Birdland (315 West 44th Street between 8th & 9th Aves.) is pleased to announce an exciting line-up of extraordinary entertainment for the month of April. A detailed schedule follows:
Jason Robert Brown
If you missed Jason Robert Brown's one night concert at Birdland this past fall, or if you caught it and couldn't get enough, you're in luck! Your favorite composer and lyricist will be back before you know it, and this time, he sums up his work from the past five years into a five-day run of the most exciting and original songs in town! Jason Robert Brown has been hailed as “one of Broadway's smartest and most sophisticated songwriters since Stephen Sondheim" (Philadelphia Inquirer), and his “extraordinary, jubilant theater music" (Chicago Tribune) has been heard all over the world, whether in one of the hundreds of productions of his musicals every year or in his own incendiary live performances. The New York Times refers to Jason as “a leading member of a new generation of composers who embody high hopes for the American musical."
Tuesday-Saturday, March 31-April 4 @ 7pm ($40 General Admission, $50 Premium Seating)
Jessica Molaskey with John Pizzarelli Quartet
Vocalist and Broadway veteran Jessica Molaskey returns to Birdland joined by her singer-guitarist husband John Pizzarelli in a quartet setting for this week-long engagement. Known to charm audiences with their seamless blend of swinging jazz, pop, cabaret, wit, and emotional range, Stephen Holden of The New York Times calls “The Pizzarelli-Molaskey duo... as good as it gets in any entertainment medium." Along with sharing the stage, the husband-wife team co-host the nationally syndicated weekly radio program “Radio Deluxe with John Pizzarelli," which invites listeners into their shared world through song and story.
Tuesday-Saturday, March 31-April 4 @ 9 & 11pm ($30 General Admission, $40 Premium Seating)
Linda Lavin with Billy Stritch: “Moments Like This"
Singer and actress Linda Lavin is perhaps best known for her starring role in the hit CBS series Alice, which ran from 1976 to 1985. However, Linda is no stranger to the stage, earning respect and multiple awards for her diversified Broadway work in Gypsy, The Sisters Rosensweig, Collected Stories, Broadway Bound (1987 Tony award), Death Defying Acts (Obie award), The Diary of Anne Frank (Tony nomination), The Tale of the Allergist's Wife (Tony nomination), and more. Linda will be joined by the award-winning composer, arranger, vocalist, and jazz pianist of extraordinary range and sophistication, Billy Stritch. The Liza Minnelli protg breathes new life into the Great American Songbook, bringing an easy sense of humor and showmanship to his performances. The London Times has written, “Equally gifted as a player and a singer, and doing both with no- holds-power, Stritch is not afraid to dazzle!" You wont want to miss a moment like this, as these show-biz giants share the Birdland stage for this one-night only cabaret act.
Monday, April 6 @ 7pm ($30 General Seating, $40 Premium Seating)
Joe Lovano Quartet featuring Hank Jones
One of the premier modern tenor saxophonists, Grammy Award-winning Joe Lovano takes to the stage with 90 year-old piano legend Hank Jones, who the National Endowment for the Arts has inducted as a 'Jazz Master'. While the collaboration is still relatively young, the Lovano-Jones collaboration has borne much fruit in recent years: two critically acclaimed quartet masterworks recorded for Blue Note (Im All for YouBallad Songbook in 2004 and Joyous Encounter in 2005), world tours in a quartet setting, and a recorded duet captured live at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York for the sumptuous Blue Note album Kids: Live at Dizzys Club Coca-Cola. For this quartet run, Lovano and Jones will be supported by highly acclaimed artists George Mraz (bass) and Lewis Nash (drums).
