Birdland Announces Jazz Programming Lineup, March 7 - March 20
Artists appearing at Birdland Jazz Club include Maria Schneider Orchestra, Grace Fox Big Band, Jane Bunnett and Maqueque and Sean Harkness Quartet.
By: A.A. Cristi Mar. 04, 2022
Get full details on jazz programming coming up at Birdland Jazz Club and Birdland Theater running March 7- March 20.
Artists appearing at Birdland Jazz Club include Maria Schneider Orchestra, Grace Fox Big Band, Jane Bunnett and Maqueque and Sean Harkness Quartet.
March 7 (Monday) 8:30 PM - Birdland Theater
The Anderson Brothers Quintet - The Andersons Play Richard Rodgers
"Virtuosos on clarinet & saxophone" (New York Times), Grammy-winning Juilliard graduates and identical twins, Peter & Will Anderson have been featured soloists on the Broadway stage, at the Kennedy Center, Blue Note, Jazz at Lincoln Center, New Orleans Jazz Festival, live on Garrison Keillor's A Prairie Home Companion Radio Program, and can be heard on the soundtrack of HBO's Boardwalk Empire. Vanity Fair magazine listed their album in "Four New Releases to Make You Love Jazz," and the Washington Post said they "consistently bring a fresh perspective to classic jazz." On May 1st & 2nd at the Birdland Theater, they will explore the works and life of the legendary composer Richard Rodgers. Songs will include "My Favorite Things," "Blue Moon," "My Funny Valentine," "Where or When," and "Manhattan."
$30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
March 8-12 (Tuesday-Saturday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM (3/8-10); 8:30 & 10:30 PM (3/11-12) - Birdland Jazz Club
Maria Schneider Orchestra
Widely recognized and revered as one of her generation's greatest composers, the great Maria Schneider brings her orchestra to Birdland in March. In 2020-after 25 years of groundbreaking contributions in the form of Schneider's eight profoundly lush recordings (nearly all receiving GRAMMY wins and nominations)-she presented Data Lords. Hailed as her greatest work to date and a Finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, this sweeping two-albums-worth of music sets the digital world against the natural in two vast, contrasting portraits. Through its moving sonic narrative, Data Lords intently warns listeners of the dangers that contemporary tech industry rulers pose for human freedom. Schneider's orchestra performs for five nights at Birdland.
$40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
March 9 (Wednesday) 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
March 9 (Wednesday) 8:30 PM - Birdland Theater
Frank Vignola's Guitar Night - Livestream Event
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. Every Wednesday Frank takes the Birdland Theater stage with the guitar band featuring Jimmy Bruno and Ken Smith (guitars), Harvie S (bass), and Vince Cherico (drums). Join us on FlyMachine for a livestream set here.
$30 tables; $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
March 10-12 (Thursday-Saturday) 8:30 PM (3/10); 7:00 & 9:30 PM (3/11-12) - Birdland Theater
Sara Gazarek
A contemporary vocalist who continues the tradition of the great jazz singers in a fresh sonic context, Sara Gazarek has received two GRAMMY nominations for her striking work, including the 2019 nomination for Best Jazz Album for her latest recording, Thirsty Ghost. Gazarek's clear, refined tone and artful melodic sensibility shine in selections like her reimagination of Dolly Parton's classic, "Jolene"; the Nancy Wilson theme "Never Will I Marry"; or her version of Brad Mehldau's contemporary classic, "When It Rains," sung with original lyrics as Gazarek's "Distant Storm." And while collaborations with Kurt Elling, Billy Childs, Ambrose Akinmusire, Fred Hersch, and Larry Goldings have been highlights of her star-studded career, it is her future-evinced by her groundbreaking work on Thirsty Ghost-which Gazarek finds most exciting.
$30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
March 11 (Friday) 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 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
March 13 (Sunday) 5:30 PM - Birdland Jazz Club
Grace Fox Big Band
Celebrating the release of her debut album, Grace Fox-a precocious talent at only 19 years old-premiers at Birdland with her 17-piece all-female jazz ensemble. On her new recording, Eleven O' Seven (Next Level), Fox assembles a brilliant cast of jazzwomen, a multiethnic and intergenerational group that deftly represent Fox's originals and arrangements-like "Sterile," which Fox penned to illustrate the deadening effects of early pandemic quarantine, or "Strasbourg St. Denis," the Roy Hargrove anthem which Fox orchestrated for large ensemble. "I had the opportunity to get this band together and I couldn't say no," the trumpeter stated in a recent interview with Jazz Philadelphia. "It's my dream, as corny as that may sound." Fox currently attends the prestigious Manhattan School of Music, deepening her study of trumpet and composition.
