Birdland to Present Gabrielle Stravelli and Tim Armacost

BIRDLAND THEATER will present award-winning vocalist Gabrielle Stravelli and Grammy Award-nominated saxophonist Tim Armacost for four shows on Sunday, November 21 and Sunday, November 28 at 7:00 PM and 9:30 PM. Stravelli and Armacost make a formidable front line for their hard-hitting quintet featuring pianist Art Hirahara, bassist Pat O'Leary and drummer Eric Halvorson. Gabrielle's voice and Tim's sax blend seamlessly whether playing their own original compositions or the group's adventurous arrangements of songs from pop, jazz, the American Songbook and more. Their shows will include highlights such as Fred Hersch and Norma Winstone's "Song of Life," Sun Ra's "Images," Burt Bacharach and Hal David's "Alfie," The Beatles' "Because," and Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer's "Out of this World." There is a $30 music charge. Birdland is located at 315 West 44th Street in New York.

Stravelli and Armacost's first gig together was headlining the 2019 Providencia Jazz Festival in Santiago, Chile. The pair found an instant musical chemistry that was spontaneous, exciting and playful - much like the pairing of trumpet and sax in a traditional jazz group. Their performances at Birdland will feature material they have developed over the last 16 months, exploring songs that respond to the pandemic and address even greater themes: the longing and isolation of quarantine life, social justice and humanity, the beauty of our natural world and, above all, the pure joy they feel about being back to doing what they love with people they love.

Gabrielle Stravelli's pairing of a jazz artist's musicianship with an ability to interpret lyrics and connect with an audience has led to a richly varied career. She regularly leads her quartet in performances at the country's finest jazz clubs and performing arts centers and has headlined domestic and international jazz festivals including the 2021 and 2018 WBGO Jazz on the Mountain Festival in New Paltz, NY; the 2019 Providencia Jazz Festival in Santiago, Chile; the 2016 All That Jazz Festival in Eleuthera, Bahamas; and the 2014 Maree Sonore Festival in Venice, Italy. As a US State Department "Jazz Ambassador" she has performed and taught throughout Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and South America. Dream Ago, her 2017 release which consists primarily of original material, received a rare 5-star review from Downbeat Magazine and her 2019 release Pick Up My Pieces: Gabrielle Stravelli Sings Willie Nelson was featured by noted music critic Will Friedwald in the Wall Street Journal and received the 2020 Bistro Award for Outstanding Recording.

After a life of travel and discovery on three continents, Grammy Award-nominated saxophonist Tim Armacost is one of the most important improvisers on the New York scene today, with a big tenor sound and an impeccable rhythmic sense. Tim has worked with a phenomenal number of jazz greats, including Al Foster, Jimmy Cobb, Kenny Barron, Roy Hargrove and Randy Brecker. He has recorded 12 critically acclaimed records as a leader, performed on more than 50 as a sideman, and has composed for Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. A widely respected educator, Tim has lead clinics at universities throughout the U.S., Japan and Europe in addition to teaching and performing abroad with the U.S. State Department's Rhythm Road program.

BIRDLAND THEATER will present Gabrielle Stravelli and Tim Armacost for four performances, which will take place on Sunday, November 21 and Sunday, November 28 at 7:00 PM and 9:30 PM. There is a $30 music charge and a $20 food and beverage minimum. Birdland Theater is located downstairs at Birdland Jazz Club, 315 West 44th Street (between 8th and 9th Avenues) in Manhattan. For reservations, please call (212) 581-3080 or visit www.BirdlandJazz.com. In compliance with New York City rules for indoor activities, Birdland requires proof of vaccination or a verified medical exemption from all customers, staff, and performers.

To post a comment, you must register and login.