Chita Rivera, Marilyn Maye, James Synder & More Will Take the Birdland Stage in September

Birdland Jazz Club has announced its September 2014 schedule, featuring Ralph Alessi Baida Quartet, Marilyn Maye, Coltrane Revisited, Bud Powell Birthday Celebration, Barbara Carroll, Christian McBride Trio, Jane Monheit, Jim Caruso's Cast Party, and more!

Sept 1 (Monday) at 7:00PM
Broadway at Birdland Presents Molly Ryan
"Come Up and See Me Sometime" A Cheeky Tribute to Mae West

Since moving to New York City from Roseville, CA in August of 2003, she has become one of the most sought-after vocalists on the New York jazz scene. She has performed at such prestigious Manhattan venues as the Café Carlyle, The Waldorf Astoria, Birdland, Iridium, The New York Historical Society Museum and The Player's Club. She has performed alongside such prominent jazz artists as RAndy Reinhart, Jon-Erik Kellso, Bria Skonberg, Dan Barrett, Mark Shane, Rossano Sportiello, as well as with the preeminent 1920s-style orchestra, Vince Giordano's Nighthawks. She is a member of Gordon Au's Grand Street Stompers, and appears on the band's Christmas album, released in November 2012. Molly also performs periodically with the gypsy jazz group Fête Manouche and with James Langton's New York All-Star Big Band, both of which spotlight her as rhythm guitarist as well as vocalist. Featuring Dan Levinson on clarinet and sax, Dalton Ridenhour on piano, Rob Adkins on bass and Kevin Dorn on drums.
All seats $25, $10 food/drink minimum

Sept 2-6 (Tuesday-Saturday) at 8:30 & 11:00PM
Ralph Alessi Baida Quartet
With Jason Moran, Drew Gress, Nasheet Waits

The New York Times hails trumpeter Ralph Alessi as a "...fascinating presence on New York bandstands over the last two decades... he balances elegant precision and power." Born in San Francisco, the son of classical trumpeter Joe Alessi and opera singer Maria Leone, Alessi studied under the legendary Charlie Haden at CalArts before moving to NYC where he became a ubiquitous presence on the downtown scene. A frequent collaborator with such notables as Steve Coleman, Don Byron, Ravi Coltrane and Fred Hersch, Alessi has also recorded seven albums as a leader including the critically acclaimed "Baida" (Quartet) on ECM Records. As an educator, Alessi has been a member of the faculty of the Eastman School of Music and is currently the founder and director of the School for Improvisational Music (www.schoolforimprov.org). Since 2002, he has been on the jazz faculty at New York University.
All seats $40, $10 food/drink minimum

Sept 4 (Thursday) at 6:00PM
Nancy Kelly CD Release Party

Starting at age four in her hometown of Rochester, New York, Nancy studied piano, clarinet, drama and dance with private instructors, and voice at the Eastman School of Music. During her thirty-plus year career she has honed her trademark swing/bop take no prisoner's back-to-the-roots swinging style in front of audiences across the U.S. and abroad--from Singapore to Switzerland, France, and Turkey to her 3 tours of Japan. Nancy appears regularly in New York City including performances at The Blue Note, Birdland and The Rainbow Room and Dizzy's Jazz club, Lincoln Center. She works frequently in Los Angeles and Miami, as well as countless jazz clubs, festivals, and symphony orchestra engagements across the country. Nancy was twice named "Best Female Jazz Vocalist" in the Down Beat Readers' Poll. She has recorded four critically acclaimed CDs, Her first cd "Live Jazz" reached #11 on the Billboard charts. "Born to Swing" and her latest cd "Well Alright" feature guest tenor saxophonist Houston Person.
All seats $25, $10 food/drink minimum

Sept 6, 20, 27 (Saturday) at 6:00PM
Barbara Carroll

Barbara is an elegant jazz pianist, composer and vocalist, long recognized as one of the premier players of swinging jazz piano and expressive vocals.
All seats $30, $10 food/drink minimum

Sept 7, 14, 28 (Sunday) at 6:00PM
Jane Monheit's Jazz Party
With Michael Kanan, Neal Miner, Rick Montalbano