Tuesday-Saturday, April 7-11 @ 8:30 & 11pm ($30 General Seating, $40 Premium Seating)
Peter Eldridge
The multitalented Peter Eldridge combines all facets of his musical talents into an eclectic mix of performing, recording, composing and producing. He has released three solo recordings - his latest album, Decorum, the sophisticated pop of Fool No More, a collection of his original music produced by himself and Ben Wittman (Patty Larkin, The Story, Lucy Kaplansky), as well as the bittersweet standards found in Stranger in Town, featuring an all-star cast of jazz luminaries such as Michael Brecker, Lewis Nash, Claudio Roditi and Romero Lubambo. Peter is also a member of the Grammy award-winning vocal group New York Voices, which Peter co-founded with Darmon Meader. Peter has worked with a diverse and legendary group of artists, among them Bobby McFerrin, Nancy Wilson, David Byrne, Jonathan Brooke, George Benson, Patti Austin, the Roches, Betty Buckley, Joshua Redman, Ivan Lins, Michael Brecker, Eddie Gomez, Christian McBride, Jon Hendricks, Linda Eder and Bill Charlap. Peter is currently writing English lyrics for one of his heroes, Brazilian composer Ivan Lins, and adding his voice to Bobby McFerrin's newest recording project. Monday, April 13 @ 7pm ($25)
Blue Note Records 70th Anniversary Tour
On January 13, Blue Note Records commemorated the label's 70th anniversary with the release of Mosaic: A Celebration of Blue Note Records, an eight-song collection of classic Blue Note repertoire re- envisioned by The Blue Note 7, a collaborative, all-star septet comprising pianist, musical director, and current Blue Note recording artist Bill Charlap with trumpeter Nicholas Payton, tenor saxophonist Ravi Coltrane, alto saxophonist/flutist Steve Wilson, guitarist Peter Bernstein, bassist Peter Washington and drummer Lewis Nash. Launched on January 7, The Blue Note 7's extensive 51-city North American tour culminates in this six-night run at Birdland. The tour celebrates Blue Notes crucial role in jazz history by presenting the Blue Note songbook with all new arrangements performed by top-notch players who are keeping the legend alive after 70 years!
Tuesday-Sunday, April 14-19 @ 8:30 & 11pm ($40)
Hilary Kole Trio
Vocalist Hilary Kole began her professional career at the legendary Rainbow Room as the youngest singer ever to grace the stage. From there, Hilary co-wrote and starred in the long running Off Broadway hit, “Our Sinatra," as well as headlined at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, Town Hall, as well as international venues such as the Umbria Jazz Festival and the Nairn Jazz Festival. Hilary has also performed and recorded with the late Oscar Peterson, Hank Jones, and Michel LeGrand, to name but a few. Rex Reed calls her “hip and lovely, a musical marvel," and Time Out New York notes that “Kole presents her own distinctive style. She is the best at selling a song."
Sunday, April 19 @ 6pm ($20)
Under The Covers with Victoria Shaw
Pop/country songwriter Victoria Shaw is responsible for over 65 million CD sales. As a singer, she had the great opportunity to open for Garth Brooks in the historic 1997 Central Park concert. Victoria also wrote one of Garth's biggest hits of all-time, “The River." The two-time Emmy Award-winning composer also wrote “I Love The Way You Love Me" for John Michael Montgomery and “Nobody Wants To Be Lonely" for Ricky Martin and Christina Aguilera. Her songs have been recorded by Olivia Newton-John, Boyzone, Faith Hill, LeAnn Rimes, Reba McEntire, Tricia Yearwood, Billy Ray Cyrus, Michael McDonald, and more. For this one-night only engagement, Victoria will be joined by special guests Gary Burr, Bob Dipiero, Sarah Buxton, and Ryan Rothe. Monday, April 20 @ 7pm ($25)
BOSSABRASIL Festival
The sounds of Brasil are once again returning to Birdland with BossaBrasil, an annual festival, launched in 2007, that celebrates bossa nova by bringing together some of the genres top artists. From Rio de Janiero to New York City, bossa nova music has seduced musicians and listeners alike with its innate sensuality, melding samba with jazz sensibilities. This year, romantic interpreter Emilio Santiago comes from Rio for a debut performance at Birdland. His sound is a wonderful blend of samba, soul, hip grooving soul tunes, and mellow jazzier numbers. Called “The Nat King Cole of Brasil," Santiago has reached high popularity, selling millions of LP's around the world. His special guest, Dori Caymmi, is one of the foremost composer/singers from Brasil, and son of the legendary Dorival Caymmi. Discovered by Quincy Jones and Sergio Mendes, his talent is recognized internationally for his brilliant guitar playing and baritone voice bringing virtuosity to another level. The festival also features Sergio Brandau as the music director and on bass, Celso Alberti (drums), and Cidinho Teixeiro (piano). BossaBrasil is produced by Pat Philips & Ettore Stratta.
Tuesday-Saturday, April 21-25 @ 8:30 & 11pm ($30 General Seating, $40 Premium Seating)
Laurel Mass
Laurel Mass, founding member of Grammy award-winning vocal group Manhattan Transfer, toured internationally for seven years with the group and recorded five albums. The first two of her solo albums, Alone Together and Easy Living, both hit the Billboard jazz charts, and the third, Again, was a People magazine pick. Feather and Bone, her 2000 release, was chosen by audiophile magazine The Absolute Sound as “a recording of extraordinary musical and sonic value." The Chicago Tribune has called her One of the best vocalists in jazz.... Indeed, there is something almost otherworldly about Mass's emotional magic...as though like Fred Astaire she seemed merely to be down here on a visit, and The New York Times has praised Laurel for a marvelous sense of style, a purity of tone that is evident in everything she does and uses it to a brilliant effect, a technical tour de force, a dazzling performance.
