Jim Caruso & Billy Stritch and More Set for Bemelmans Bar in The Carlyle This Fall

The Carlyle, a Rosewood Hotel, will welcome Jim Caruso & Billy Stritch, Champian Fulton and Tony DeSare to Bemelmans Bar for Sunday night residencies throughout the fall 2016 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.

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 September 18, September 25, October 2, October 9, October 16, November 20, November 27, December 4,December 11, December 18.

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 September 4, September 11, November 6, November 13, December 25(Christmas Day) at Bemelmans Bar at The Carlyle.

Tony DeSare, originator of the Sunday Night Bemelmans series, was recently named a "Rising Star" male vocalist in Downtown magazine's Critics' Poll. DeSare has lived up to the distinction by winning critical and popular acclaim for his performances throughout North America with appearances this season in Houston, Minneapolis and Napa Valley. DeSare has three top ten Billboard Jazz albums under his belt and has been featured on the CBS Early Show, NPR and the Today Show. Notwithstanding his critically acclaimed turns as a singer/pianist, Tony DeSare is also an accomplished award-winning composer. Tony has written the theme song for the motion picture, My Date With Drew and scored the forthcoming Love Always, Santa airing this December. "He is two parts Sinatra to one part Billy Joel, meshed seamlessly.... A Sinatra acolyte in his early 30s who sings Prince as well as Johnny Mercer," raved Stephen Holden of The New York Times. Tony DeSare will perform on October 23 and October 30 at Bemelmans Bar at The Carlyle.

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. Follow The Carlyle Hotel on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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.

Photo Credit: Kevin Alvey

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