In just over fifteen years, critically acclaimed jazz vocalist Jane Monheit's honey-smooth vocals, silky phrasing and natural knack for storytelling have earned her two Grammy nominations and established her as one of her generation's most beloved and accomplished vocalists. Jane's sincere and romantic interpretations of exceptional songs has made her a favorite in both the jazz and cabaret worlds. Jane will debut her forthcoming project, "Hello Bluebird: Celebrating the Jazz of Judy Garland," in NYC during a weeklong engagement in January 2015.
All seats $30, $10 food/drink minimum

Sept 8 (Monday) at 7:00PM
Natalie Douglas
"Four Women"

The Broadway at Birdland concert series is pleased to welcome Natalie Douglas back to her musical home on Monday, September 8 at 7pm. Her concert, Four Women, will celebrate the music of Dr. Nina Simone, Lena Horne, Abbey Lincoln and Billie Holiday.

Seven-time MAC Award, Backstage Bistro Award and Nightlife Award Winner Natalie returns to Birdland on Monday,September 8 at 7pm with the US premiere of the show that earned her a coveted five star review from The Times (UK), who called her "a true force of nature." Four Women celebrates the music of Dr. Nina Simone, Lena Horne, Abbey Lincoln and Billie Holiday. Natalie and her Musical Director Mark Hartman, of Broadway's Avenue Q and Sondheim on Sondheim, have created an exciting program of songs connected with these dynamic, iconic women - including "Can't Help Lovin' That Man," "Throw It Away," "God Bless The Child," and, of course, Dr. Simone's legendary composition, Four Women.
All seats $30, $10 food/drink minimum

Sept 9-13 (Tuesday - Sunday) at 7:00PM
Marilyn Maye

Referred by Ella Fitzgerald as "the greatest white female singer in the world", by Johnny Carson as the "Super Singer" and said to have a voice that is "...robust and steady, her stamina seemingly inexhaustible..." by the NY Times, Marilyn is a jazz legend known and loved by all. In the years since Marilyn Maye first appeared in the spotlight as a tiny pre-teen vocalist in a series of amateur contests in Topeka, Kansas, she has received an endless stream of kudos. The Houston Chronicle termed her "A National Treasure." And the prestigious Smithsonian Institution chose her recording of "Too Late Now" (from her RCA Lamp Is Low album) for inclusion in its Best Performers of the Best Compositions of the 20th Century Permanent Collection, along with such other singing greats as Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra and Judy Garland. Add 76 appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, a Grammy nomination in the mid-Sixties as Best New Artist, a bevy of awards reflecting her showmanship, and you have an illustrious singing career that is still going strong after a life-time spent entertaining audiences who are now amazed to discover she still exudes the vocal strength and stamina of a singer half her age.
All seats $40, $10 food/drink minimum

Sept 9-13 (Tuesday - Sunday) at 9:00 & 11:00PM
Christian McBride Trio

In the quarter century since his arrival on the international jazz scene, bassist, bandleader, Grammy Award winner and Philadelphia native Christian McBride has performed and recorded with a staggering array of musical artists -- from Chick Corea, John McLaughlin and Kenny Garrett to Diana Krall, Herbie Hancock and Sting -- in addition to leading his own acoustic/electric jazz quintet Inside Straight and 2011 Grammy Award winning Big Band. McBride has also been at the forefront of jazz education, serving as artist-in-residence at the Monterey and Detroit International Jazz festivals and artistic director for various cultural institutions including the National Jazz Museum in Harlem and the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
All seats $40, $10 food/drink minimum

Sept 15 (Monday) at 7:00PM
An Evening of Song Benefiting "Art Attack"
Featuring Chita Rivera, Rosie O'Donnell, Telly Leung and More!

The Broadway at Birdland concert series is proud to announce that Broadway legend Chita Rivera will headline An Evening of Song, benefiting the Art Attack Foundation. The event will take place on Monday, September 15 at 7pm at Birdland.

