Billy Stritch, Billy Hart Quartet & More Set for Birdland, 3/3-9

Birdland Jazz Club has announced their line-up of talent for March 3-9. Birdland will kick-off their excellent week of programming with the following acts:

March 3 (Monday) at 7:00PM
Billy Stritch
"I've Got Your Number: The Jazz of Cy Coleman"

In this brand new show, Billy Stritch explores the pop/jazz side of the legendary songwriter Cy Coleman. Although Coleman is mainly known as the composer of a dozen legendary Broadway shows, he was quite prolific writing "stand alone" songs in the 50's and 60's, including such well-known titles as "The Best Is Yet To Come," "Witchcraft" and "It Amazes Me,"as well as more obscure gems co-written with Carolyn Leigh and Peggy Lee. This show was recently presented in London to rave reviews, receiving 4 Stars in the London Times. In this outing, Stritch will be accompanied by Tom Hubbard on bass and Ray Marchica on drums.
Side seats $30, Center Seats $40, $10 food/drink minimum

March 3 (Monday) at 9:30
Jim Caruso's Cast Party

Jim Caruso's Cast Party is a wildly popular weekly soiree that brings a sprinkling of Broadway glitz and urbane wit to the legendary Birdland in New York City every Monday night. It's a cool cabaret night-out enlivened by a hilariously impromptu variety show. Showbiz superstars, backed by Steve Doyle on bass, Tedd Firth on piano and Daniel Glass on drums, hit the stage alongside up-and-comers, serving up jaw-dropping music and general razzle-dazzle.
All tickets $25, $10 food/drink minimum

March 4 - March 8 (Tuesday-Saturday) at 8:30PM & 11:00PM
Billy Hart Quartet "One is the Other" CD Release
With Ethan Iverson, Mark Turner, Ben Street

Legendary drummer Billy Hart has been a fixture on the jazz scene for over fifty years, performing and recording along the way with jazz legends Wayne Shorter, Joe Zawinul, Herbie Hancock, Stan Getz and Miles Davis. At Birdland -- along with iconoclastic pianist Ethan Iverson (The Bad Plus), saxophonist Mark Turner and bassist Ben Street (both members of Kurt Rosenwinkel's Quartet among other acclaimed groups) -- Hart leads a quartet formed in 2003. Since the group's 2005 recording for hard-bop label High Note landed on many critics' best-of the year lists, the ensemble has recorded for the ECM label and their music has gotten more free and spacious. The new release is titled "One Is the Other."
All seats $40, $10 food/drink minimum

March 5 (Wednesday) at 5:30PM
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 14th 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!
All seats $25, $10 food/drink minimum

March 6 (Thursday) at 6:00PM
Trio Shalva CD Release

Born and raised in Israel, each of the musicians eventually found themselves in the heart of New York, where they spent years developing their individual style and technique. In 2009, Assaf Gleizner (Piano, Melodica), Koby Hayon ( Bass, Acoustic Guitar , Oud), and Nadav Snir-

Zelniker (Drums, Percussion) came together for their first gig, in which they performed original compositions and arrangements of traditional Israeli repertoire. It only took one show for them to understand the serendipitous connection that was underway. In result, the three musicians moved forward as Trio Shalva, choosing the name for its representation of the Hebrew word for "serenity". The trio is set to explore both new and arranged compositions, combining elements of Jazz with Middle-Eastern, Israeli & Jewish influences.
All seats $25, $10 food/drink minimum

March 7 (Friday) at 5:15PM
The Birdland Big Band

Founded by drummer and musical director Tommy Igoe, the Birdland Big Band features the finest musicians in New York! The BBB roars into action every Friday, playing the finest Jazz, Latin and Brazilian music from the world's best arrangers. After work or before a show, drinks or a great dinner, come hear one of the world's best drummers driving the hardest swinging band in New York. Experience why the BBB is the must-see weekly jazz event in New York and kick off your weekend with what critics are calling "the best live music bargain in all of NYC!"
All seats $30, $10 food/drink minimum

March 8 (Saturday) at 6:00PM
Barbara Carroll Duo with Jay Leonhart

Her "jazz pianism is the subtlest and most intricate New York has to offer." (New Yorker) Barbara Carroll's inventive piano playing and unique vocal sound transforms any composition into something hip and urbane. In a sixty-year career she has gone from being dubbed "the first girl ever to play bebop piano" by Leonard Feather in 1947, to today being dubbed a "singer who turns song lyrics into personal dramatic monologues." (Stephen Holden, New York Times)
All seats $30, $10 food/drink minimum

March 9 (Sunday) at 6PM
The Birdland Jazz Party
Featuring Carolyn Leonhart

A soulful singer of "stunning intelligence" with a voice that is "absolute magic" (Jazz Times), award winning vocalist Carolyn Leonhart has released four critically acclaimed solo albums which have been on Jazz Radio charts worldwide. She has performed at clubs and festivals throughout the world, including The Blue Note and The Jazz Standard in NYC as well as The Detroit Jazz festival and The New Haven Jazz Festival, to name a few. In addition

to having tenure as the lead back-up vocalist with the legendary jazz/rock band Steely Dan, Carolyn has performed and/or recorded with Al Jarreau, Hank Jones, Christian McBride, Jimmy Cobb, Eric Reed, Michael McDonald, Helen Sung, The Mingus Big Band, Boz Scaggs as well as many others. Carolyn is currently preparing to record her next solo album as well as an album of music with her father (famed bassist/composer Jay Leonhart).
All seats $25, $10 minimum

March 9 (Sunday) at 9:00PM & 11PM
Arturo O'Farrill Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra

Grammy Award winning pianist, composer and educator Arturo O'Farrill -- leader of the "first family of Afro-Cuban Jazz" (NY Times) -- was born in Mexico and grew up in New York City. Son of the late, great composer Chico O'Farrill, Arturo was Educated at Manhattan School of Music, Brooklyn College Conservatory and the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College. He played piano in Carla Bley's Big Band from 1979 through 1983 and earned a reputation as a soloist in groups led by Dizzy Gillespie, Steve Turre, Freddy Cole, Lester Bowie, Wynton Marsalis and Harry Belafonte.
All seats $30, $10 minimum

Purchase tickets at: www.BirdlandJazz.com For more information and reservations call 212-581-3080. Ticket prices will 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 will include one complimentary drink with no additional minimum.

Photo by Walter McBride

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