Monday, April 27 @ 7pm ($25)
Karrin Allyson
Three-time Grammy nominated jazz vocalist, Karrin Allyson first started performing in the Kansas City jazz scene, which explains why she swings so hard! She is also an impressive bop-based improviser who both scats and improvises within lyrics. Most recently, the vocalist released Imagina: Songs of Brasil, a lush collection of 14 tracks that features songs sung fully in Portuguese, as well as Brazilian songs with English translations by Susannah McCorkle, Chris Caswell, Gene Lees, Paul Williams and Jon Hendricks. Not only is Karrin Allyson one of the most artful jazz singers on the current scene, but she's also doing more than any other to expand the jazz vocal repertoire. (New York Times)
Wednesday-Saturday, April 29-May 2 @ 8:30 & 11pm ($30 General Seating, $40 Premium Seating)
ANDY FARBER & HIS ORCHESTRA, Featuring Hilary Kole
Award winning composer/arranger and saxophonist Andy Farber leads his 17-piece jazz orchestra through a program of original compositions and new arrangements of standards. Featured with the big band is vocalist Hilary Kole, a star in the midst of a meteoric rise. The NY Observer calls her, “Hip and lovely...a musical marvel... sexy, charming and funny." While the NY Post raves, “Kole is drop dead gorgeous." And Time Out NY notes, “Kole has a sophisticated sex appeal...and presents her own distinctive style. She is the best at selling a song.
Sundays, April 5, 12, 26 @ 6pm ($20)
CHICO O'FARRILLS AFRO-CUBAN JAZZ ORCHESTRA
(directed by Arturo OFarrill, Jr.)
Arranger-bandleader Arturo Chico O Farrill, Sr. began introducing Afro-Cuban rhythms into jazz in the 1940s. The band bearing Chicos name (directed by his son Arturo) continues to showcase the most seamless blend of clav rhythm and bebop harmony anywhere. (Time Out) Sundays, April 5, 12, 26 @ 9&11pm ($25)
JIM CARUSO'S CAST PARTY
No one can be called a true New Yorker until theyve been to the Cast Party, (2007 Nightlife Award Winner) which is to Broadway what the Conde-Nast cafeteria is to publishing. Divas and dapper-dans insouciantly sip cocktails while watching each other sing and perform at the open-mic event during Broadways dark night, says Next Magazine. Broadway impresario Jim Caruso hosts a combination open-mic, networking event and party in which the biggest stars on Broadway relax on their night off by performing their favorite songs in an informal setting.
Mondays, April 6, 13, 20, 27 @ 9:3opm ($10 cover/$10 minimum)
THE MUSIC OF DUKE ELLINGTON
with The David Berger Jazz Orchestra
This Tuesday night residency has David Berger -- acclaimed bandleader, composer/arranger, and historical expert on all things Ellington leading his 16 piece Sultans of Swing Big Band in a program of authentic, swinging arrangements by Ellington, Basie and other big band icons.
Tuesday, April 28 @ 8:30pm & 11pm ($25)
IMPORTANT INFORMATION, PLEASE NOTE:
- Music charges vary by performer
- At the tables, there is a $10 food/drink minimum per person in addition to the music charge.
- At the bar, the music charge includes one complimentary drink, no additional minimum.
- American Fare w/ a Cajun Accent served nightly from 5PMMid. & until 1am Fri. & Sat.
Discount parking garage across the street at 332 West 44th Street. - For further information and reservations call (212) 581- 3080
Purchase tickets 24 hours a day at: www.birdlandjazz.com
PRE-THEATRE SPECIALS
EVERY WEDNESDAY, 5:30-7:30PM DAVID OSTWALD'S LOUIS ARMSTRONG CENTENNIAL BAND
$10 music charge
EVERY FRIDAY, 5:157:00PM THE BIRDLAND BIG BAND W/ TOMMY IGOE
$20 music charge/$10 minimum
DISCOUNT ADMISSION SPECIALS (subject to availability)
STUDENTS (with current ID): 50% off music charge, 11PM shows only.
50% off music charge for all 11PM shows with Broadway ticket stub (day of performance) when presented at door.
CONCERT GRAND PIANO BY: BOSENDORFER NEW YORK
For more information contact O&M Co..
