Bernie Williams Makes Cafe Carlyle Debut, 3/6-10

Bernie Williams, Latin Grammy-nominated jazz musician and former New York Yankees World Series Champ, makes his Café Carlyle debut, Bernie Williams & Friends, March 6-10. Bernie Williams, the New York Yankees center fielder for 16 years, is best known for his long and storied career in pinstripes - a career that includes four World Series championships, five appearances on the American League All-Star Team, four Gold Glove Awards and the 1996 American League Championship Series Most Valuable Player Award. Since he's hung up his cleats, he's had time to devote to his other great passion in life - jazz guitar. Now that he's out of the game, he's getting back to his musical roots. His Café debut will include an eclectic mix of Latin rhythms, smooth jazz, blues and standards.

Performances will take place Tuesday - Saturday at 8:45pm. Weekday pricing begins at $75 per person / Bar Seating: $50 / Premium Seating: $125. Weekend pricing begins at $90 per person / Bar Seating: $70 / Premium Seating: $130. Reservations can be made by phone at 212.744.1600 or online via Ticketweb. Café Carlyle is located in The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel (35 East 76th Street, at Madison Avenue).

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About Bernie Williams

Growing up in Puerto Rico, Bernie Williams discovered his love for baseball and music at roughly the same time, when at the age of eight he fell in love with the sounds of a flamenco guitar his merchant-marine father brought home from Spain, and also felt the same exhilaration when he first picked up a baseball bat. The young student-athlete quickly excelled in both pursuits, going on to attend the special performance arts school Escuela Libre de Musica at the age of thirteen and becoming one of the most noted young athletes on the island, both as a track and field standout posting record times in the 400 meters, as well as one of Puerto Rico's most sought after young baseball prospects. Bernie was signed by the New York Yankees after high school in 1987. After working his way through the farm system, the switch-hitting Williams made his Major League debut with the Yankees in May, 1991.

In his 16-year career patrolling centerfield for the New York Yankees, Bernie Williams was a four-time World Series Champion and a five-time All Star. Williams has more post-season RBIs to his credit than any other player in Major League history and his resume also boasts four Gold Glove awards, six American League pennants, the 1996 ALCS MVP award, and the 1998 American League batting title. Bernie is also among the Yankees all-time leaders in every major batting category, with his performance statistics often standing alongside such legends as Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, Lou Gehrig and Joe DiMaggio. On May, 24, 2015, the Yankees retired Bernie's uniform number 51 and a plaque was dedicated and placed in Monument Park in Yankee Stadium, cementing his legacy as an all-time Yankee great.

Throughout Williams' years with the Yankees, his passion for music never waned, and the sound of his guitar would often be heard emanating from the clubhouse or during team flights. Whether acoustic or electric, a guitar was a constant presence in the star's locker or equipment bag, and it was no surprise when he demonstrated how serious his musical pursuit was with the release of his first album, The Journey Within in 2003. The record featured fusions of jazz, rock and the tropical rhythms of Williams' Latin heritage and was met with both strong critical praise and instant chart success- reaching #3 on Billboard's"Contemporary Jazz Chart."

Bernie Williams raised his musical game even further with the release of his second album Moving Forward. Featuring guest appearances by Bruce Springsteen, Jon Secada, Dave Koz, and an All-Star cast of renowned studio musicians, Moving Forward debuted as Billboard's #2 Contemporary Jazz album in the country, and continued to hold that chart position for five straight weeks, and spawned two consecutive Billboard #1 singles, Go For It, and Ritmo de Otono. The album was nominated for a Latin Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Album in 2009.

In addition to performing at concert venues, music festivals, and special events, since the release of Moving Forward, Bernie spent considerable time authoring his first book, Rhythms of the Game: The Link Between Music and Athletic Performance, published by Hal Leonard Books and released in July 2011. The book examines the symbiotic relationship between musical artistry and athletic performance through the eyes of a man who has mastered both.

Bernie is an active crusader for arts and music education in the lives of all students, and is a national spokesman for the NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) Foundation's SupportMusic Coalition, which unites non-profit organizations, schools, and businesses working to assure that music education is supported in communities everywhere, and that all children have the opportunity to learn and grow with music. He has met with leaders of Congress on Capitol Hill for years lobbying to ensure that arts and music become part of a core education in our schools across the United States.

In 2015, he was appointed a Turnaround Arts artist by the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities in partnership with the White House, and U.S. Department of Education. Turnaround Arts brings arts education programs and supplies to a group of the lowest-performing elementary and middle schools in the country. These resources help schools improve attendance, parent engagement, student motivation, and academic achievement.

On May 13, 2016, Williams graduated from the Manhattan School of Music, in New York, NY, a prestigious music conservatory in New York, NY, receiving a Bachelor of Music degree in Jazz Performance.

About Café Carlyle at The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel

Originally opened in 1955, Café Carlyle is New York City's bastion of classic cabaret entertainment, a place where audiences experience exceptional performers at close range in an exceedingly elegant setting. Since composer Richard Rodgers moved in as The Carlyle's first tenant, music has been an essential part of The Carlyle experience. No place is that more evident than in the Café Carlyle.

Café Carlyle is known for talents including Woody Allen, who regularly appears on Monday evenings to play with the Eddy Davis New Orleans jazz band. For three decades, Café Carlyle was synonymous with the legendary Bobby Short, who thrilled sell-out crowds for 36 years. His spirit lives on through the music at Café Carlyle.

Continuing the tradition of the 1930s supper club, Café Carlyle features original murals created by French artist Marcel Vertès, the Oscar-winning art director of the 1952 Moulin Rouge.

American Airlines in-flight magazine, American Way, recently included Café Carlyle within their 2017 Platinum List as one of the Top 3 Music Venues in the World.

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