This one-night-only show promises an array of standards, pop hits and original songs, from top artists on Yellow Sound Label. Founded by Dan Watt, the Art Attack Foundation's mission is to inspire community leaders, businesses, and individuals to participate and contribute in the education, enhancement and development of young performing artists. AAF is dedicated to providing opportunities, funding, and encouragement to assist young performers in realizing their full artistic potential.
All seats $45-$100, $10 food/drink minimum

Sept 16-20 (Tuesday - Saturday) at 8:30 & 11:00PM
Coltrane Revisited

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 food/drink minimum

Sept 18 (Thursday) at 6:00PM
Kat Gang

Kat has a soul steeped in jazz. Born in Boston, she began her music theory training as a teenager at Berklee and then fell in love with the energy of New York City and went on to gain her BFA from NYU. Kat continued her music studies at the Royal Academy in London, where she lived and worked singing jazz all over England for seven years. She has performed twice at the GRAMMY Awards with the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, traded fours with Bobby McFerrin at the Blue Note Jazz Festival, and played all the major jazz venues in New York City including Birdland, The Iridium, 54 Below and others. She currently performs a weekly residency at the Plaza Hotel with her quartet. Her most recent release on Arbors Records features Bucky Pizzarelli and Mike Renzi, and has been at the top of the jazz charts for three consecutive weeks.
All seats $25, $10 food/drink minimum

Sept 21 (Sunday) at 6:00PM
Beat Kaesti

Beat Kaestli is an internationally acclaimed vocalist, songwriter, arranger and producer. In 1993 he moved from Switzerland to New York, leaving behind a promising singing career in his homeland, and was awarded a scholarship to the Manhattan School of Music (BM). While honing his craft alongside noteworthy Jazz performers, such as Jane Monheit, Jason Moran and Stefon Harris, he immersed himself in Manhattan's fiercely competitive music scene, emerging as a seasoned performer. He now appears in clubs such as The Blue Note, The Birdland, The Bitter End, The Jazz Standard and The Stone, performing with Jazz greats, like Esperanza Spalding, Jon Hendricks, Gregoire Maret, Joel Frahm, Billy Drummond, Magos Herrera and Hendrik Meurkens. In 2005, Beat was the chosen vocalist for the Glenn Miller Orchestra, thrilling audiences in concert halls across the USA. Since the release of his acclaimed CD "Happy, Sad and Satisfied" in 2006, he is touring the world extensively with his own projects, showcasing his music in renowned clubs and at festivals across the US, Europe, Mexico, Central America and Canada. In 2007 he earned the Ella Fitzgerald Foundation Scholarship to complete his Masters Degree from the Aaron Copland School of Music, which was followed by the release of his lauded 2009 European song tribute "Far From Home" (B+B Productions). 2010 was highlighted by his major Jazz label debut "Invitation" (Chesky), an eclectic array of American Standards, and 2011 will feature a CD showcase on Swiss Airlines, followed by tours in Costa Rica, US/Canada, Europe and Mexico, as well as the European distribution of "Far From Home" with the Swiss Label SUONIX.
All seats $25, $10 food/drink minimum

Sept 22 (Monday) at 7:00PM
Jamie deRoy and Friends

The Broadway at Birdland concert series is proud to present a Very Special Jamie deRoy & friends on Monday, September 22 at 7pm. The one-night-only event will benefit the Actors Fund.

Jamie's special guests will include Joy Behar (The View, The Food Chain),Stephanie J. Block (Wicked, The Mystery of Edwin Drood), Bryce Pinkham (Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder), Chad Kimball (Memphis),Hunter Ryan Herdlicka (A Little Night Music), and Haley Swindal (Jekyll and Hyde).

The colorful cabaret series Jamie deRoy & friends, which has been thrilling New York City audiences for the past 24 years and serves as the basis for deRoy's award-winning cable television show, spotlights a wide variety of well-known entertainers and newcomers lighting up the cabaret, theater, and comedy worlds.
All seats $30, $10 food/drink minimum

Sept 23-27 (Tuesday-Saturday) at 8:30PM & 11:00PM
Bud Powell Birthday Celebration

Earl "Bud" Powell (1924-1966) is generally considered to be the most important pianist in the history of jazz. Noted jazz writer and critic Gary Giddins, in Visions of Jazz, goes even further, saying that "Powell will be recognized as one of the most formidable creators of piano music in any time or idiom."

