Chris Gillespie, Jim Caruso & Billy Stritch and More Slated for Bemelmans Bar This Winter

The Carlyle, a Rosewood Hotel, will welcome Chris Gillespie, Champian Fulton and Jim Caruso & Billy Stritch to Bemelmans Bar for Sunday night residencies throughout the winter 2017 season.

Featuring top artists from the worlds of jazz, cabaret and Broadway alongside special unannounced guests, Sunday nights at Bemelmans Bar have become a favorite spot for a wide range of performing musicians across the city. Additionally, the classic watering hole has drawn crowds consisting of socialites, politicians, movie stars and moguls for more than five decades. More information on acts performing this fall can be found below.

Acclaimed pianist and vocalist Chris Gillespie has performed all over the world and has entertained the likes of Paul McCartney, Bette Midler, Billy Joel and President Bill Clinton amongst many others throughout his esteemed career. Drawing strong influence from Johann Sebastian Bach, Chris Gillespie effortlessly combines jazz and classical music as though they were intended to be played together. His latest recording, Portraits of Porter, is an all Cole Porter tribute with special guests including Bucky and Martin Pizzarelli. Chris Gillespie will perform on January 1 (New Year's Day) at Bemelmans Bar at The Carlyle.

Champian Fulton has become a world-class jazz pianist and vocalist with international acclaim. A mainstay on the vibrant New York Jazz scene, she has released five albums while still in her twenties and has performed with musical royalty such as Lou Donaldson, Frank Wess, Eric Alexander, Buster Williams and Louis Hayes. Nate Chinen of The New York Times recently called her "a charming young steward of the mainstream jazz tradition" while The New Yorker praised her "galvanizing presence." Champian Fulton will perform on January 8, January 15, January 22, January 29, February 5, February 12, February 19, and February 26 at Bemelmans Bar at The Carlyle.

Jim Caruso & Billy Stritch's upcoming performances will build upon their recent run of shows in the intimate, storied New York City lounge, favorites not only of music fans and critics, but also of fellow artists. The duo recently added dozens of songs made famous by Frank Sinatra to their repertoire, thanks to their current national tour of The Sinatra Century. Their shows provide a place where some of the city's foremost entertainers go to commune with their own-and sometimes sit-in for a song or two-on their nights off. To be sure, Caruso and Stritch are exceptional musicians in their own right. In a recent New York Observer review, Rex Reed described their Bemelmans show as "a nimble, nonstop, musical show-business bonanza with as much rhythm and class as the feet of Fred Astaire."

But part of the fun is experiencing Caruso and Stritch's impromptu collaborations with the showbiz heavy-hitters who turn up; recent guest appearances at Bemelmans have included Liza Minnelli, Michael Feinstein, Bono, Marilyn Maye, Tony Danza, Jane Monheit and Linda Lavin. In addition to performing extensively on their own, Caruso and Stritch-who are best friends-gained national exposure together as the host and musical director of the wildly popular, recurring open mic event Cast Party. Stephen Holden, in The New York Times, called a Cast Party event in the Lincoln Center American Songbook series "a welcoming oasis of traditional show business bonhomie"-a description that perfectly captures the spirit of the duo's Bemelmans residency. The pair will be at Bemelmans on March 5, March 12, and March 19.

Bemelmans Bar is located in The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel (35 East 76th Street @ Madison Avenue). Bar seating is $15 per person and table seating is $25 per person. Reservations not accepted; tables available on a first-come, first-serve basis. For additional information, visit www.thecarlyle.com.

A favorite neighborhood bar of Upper East Siders and visitors alike, Bemelmans Bar at The Carlyle is a special hideaway where artist and author Ludwig Bemelmans' whimsical drawings come to life. Best remembered for his?beloved Madeline series of classic children's books, Bemelmans was?commissioned in 1947 to paint the large-scale murals to depict all four seasons in famed Central Park. Featuring the only surviving Bemelmans' commission open to the public, the bar combines wit and coziness in unique New York style.

Restored in 2002 by designer Thierry Despont, the bar maintains its Art Deco legacy with chocolate-brown leather banquettes, nickel-trimmed black glass tabletops, a dramatic black granite bar and a 24-karat gold leaf-covered ceiling. Open year round with live music every evening, regular performers include favorites such as Chris Gillespie, Earl Rose, Loston Harris, David Budway, Jim Caruso and Billy Stritch. Named in honor of the legendary artist, Bemelmans is a classic New York watering hole that has drawn socialites, politicians, movie stars and moguls for more than five decades.

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