$30 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
March 13 (Sunday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM - Birdland Theater
Ariana Neikrug Quartet
The pure-toned vocalist Ariana Neikrug is no stranger to success. The daughter of musical parents, she began singing at age 3 and went on to win major honors in the world of jazz voice: in 2015, she received an Outstanding Soloist Award at the Next Generation Monterey Jazz Festival and won the 2015 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition. With her 2018 debut of Changes, Neikrug became a Concord Music Group recording artist. Changes, produced by Kurt Elling's pianist, Laurence Hobgood, includes standards and originals, freshly performed for modern ears. And modern ears delighted in Changes when Neikrug brought the music on her first international tour in 2018. Indeed, the Chicago Tribune named it one of the "Best Jazz Vocal Recordings of 2018," calling it "the vocal debut of the year," and JAZZIZ and PASTE magazines named the singer one of their "Artists to Watch in 2019." Ariana's new sound, captivating performances, and electric band are not to be missed for this Sunday evening performance.
$30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
March 13 (Sunday) 8:30 & 10:30 PM - Birdland Jazz Club
Arturo O'Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Ensemble
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) and the pared down, appropriately socially-distanced ensemble, 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
March 15-19 (Tuesday-Saturday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM (3/15-17); 8:30 & 10:30 PM (3/18-19) - Birdland Jazz Club
Jane Bunnett and Maqueque
Maqueque is the brainchild of Canadian saxophone legend Jane Bunnett: an all-star, all-female group of Cuban musicians, propelled by virtuosic drumming, joyful vocals in harmony, and brilliant melodic improvisations. Bunnett grew her international fame over the course of many decades on recordings with legends Dewey Redman, Don Pullen, Jeanne Lee, Sheila Jordan, Paul Bley, and other masters, receiving the title of Officer of the Order of Canada in 2004 for her artistic and social contributions. Her love affair with Cuba and Cuban music began in 1982. Since then, Maqueque, which Bunnett founded in 2014, has won two GRAMMY nominations and a Juno Award. Their beautiful, intricate arrangements are unique in their ability to showcase unbridled technical brilliance while naturally connecting to, enlivening, and inspiring audiences.
$40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
March 16 (Wednesday) 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
March 16 (Wednesday) 8:30 PM - Birdland Theater
Frank Vignola's Guitar Night - Livestream Event
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. Every Wednesday Frank takes the Birdland Theater stage with the guitar band featuring Jimmy Bruno and Ken Smith (guitars), Harvie S (bass), and Vince Cherico (drums). Join us on FlyMachine for a livestream set here.
$30 tables; $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
March 17-19 (Thursday-Saturday) 8:30 PM (3/17); 7:00 & 9:30 PM (3/18-19) - Birdland Theater
Dave Liebman-Marc Copland Duo
Saxophonist Dave Liebman is a legend of jazz music, appearing on over 500 recordings, including 200 as a leader. His membership in the bands of trumpeter Miles Davis and drummer Elvin Jones in the 1970s continues to guide him toward artistic heights which inspire countless young musicians the world over. His co-leader on this weekend at Birdland is longtime musical compatriot Marc Copland, the extraordinary pianist for John Abercrombie, Gary Peacock, Randy Brecker, Eddie Harris, and so many others. Copland and Liebman create moving sonic worlds together, reaching peaks of freedom in conversation, as on their recording Impressions, where great swathes of silence, crying melodic lines, and rich harmonic painting create a sonic journey over breathtaking terrain.
$30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
March 18 (Friday) 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 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
March 20 (Sunday) 5:30 PM - Birdland Jazz Club
Sean Harkness Quartet
Sean Harkness is a guitar virtuoso, one of those warm musicians whose soul and energy shine through every note. His music has earned him the Outstanding Instrumentalist of 2011 Backstage Bistro Award, 2014 Broadwayworld Cabaret Award for Best CD Release, six MAC Awards for ensemble instrumentalist, and performances across the United States, Africa, the Caribbean, Asia, and other prestigious stages around the world. Always telling a story with his instrument, Harkness's music is deeply engaging, full of life and technically masterful. His eight recordings have been met with critical acclaim and he is a frequent performer at top New York City clubs, including the Blue Note, Smalls, Smoke, and the Iridium.
$30 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
March 20 (Sunday) 8:30 & 10:30 PM - Birdland Jazz Club
Arturo O'Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Ensemble
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) and the pared down, appropriately socially-distanced ensemble, 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
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