Find Out What's Coming Up at Birdland June 24th - July 7th

Birdland has announced jazz programming at Birdland Jazz Club and Birdland Theater running Birdland June 24th - July 7th.

Performers appearing at Birdland Jazz Club include Ravi Coltrane Quartet, Junko Yagami Duo, Yardbird Big Band, Yellowjackets and George Gee Swing Orchestra ft. John Dokes.  

Downstairs at Birdland Theater catch Jocelyn Gould Quartet, Carole J. Bufford, Benny Benack III Quartet and Celebrating the Slide Hampton Octet. 

Repeat engagements for the rest of the period include Vince Giordano & the Nighthawks, David Ostwald's Louis Armstrong Eternity Band, Frank Vignola's Guitar Night, The High Society New Orleans Jazz Band, Birdland Big Band, Loston Harris Duo, Esteban Castro, and The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra.

Jazz Programming at Birdland Jazz Club and Birdland Theater Birdland June 24th - July 7th

June 24 (Monday) 5:30 & 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater
Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks
Catch Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks every Monday evening in January at Birdland Theater! Giordano, the recipient of a GRAMMY Award for his work scoring the HBO show Boardwalk Empire, is a master composer and arranger whose 11-piece band, The Nighthawks, recreate the jubilant 1920s jazz sound with amazing definition, using violins, tubas, banjos, and collector's item drum sets. The band has provided soundtracks for film and television productions including The Cotton Club, The Aviator, Finding Forrester, Revolutionary Road, Cafe Society, Boardwalk Empire, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and many more. Not to be missed!
$40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum

June 25-29 (Tuesday-Saturday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM (6/25-27); 8:30 & 10:30 PM (6/28-29) – Birdland Jazz Club
Ravi Coltrane Quartet
The son of jazz's greatest trailblazers, beloved saxophonist Ravi Coltrane honors the legacy of his parents John and Alice Coltrane with his powerful, free-thinking musical projects. With six albums as a leader, seven as a co-leader, and over 100 more as a sideman with jazz music's greatest innovators—including Elvin Jones, McCoy Tyner, Jack DeJohnette, Geri Allen, Terence Blanchard, Kenny Barron, Steve Coleman, Joanne Brackeen, and others—the GRAMMY-nominated saxophonist has made a powerful mark on contemporary jazz. His recent quartet has featured David Virelles (piano), Dezron Douglas (bass), and Johnathan Blake (drums).
$45 tables / $35 bar + $20 food/drink minimum

June 26 (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

June 26 (Wednesday) 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater
Frank Vignola's Guitar Night (with Mike Stern): Tribute To The Ruby Braff/George Barnes Quartet
It's the best jazz guitar lover's show in the world. Frank Vignola's virtuosity has made him the guitarist of choice for many of the world's top musicians, including Ringo Starr, Madonna, Donald Fagen, Les Paul, the Boston and New York Pops, and more. Every Wednesday at 8:30pm in the Birdland Theater, Frank leads “Frank Vignola's Guitar Night at Birdland.” Inspired by journeyman jazz guitarist John Pisano's now famous Los Angeles Guitar Night, the Frank Vignola Quartet, featuring pianist Ted Rosenthal, bassist Gary Mazzaroppi, and drummers Vince Cherico or Alex Raderman, performs tunes from the standard repertoire, bringing in special guests weekly. During June, the legend Mike Stern (guitarist for both Blood, Sweat, and Tears and Miles Davis) joins Vignola. This night is a tribute to The Ruby Braff/George Barnes Quartet with guests Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet), and Chris Flory (guitar). *Guitar night streams live every week at: YouTube.com/RadioFreeBirdland
$30 tables; $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum

June 27 (Thursdays) 5:30 PM – Birdland Theater
The High Society New Orleans Jazz Band
Led by veteran trumpeter Simon Wettenhall and Grammy winning pianist Conal Fowkes, The High Society New Orleans Jazz Band are a New Orleans style Jazz band which for decades have been Woody Allen's band of choice for his movies, concert tours and weekly performances. The band have appeared on all the premiere concert stages of Europe and the United States. Band members have appeared in and provided music for Woody Allen movies including: Wild Man Blues, Sweet and Lowdown, Midnight in Paris, Blue Jasmine, Cafe Society, Magic In The Moonlight, and A Rainy Day In New York. With Conal Fowkes (piano/vocals co-leader), Simon Wettenhall (trumpet/vocals co-leader), Tom Abbott (clarinet), Harvey Tibbs (trombone), Josh Dunn (banjo), Brian Nalepka (bass/vocals), Kevin Dorn (drums).
$40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum

June 27 (Thursday) 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater
Jocelyn Gould Quartet
JUNO award-winning guitarist Jocelyn Gould is a straight-ahead swinging practitioner whose work with her own quartet, as well with artists like Freddy Cole, Etienne Charles and Michael Dease, has led to international acclaim. Gould has spent the last several years touring extensively: as recently as this year, she completed a 10 week, 45 city tour produced by Jazz At Lincoln Center and IMG Artists as part of a show called “Sing and Swing,” where she performed as a leader at iconic venues Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, Birdland and London's Pizza Express; and in late 2023 she toured her latest release, Sonic Bouquet (nominated for another JUNO award) across the US, Canada, and Europe. Gould endorses Benedetto Guitars, whose CEO Howard Paul has called Gould “a leader in the next generation of great mainstream jazz guitarists.” Her debut release as a leader, Elegant Traveler, won a 2021 JUNO for Jazz Album of the Year. Enjoy her quartet, where she delivers feel-good music with a fresh, bluesy sensibility.
$30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum

June 28 (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 why yelp.com proclaims, “If you hear one band in NYC make sure this is it… and prepare to be blown away!”
$35 + $25 food/drink minimum

June 28-30 (Friday-Sunday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM – Birdland Theater
Carole J. Bufford – “Songs for a Summer Night”
Carole J. Bufford returns to Birdland Theater with her new show, “Songs for a Summer Night,” a musical escape celebrating those sultry, starlit evenings of summertime. Carole will put her unique spin on timeless classics made famous by Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, Bonnie Raitt, Ray Charles, Nat King Cole, Judy Garland, Wilson Pickett, Patsy Cline, Randy Newman, Mae West, and more. Join Carole and her trio at for an unforgettable evening of music and storytelling to ignite your senses and leave you longing for endless summer nights.
$35 tables / $25 bar + $20 food/drink minimum

June 29 & 30 (Saturday-Sunday) 5:30 PM – Birdland Jazz Club
Junko Yagami Duo
A mega-sensation of Japanese pop since her teenage years in the late 1970s, singer-songwriter Junko Yagami is a household name whose nearly 30 albums (including 6 live concert albums) have made her one of the most prolific singers in modern Japanese music. Yagami's fame rose early with her participation, at age 16, in Yamaha's Popular Song Contest and the World Popular Song Festival, but it wasn't until 1980, when she turned 20, that she released her first major recording and debuted fully as a professional singer. Since then, she released consistently chart-topping recordings which led to an induction, in 2022, to the Women Songwriters Hall of Fame. At Birdland she performs in a stripped-down setting for New York audiences, teaming up with long-time collaborator Takana Miyamoto, known for her work with Kirk Whalum, Nnenna Freelon, and Grammy winner Irene Cara, as well as Japanese pop stars Chikuzen Sato and Lisa Ono. In this special performance, Junko will make the overseas debut of her latest song, “Terra,” an 11-minute epic that contends with the singer's relationship to our planet Earth. NOT to be missed!
$50 tables / $40 bar + $20 food/drink minimum

June 30 (Sunday) 8:30 & 10:30 PM – Birdland Jazz Club
Yardbird Big Band directed by David DeJesus
Join the Yardbird Big Band, directed by David DeJesus, on June 30th for a tribute to the great master saxophonist Charlie “Yardbird” Parker, whose name and legacy form the backbone of Birdland Jazz Club. This band brings together some of the best musicians in New York City to play Bird's songs, and DeJesus—an expert on the life of Charlie Parker—will guide audiences through this evening of iconic music. The songs may be classic, but the arrangements are fresh. Enjoy the Yardbird Big Band!
$30 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum

July 1 (Monday) 5:30 & 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater
Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks
Catch Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks every Monday evening in January at Birdland Theater! Giordano, the recipient of a GRAMMY Award for his work scoring the HBO show Boardwalk Empire, is a master composer and arranger whose 11-piece band, The Nighthawks, recreate the jubilant 1920s jazz sound with amazing definition, using violins, tubas, banjos, and collector's item drum sets. The band has provided soundtracks for film and television productions including The Cotton Club, The Aviator, Finding Forrester, Revolutionary Road, Cafe Society, Boardwalk Empire, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and many more. Not to be missed!
$40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum

July 2 (Tuesday) 5:30 PM - Birdland Jazz Club
Loston Harris Duo
Loston Harris possesses a voice like the great big band singers and the consummate pianism of a Wynton Kelly or a Tommy Flanagan. This combination of outgoing performance and exuberant technical mastery is rare, but Harris has it in spades—and at Birdland, accompanied by the brilliant Gianluca Renzi on bass, Loston will bring his one-two punch to the stage for four Tuesday nights in July. Harris's life in jazz has included tutelage with some of the music's greatest masters. He studied with Marsalis family patriarch, the pianist Ellis, on recommendation by the great Harry Connick Jr. after participating in the first Thelonious Monk Jazz Competition in Washington, D.C. Since then, Harris has wowed many a special audience: besides tours with the legendary Wynton Marsalis, or an appearance with piano genius Marcus Roberts on the PBS special “Portraits in Blue,” he was also the featured singer at George Clooney's Birthday with John Mayer; Sarah Jessica Parker's private Sex and the City movie after-party; Tom Cruise's ICON Award Ceremony; and the Friar's Club Gala honoring Don Rickles. Don't miss the heavy-hitting crooner!
$30 + $20 food/drink minimum

July 2-6 (Tuesday-Saturday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM (7/2-4); 8:30 & 10:30 PM (7/5-6) – Birdland Jazz Club
Yellowjackets
The Yellowjackets are a household name for jazz fusion fans. The band's original flavor,  beloved for its long and whirling sing-song melodies and undeniable pocket, has been captivating listeners since the group first burst onto the scene in the late 1970s. Originally the rhythm section behind guitarist Robben Ford, the Yellowjackets became its own entity and—adding the then-trailblazing (and now-legendary) saxophonist Bob Mintzer—turned into one of the most original quartets of the last 40 years, recording 30 albums, winning 2 Grammys, and receiving 17 Grammy nominations. Currently, the lineup includes founding member Russell Ferrante on keys, Bob Mintzer on winds, the spectacular drummer Will Kennedy, and the band's newest member, a young Dane Alderson twisting out brilliant basslines. 
$45 tables / $35 bar + $20 food/drink minimum

July 3 (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

July 3 (Wednesday) 8:30 PM - Birdland Theater
Frank Vignola's Guitar Night with special guest Rodney Jones
It's the best jazz guitar lover's show in the world. Frank Vignola's virtuosity has made him the guitarist of choice for many of the world's top musicians, including Ringo Starr, Madonna, Donald Fagen, Les Paul, the Boston and New York Pops, and more. Every Wednesday at 8:30pm in the Birdland Theater, Frank leads “Frank Vignola's Guitar Night at Birdland.” Inspired by journeyman jazz guitarist John Pisano's now famous Los Angeles Guitar Night, the Frank Vignola Quartet, featuring pianist Ted Rosenthal, bassist Gary Mazzaroppi, and drummers Vince Cherico or Alex Raderman, performs tunes from the standard repertoire, bringing in special guests weekly. Tonight, catch special guest Rodney Jones.
*Guitar night streams live every week at: YouTube.com/RadioFreeBirdland
$30 tables; $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum

July 4 (Thursday) 5:30 PM – Birdland Theater
The High Society New Orleans Jazz Band
Led by veteran trumpeter Simon Wettenhall and Grammy-winning pianist Conal Fowkes, The High Society New Orleans Jazz Band are a New Orleans-style Jazz band which for decades have been Woody Allen's band of choice for his movies, concert tours, and weekly performances. The band have appeared on all the premiere concert stages of Europe and the United States. Band members have appeared in and provided music for Woody Allen movies including Wild Man Blues, Sweet and Lowdown, Midnight in Paris, Blue Jasmine, Cafe Society, Magic In The Moonlight, and A Rainy Day In New York. With Conal Fowkes (piano/vocals co-leader), Simon Wettenhall (trumpet/vocals co-leader), Tom Abbott (clarinet), Harvey Tibbs (trombone), Josh Dunn (banjo), Brian Nalepka (bass/vocals), Kevin Dorn (drums).
$40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum

July 4 (Thursday) 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater
Benny Benack Quartet
A trumpeter's trumpeter and a mature singer with a true entertainer's gift, Benny Benack's boundless energy and charismatic crooning has earned him his spot at the front of his generation's jazz talent. With trumpet chops in the legacy of Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, and Freddie Hubbard—and with a singing voice reminiscent of Sinatra and Mel Torme—Benny has brought his high spirits and remarkable virtuosity across the country and around the world. Appearing as a soloist with Josh Groban, Ben Folds and fashion icon Isaac Mizrahi, as well as with jazz bass extraordinaire Christian McBride, cabaret legend Ann Hampton-Callaway (at Birdland!), and several regarded philharmonic orchestras, Benack is a captivating figure to watch and hear. His third release, “Third Time's the Charm,” ascended to #2 on the JazzWeek International Radio Charts in 2023. Join Benny as he performs with brilliant friends Mathis Picard (piano), Russell Hall (bass) and Joe Peri (drums).
$30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum

July 5 (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 why yelp.com proclaims, “If you hear one band in NYC make sure this is it… and prepare to be blown away!”
$35 + $25 food/drink minimum

July 5-7 (Friday-Sunday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM - Birdland Theater
Celebrating the Slide Hampton Octet
The late master trombonist Slide Hampton passed away in November of 2021. In homage to his artistry, veteran drummer Charles Ruggierio and top-call saxophonist Frank Basile bring together an octet to play Hampton's famous 8-piece orchestrations of the 1950s and 60s. The band recorded together in 2019, bringing these great arrangements to life for an album entitled Slide's Blues (SmallsLive) which featured the great Hampton himself on two tracks. Slide no longer being with us, the musicians join forces again to honor his life, his legacy, and his amazing music. 
$35 tables / $25 bar + $20 food/drink minimum

July 6 (Saturday) 8:30 PM - Birdland Theater
Esteban Castro Solo Piano
A force of indomitable technique, extraordinary passion, and expansive imagination, the 21 year-old Esteban Castro is a jaw-dropping pianist whose capacities on his instrument defy categorization. The First Prize winner at the 2019 MSM Precollege Philharmonic Concerto Competition, the 2017 Jacksonville Jazz Piano Competition, and the 2016 Montreux Jazz Piano Solo Competition, as well as the recipient of 15 Downbeat Student Music Awards, Castro has worked with musical heroes Ambrose Akinmusire, Cecile McLorin Salvant, Peter Evans, Gilad Hexelman, Billy Drummond, Mark Shim, and Ted Nash, among many others; he has performed to sold-out audiences at The Blue Note, The Montreux Jazz Club, The New Jersey Performing Arts Center, and Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, as well as in Switzerland, Italy, France, Peru, Canada, and Puerto Rico. He returns to Birdland for the month of July, performing the first two Saturdays solo and the final two Saturdays with his trio of talented Kayvon Gordon (drums) and exceptional Gervis Myles (bass). Castro is a Young Steinway artist. 
$30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum

July 7 (Sunday) 5:30 PM – Birdland Jazz Club
George Gee Swing Orchestra ft. John Dokes: “Our Day” Album Release Celebration
After conducting a 1979 radio interview with the legendary William “Count” Basie, George Gee determined he would one day lead his own big band. Now, with nearly 40 years experience as a conductor and 20 years leading weekly shows in Times Square's SWING46, Gee's swing band dreams have blossomed wildly, and he leads what is perhaps New York's most popular swing dance orchestra. Inspired by the styles of Basie, Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, Lionel Hampton, and Benny Goodman, Gee—a native New Yorker—began leading his big band in the Big Apple right when swing dancing was revived as an international sensation among young audiences. And—bringing New York's best musicians along for a stomping-good time—he has been a hit ever since. Now, celebrating the release of their latest recording, Our Day, the Orchestra performs for one swinging Sunday evening in July, featuring vocalist John Dokes. Let Gee and his band swing you into summer cheer!
$30 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum

July 7 (Sunday) 8:30 & 10:30 PM - Birdland Jazz Club
The Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra
The Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra (ALJO) brings 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. Thirteen 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. 
$40 + $30 food/drink minimum

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