Linda Lavin, NUTTY PROFESSOR Reunion and More Set for Birdland This February
By: BWW News Desk Jan. 15, 2016
Birdland Jazz Club has announced its February 2016 lineup, featuring Jane Monheit, Monterey Jazz Allstars, Nicolas King, The Birdland Big Band, Showbiz After Hours with Frank DiLella, John Pizzarelli Quartet, Birdland Jazz Party, Jim Caruso's Cast Party, and more. Scroll down for details!
Birdland will kick-off their exciting month of programming with the following acts:
February 1 (Monday) at 7PM
Linda Lavin "My First Farewell Concert"
The show, wryly entitled "My First Farewell Concert," will be Lavin's personal story told in songs she loves. As part of a consecutive two-night gig at the club, Linda will perform favorites from the Great American/Brazilian/Yiddish Songbooks, with Billy Stritch at the piano, Steve Bakunas on drums, and special guest Aaron Weinstein on violin. Songs included will be "You've Got Possibilities," "No More Blues," and a medley of songs recorded by the late, great Bobby Short.
Tickets $35-$45, $10 food/drink minimum
February 2-6 (Tuesday-Saturday) at 8:30PM & 11:00PM
Monterey Jazz Allstars: Raul Midon, Ravi Coltrane, Nicholas Payton, & The Gerald Clayton Trio
World-renowned for its artistic excellence, sophisticated informality, and longstanding mission to create and support year-round jazz education and performance programs in local, regional, national, and international venues, Monterey Jazz Festival has stayed true to expanding live performances of jazz around the country since 2008 by presenting national tours that have reached over 100,000 fans in 135 shows across the United States and Canada.
All tickets $40, $10 food/drink minimum
February 7 (Sunday) at 6PM
"This Is Cabaret" with Ann Hampton Callaway and Special Guest Marilyn Maye
Recasting cabaret as an emotionally engaging experience rather than a place, host Ann Hampton Callaway celebrates intimate performances and heartfelt songs from a variety of genres: jazz, Broadway, folk, singer-songwriter, the blues, and more! Marilyn Maye is a highly praised singer, actress, director, arranger,
educator, a Grammy nominated recording artist and a musical treasure. Her entire life has been committed to the art of song and performance.
All tickets $30, $10 food/drink minimum
February 8 (Monday) at 7PM
Broadway at Birdland presents
T. Oliver Reid "Drop Me Off In Harlem"
The singer and Broadway hoofer T. Oliver Reid takes us on a free-wheeling ride up to Harlem circa 1934 in his Bistro Award-winning show "Drop Me Off in Harlem." In this club-hopping journey into the sultry demi-monde of Harlem jazz clubs and speakeasies, Reid propels us into a night of uptown enchantment using his unique arsenal of talents. Equal parts actor-singer, showman and social observer, Reid's helium light renditions of songs by Duke Ellington, Harold Arlen, and Andy Razaf (among others) conjure up deep-rooted memories of jazzin' and boozin' we didn't even know we had.
All tickets $30, $10 food/drink minimum
February 9 (Tuesday) at 8:30PM and 11PM
Misha Piatigorsky + The Sketchy Orkestra
Featuring 14 string players, The Sketchy Orkestra makes a commitment to create a unique experience for the audience - taking them into the studio and the mind of a composer. Lead by Misha Piatigorsky with piano trio, the performance is a special event in two "house-concert" jazz sets of music at the intersection of jazz, hip-hop, and rock.
All tickets $40, $10 food/drink minimum
February 10 (Wednesday) at 8:30PM and 11PM
Nicolas King has been performing since age 4. He was seen first on Broadway in 'Beauty & The Beast', then in 'A Thousand Clowns' opposite Tom Selleck, and 'Hollywood Arms' directed by Hal Prince, all before age 13. Other credits include 8 consecutive annual performances on The Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon, 'The View', and 'Today' show, 'Liza & David,' 'Sally Jesse Raphael' and twice on 'The Tonight Show' with Jay Leno.
All tickets $40, $10 food/drink minimum
February 11 (Thursday) at 6PM
Taeko's Jazz East Meets West
Taeko entices her audience in a most organic way with her naturally appealing voice, unique musical ideas and fluid delivery. Born and raised on the outskirts of Kyoto, Japan, she was inspired early on by the traditional Japanese music her father and grandfather played, and has been singing as long as she could remember. Taeko's interest in American music was piqued while still in Japan. Her early influences are Ella Fitzgerald, Sam Cook, and Aretha Franklin. In 1998, she moved to New York City to dig deeper and follow her dream. Traditional jazz, modern American music, and Eastern music heritage shape her contemporary vocal style to this day.
All tickets $25, $10 food/drink minimum
February 11-14 (Thursday-Sunday) at 8:30PM and 11PM
Jane Monheit has been a leading light and a wonderful role model since emerging as a finalist in the Thelonious Monk Institute's 1998 vocal competition. In addition to her own recordings, she has worked alongside many illustrious artists who have easily recognized her talent and commitment to hard work. Jane's most recent recording, The Heart Of The Matter, is a work deeply informed by Jane Monheit's life- as a woman, wife, and mother in the second decade of a remarkable career- and it reaches emotional levels she attributes to an "extreme comfort zone" in the recording studio. "I think I've finally reached my level of onstage / live interpretation as well as in the studio."
All tickets $40, $10 food/drink minimum
February 15 (Monday) at 7PM
Broadway at Birdland presents
The Nutty Professor Reunion Concert
Starring Klea Blackhurst, Kristopher Thompson-Bolden, Meghan Glogower, Autumn Gizzard, Fred Inkley, Sarah Jenkins, Alison Little , Charles MacEachern, Marissa McGowan, Lindsay Moore, Ronnie Nelson, Bryce Pinkham, Dominique Plaisant, Jamie Ross,
Carly Blake Sebouhian, Christopher Spaulding
The Broadway at Birdland concert series is thrilled to announce that the award-winning cast of the 2012 world premiere production of Nutty Professor, the musical written by Rupert Holmes and the late, great Marvin Hamlisch will reunite in concert to sing from their award-winning score. Julius Kelp, the social-misfit egghead college Professor, becomes committed to changing himself for the better after meeting progressive and idealistic transfer student Stella Purdy. He concocts a potion that transforms him into crooner, the suave and slick Buddy Love. His radical solution for a personal upgrade works, but not as he predicted. Nutty Professor has a book and lyrics by Tony winner Rupert Holmes and music by the late Tony winner Marvin Hamlisch, who died unexpectedly during the world premiere Nashville run.
Tickets $30-$40, $10 food/drink minimum
February 16-20 (Tuesday-Saturday) at 8:30pm and 11PM
John Pizzarelli Quartet
Established as one of the prime contemporary interpreters of the Great American Songbook, Pizzarelli has expanded that repertoire by including the music of Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Tom Waits, Antônio Carlos Jobim and Lennon-McCartney. His themed shows, often performed with his wife Jessica Molaskey, suggest there is no limit to Pizzarelli's imagination or talent.
All tickets $50, $10 food/drink minimum
February 18 (Thursday) at 6PM
Marcus Elliot Quartet
Marcus Elliot is a saxophonist/composer/educator of the metro-Detroit area who is quickly gaining recognition for his imaginative improvising, and fervently thoughtful voice on the saxophone. Marcus began playing professionally in the Detroit Jazz scene when he was 15 years old. He was awarded a scholarship for his talents as a musician to attend Michigan State University to study with Wes "Warmdaddy" Anderson, Diego Rivera and Rodney Whitaker. He currently lives in the Detroit area where he is studying, practicing, composing, and engulfing himself in the rich history of the Detroit music scene by performing with local Detroit artists and ensembles.
All tickets $25, $10 food/drink minimum
February 22 (Monday) at 7PM
Show Biz After Hours With Frank DiLella
Special Guest TBA
Show Biz After Hours With Frank DiLella" is a regular theater-based live talk show featuring Broadway movers-and-shakers, impromptu musical performances, audience interaction, and a cocktail or two! Musical director for the show will be performer and composer Randy Redd. The show will be filmed and aired on Time Warner Cable's Video On Demand System. The event will be taped in front of a live audience on Monday, February 22 at 7pm, with a very special guest star to be announced within the week. Frank's past guests have included Jonathan Groff, Laura Osnes and Cory Cott.
All tickets $30, $10 food/drink minimum
February 23-27 (Tuesday-Saturday) at 8:30PM and 11PM
Delta Air Lines Presents "A Rare Meeting Of Brazilian Greats: Joyce, Dori Caymmi, Trio Da Paz"
Producer Pat Philips continues to establish Birdland as the home of Brazilian music in NYC, bringing together vocalist, guitarist, composer and Brazilian music legends Joyce (Moreno), Dori Caymmi, with the premier NYC-based Brazilian music ensemble, Trio Da Paz (guitarist Romero Lubambo, bassist Nilson Matta, and drummer Duduka da Fonseca). A Stratta Philips Production.
All tickets $40, $10 food/drink minimum
February 25 (Thursday) at 6PM
Papuna Sharikadze Trio
Since the age of 6, due to his exceptional skills in classical piano, Papuna has performed concerts with chamber orchestras throughout Europe. In his pre-teen years he developed a passion for jazz and decided to dedicate his musical career to the genre. At the age of 15 Papuna participated in the Saulkrasti and Umbria jazz festivals. Papuna won a full scholarship for his jazz education at Berklee College of Music, where he is currently enrolled. In his short career he has played with renowned jazz musicians Terry Lyne Carrington, Terrence Blanchard, Justin Faulkner, Ben Williams, Marcus Gilmore, Sean Jones, Ralph Peterson, Darren Barrett, and others at the Klaipeda, Nottingham, Orvieto and Tbilisi Jazz Festivals.
All tickets $25, $10 food/drink minimum
February 29 (Monday) at 7PM
Broadway at Birdland presents
Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens: A Benefit Concert with Bill Russell & Friends
The evening is a night to celebrate life! Bill Russell leads the night with personal anecdotes about the conception and inspiration of Elegies. Hewill be joined by a star-studded cast of Broadway and Birdland favorites including Josh Young (Amazing Grace), Caroline Bowman (Evita, Wicked), Karen Mason (Mamma Mia, Sunset Boulevard), Jaime Cepero (Smash), Sean MacLaughlin (Phantom of the Opera, Evita), Natalie Douglas (7-time MAC Award Winner), and more. The night is conceptualized by Jill Sapenoff and an intimate orchestra will be led by William Waldrop. Inspired by the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt, Elegies is told from the perspective of characters afflicted with AIDS, their friends and their families. Proceeds from the evening will go to benefit Broadway Cares Equity Fights AIDS.
All tickets $30, $10 food/drink minimum
Birdland will also feature the following recurring monthly engagements:
February 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 (Mondays) 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 tickets $25, $10 food/drink minimum
February 3, 10, 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 tickets $25, $10 food/drink minimum
February 5, 12, 19, 26 (Fridays) at 5:15PM
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 tickets $40, $10 food/drink minimum
February 6, 13, 20, 27 (Saturdays) at 6:00PM
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 tickets $30, $10 food/drink minimum
February 14, 21, 28 (Sundays) at 6:00PM
Birdland Jazz Party
Hosted by Carole Bufford
Birdland's very own jazz quartet hits the stage every Sunday to wrap up the weekend with jazz classics featuring jazz vocalist Carole J. Bufford! Carole J. Bufford has become one of the most sought after young performers in the New York cabaret & jazz scene. Her recent shows, "Speak Easy" and "Body & Soul" earned her rave reviews across the board, including The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. She has traveled all over the US and recently made her London debut to great critical acclaim.
All tickets $30, $10 food/drink minimum
February 7, 14, 21, 28 (Sundays) 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 tickets $30, $10 food/drink minimum
Purchase tickets at www.BirdlandJazz.com. For more information and reservations, call 212-581-3080. Ticket prices will vary by performer. At the tables, there is a $10 food/drink minimum per person in addition to the music charge. At the bar, the music charge will include one complimentary drink with no additional minimum.
Named for alto saxophonist and jazz pioneer Charlie "Bird" Parker who dubbed it "The Jazz Corner of the World," Birdland opened on December 15th 1949. For 60 years it has been home to jazz legends, from Parker, John Coltrane Duke Ellington and Count Basie to Oscar Peterson, Hank Jones, Diana Krall and everyone in between. The original 52nd street location was a cultural barometer and meeting place, inspiring the songs "Birdland" and "Lullaby of Birdland," and serving as a regular haunt for celebrities and cultural figures. The modern incarnation is a state of the art nightclub featuring award winning Southern and Cajun cuisine, first rate sound and lighting and a who's who of contemporary musical artists, 7 nights a week.
Birdland is located at 315 West 44th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues), New York, NY 10036. Students (with current ID) & Broadway Theatre-Goers (with Broadway ticket stub from same day of performance): 50% off music charge at 11PM shows only. Birdland serves American Fare with a Cajun Flair nightly from 5PM until Midnight and until 1AM on Friday and Saturdays. Parking is available across the street at 332 West 44th Street. Concert Grand Piano By: Yamaha.
For more information, visit www.BirdlandJazz.com or follow BIRDLAND JAZZ CLUB on Twitter: @birdlandjazz, Facebook, Instagram, and on Pinterest.
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