Featuring Greg Osby on alto sax, Melissa Aldana on tenor sax, Jaleel Shaw on altosax, Dan Tepfer on piano, Lonnie Plaxico on bass and Matt Wilson on drums.
All seats $40, $10 food/drink minimum

Sept 24 (Tuesday) at 6:00PM
Dena DeRose CD Release Celebration

It's no small thing to be called "The most creative and compelling singer-pianist since Shirley Horn," but that's how Joel Siegel, Washington City Paper, described Dena DeRose. It is with great pleasure that High Note Records welcomes Dena to their roster with her label debut recording "We Won't Forget You... An Homage To Shirley Horn" which features the understated, swinging side of the late, great Horn.
All seats $25, $10 food/drink minimum

Sept 25 (Thursday) at 6:00PM
Rebecca Kilgore

You can hear her in The Rebecca Kilgore Quartet (formerly known as BED): with Eddie Erickson (guitar/banjo/voice), Dan Barrett (trombone), and Joel Forbes (bass), which captivates audiences with its eclectic repertoire of classic jazz. She has been invited to perform with the Statesmen Of Jazz, dedicated to perpetuating the art of jazz for future generations.

She regularly performs worldwide at jazz festivals, jazz parties, and on jazz cruises. She is a frequent guest on National Public Radio's 'Fresh Air' with Terry Gross, has appeared on 'A Prairie Home Companion', and with Michael Feinstein at Carnegie Hall.
All seats $25, $10 food/drink minimum

Sept 29 (Monday) at 7:00PM
James Snyder
"Fate, Reasons and Other Friends"

The Broadway at Birdland concert series is proud to announce If/Then leading man James Snyder will be performing his one-man show, Fate, Reasons and Other Friends on the historic stage Monday, September 29 at 7pm.

In Fate, Reasons and Other Friends, James shares his victories, defeats and a few things inbetween. From his time on Broadway as the title role in the ill-fated Cry-Baby, and as a solo recording artist with Lionsgate Records...from Carousel to Bare, from Fanny to Elvis, he will take his audience through the soundtrack of his career.

After a busy career on TV, James Snyder made his Broadway debut in Cry-Baby, appeared in Rock of Ages in Los Angeles and played Billy Bigelow in Carousel at Goodspeed Opera House. This past season, he returned to Broadway opposite Idina Menzel in If/Then.
All seats $30-40, $10 food/drink minimum

Sept 30-Oct 1 (Tuesday-Wednesday) at 8:30PM & 11:00PM
Dave Liebman Big Band

The New York-based David Liebman Big Band (DLBB) under the direction of saxophonist Gunnar Mossblad is made up of some of New York's most experienced and creative jazz musicians - performers who are recording artists in their own right. The DLBB features original compositions by Liebman, covering his various periods of his forty-plus year career. The arrangements by such well known artists such as Vince Mendoza and Jim McNeely feature Lieb out front on soprano sax. Both the first recording Beyond the Line (Omnitone) and the followup Live: As Always (Mama Records) have received critical acclaim. What makes the music interesting beyond the stellar performances is that each arrangment is by a different musician, setting the stage for interesting contrasts between selections, all reflecting the grand scale of Lieb's eclectic tastes and skills. The DLBB breaks the bonds of traditional big-band sounds.
All seats $40, $10 food/drink minimum

Birdland will also feature the following recurring monthly engagements:

Sept 7, 14, 28 (Sunday) at 6:00PM
Jane Monheit's Jazz Party

With Michael Kanan, Neal Miner, Rick Montalbano?In just over fifteen years, critically acclaimed jazz vocalist Jane Monheit's honey-smooth vocals, silky phrasing and natural knack for storytelling have earned her two Grammy nominations and established her as one of her generation's most beloved and accomplished vocalists. Jane's sincere and romantic interpretations of exceptional songs has made her a favorite in both the jazz and cabaret worlds. Jane will debut her forthcoming project, "Hello Bluebird: Celebrating the Jazz of Judy Garland," in NYC during a weeklong engagement in January 2015.
All seats $30, $10 food/drink minimum

Sept 7, 14, 21, 28 (Sunday) at 9PM & 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 food/drink minimum

Sept 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 (Monday) at 9:30PM
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, Billy Stritch on piano and Daniel Glass on drums, hit the stage alongside up-and-comers, serving up jaw-dropping music and general razzle-dazzle.
All seats $25, $10 food/drink minimum

Sept 3, 17, 24 (Wednesdays) 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

Sept 5, 19, 26, (Fridays) at 5:00PM
The Birdland Big Band

With Guest Conductor Rob Middleton?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

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