruso’s Cast Party
Step into the glittering world of Jim Caruso’s Cast Party, the legendary weekly open mic night that turns Birdland into the ultimate showbiz playground! Every Monday, the iconic venue transforms into a raucous, star-studded celebration of music, comedy, and jaw-dropping talent, where seasoned pros and up-and-coming performers share the stage in an unforgettable, high-energy variety show. Leading the charge is the ever-dapper Jim Caruso. With his signature charm and boundless enthusiasm, Caruso keeps the night moving at a thrilling pace, welcoming Broadway belters, jazz virtuosos, master tappers, and the occasional surprise megastar drop-in! Fueling the musical magic is the incomparable trio of powerhouse musicians: the dazzling Billy Stritch at the piano, the rock-solid Steve Doyle on bass, and the dynamic Daniel Glass on drums. Together, they create a swinging, electrifying sound that transforms every performance into a showstopping moment. From Tony and Oscar winners to hopeful newcomers, Cast Party is where talent shines, friendships are forged, and the spirit of live performance is alive and thriving. Whether you’re gracing the stage or cheering from the audience, one thing’s for sure—you never know who might take the mic next! Join the party every Monday night at Birdland and witness why Jim Caruso’s Cast Party remains a can’t-miss New York City tradition.
$35 tables / $25 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
December 3, 10, 17 (Wednesdays except 12/24 & 12/31) 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 25th 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!
$40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
December 3, 10, 17 (Wednesdays except 12/24 & 12/31) 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 Alex Raderman, perform tunes from the standard repertoire, bringing in special guests weekly. In December, catch Karrin Allyson and Ken Peplowski (vocals & clarinet, 12/3); Ken Peplowski and Josh Dunn (clarinet & guitar, 12/10); and Ken Peplowski and John Pizzarelli (clarinet & guitar 12/17). **Guitar night streams live every week at: YouTube.com/RadioFreeBirdland
$40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
December 4, 11, 18 (Thursdays except 12/25) 5:30 PM & 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater
The High Society New Orleans Jazz Band
Led by veteran trumpeter Simon Wettenhall and Grammy winning pianist Conal Fowkes, The High Society New Orleans Jazz Band is a New Orleans-style group which for decades has served as Woody Allen’s band of choice in his movies, concert tours and other performances—including, on the silver screen, the celebrated Wild Man Blues, Sweet and Lowdown, Midnight in Paris, Blue Jasmine, Cafe Society, Magic In The Moonlight, and A Rainy Day In New York. Appearing on all the premiere concert stages of Europe and the United States, the group features Conal Fowkes (piano/vocals co-leader), Simon Wettenhall (trumpet/vocals co-leader), Tom Abbott (clarinet), Harvey Tibbs (trombone), Josh Dunn (banjo/guitar), Brian Nalepka (bass/vocals), and Kevin Dorn (drums). Catch them each Thursday at Birdland Theater.
$40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
December 5, 12, 19 (Fridays except 12/26) 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!”
$45 tables / $35 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
December 6, 13, 20 (Saturdays except 12/27) 5:30 PM – Birdland Jazz Club
Gabrielle Stravelli Trio
The New York Times raves: “Ms. Stravelli’s emotional intelligence coincides with a phenomenal voice that she wielded with an easygoing confidence and impeccable taste.” Award-winning vocalist Gabrielle Stravelli takes over the Saturday early set at Birdland Theater in December with her trademark vocal style. Stravelli’s clear tone, gutsy rhythm, impeccable scat-singing and contagious joy have delighted audiences the world over. Honored with 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), Stravelli has long earned her reputation as a premier songstress. She leads her quartet in regular performances at the country’s finest jazz clubs and performing arts centers and has headlined domestic and international jazz festivals—including the 2024 & 2023 Delaware Water Gap COTA Festival, 2023 Cape Cod Jazz Festival, 2023 Cayman Arts Festival, ’24, ’21 & ’18 WBGO Jazz on the Mountain Festivals, 2019 Providencia Jazz Festival in Chile, 2016 Eleuthera Jazz Festival in the Bahamas, and the 2014 Maree Sonore Festival in Venice, Italy. Stravelli debuted world-renowned jazz pianist Fred Hersch’s song cycle “Rooms of Light” and toured the U.S. premiering “Abyssinian” with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. Beautiful Moons Ago, her fifth and latest release, was the first to feature her trio with pianist Michael Kanan and bassist Pat O’Leary.
$40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
December 14, 28 (Sundays except 12/7 and 12/21) 5:30 PM – Birdland Jazz Club
Yardbird Big Band Directed by David DeJesus
Birdland celebrates Charlie “Yardbird” Parker’s life and legacy with this performance dedicated to the Bird’s trailblazing genius. Join the Yardbird Big Band, directed by David DeJesus, on June 8th for a tribute to the great master’s music. This band brings together some of the best musicians in New York City to play Bird’s songs, and DeJesus—an expert on the life of Charlie Parker—will guide audiences through this evening of iconic music. The songs may be classic, but the arrangements are fresh with this bebop big band!
$40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
December 7, 14, 21, 28 (Sundays) 8:30 & 10:30 PM – Birdland Jazz Club
The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra
The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra (ALJO) brings 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. Thirteen 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.
$40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum