Melissa Errico to Perform Nine-Show Valentine's Engagement at Birdland
The week of shows presents a seductive suite of Noir songs inspired by her album Out of the Dark.
By: Chloe Rabinowitz Feb. 03, 2023
BIRDLAND THEATER will present Melissa Errico for a special Valentine's week engagement of "A Noir Romance" with nine shows from Friday, February 10 through Tuesday, February 14. Performances are Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 7:00 PM and 9:30 PM, Monday at 8:30 PM, and Tuesday at 5:30 PM and 8:30 PM. The week of shows presents a seductive suite of Noir songs inspired by her album Out of the Dark. From "Angel Eyes" to "The Man That Got Away," Melissa celebrates the sexy, swinging music of voluptuous fatalism and doomed love, of smoky nightclubs and half-lit hotel rooms. "A Noir Romance" luxuriates in the darkness the reminds us of the light that love can bring. With her trademark sexy smarts, Errico will be a Valentine's femme fatale, feeling her way through a night-lit world of uncertainty and mischief with a sound that came to life in American movies of the forties, passed on to the world as a permanent emotional field. The evening features classic standards including Harold Arlen, David Raksin, Harry Warren, Rodgers & Hammerstein, Michel Legrand, and Stephen Sondheim, in addition to new songs written especially for her by David Shire, Peter Foley, and Adam Guettel. Errico is joined by The Tedd Firth Quintet featuring Russell Malone on guitar. There is a $20-45 music charge. Birdland is located at 315 West 44th Street in New York.
Melissa Errico is a Tony Award-nominated Broadway star - an actress, singer and author who contributes regularly to The New York Times. First known for her starring roles on Broadway, including My Fair Lady, High Society and Les Misérables, her 2018 album Sondheim Sublime, was called "The best all-Sondheim album ever recorded" by The Wall Street Journal, and led to sold-out concert dates around the country. She has sung many concerts at the 92 St Y, Birdland, 54 Below, Joe's Pub, Carnegie Hall, Town Hall, and Lincoln Center. Errico's history with Sondheim began when he selected her to star as Dot in Sunday in the Park with George at The Kennedy Center, then as Clara in Passion at Classic Stage Company; then in the NY City Center Encores! production of Do I Hear A Waltz? In 2020, she sang "Children and Art" in the Sondheim 90th Birthday Concert "Take Me to the World," and was featured on PBS in a documentary special in which she sang "Finishing the Hat" and discussed Sondheim and his lyrics with Adam Gopnik and Raul Esparza for Poetry in America.
In addition to Sondheim, nothing in her work has been more constant than her association with composer Michel Legrand. Having starred in his sole Broadway show, Amour, she went on to collaborate with him on the album Legrand Affair. After his death in 2019, she was asked to write his eulogy by The New York Times and was then invited to be the sole American performer in the extraordinary two-day memorial to Legrand held in April 2019 at Paris' Le Grand Rex Theatre. Ghostlight Records also reissued her symphonic album, which Legrand arranged and conducted, as Legrand Affair (Deluxe Edition).
BIRDLAND JAZZ CLUB will present Melissa Errico in "A Noir Romance" from Friday, February 10 through Tuesday, February 14. Performances are Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 7:00 PM and 9:30 PM, Monday at 8:30 PM, and Tuesday at 5:30 PM and 8:30 PM. There is $35 music charge for tables Friday through Monday, with $20 bar seats available. For Valentine's Day on Tuesday, there is $40 music charge for tables, with $30 bar seats available. All shows have a $20 food and beverage minimum. Birdland is located at 315 West 44th Street (between 8th and 9th Avenues) in Manhattan. For reservations, please call (212) 581-3080 or visit www.BirdlandJazz.com.
UPCOMING HIGHLIGHTS AT
BIRDLAND THEATER AND BIRDLAND JAZZ CLUB
Every Monday at 9:30 PM - Birdland Jazz Club
Jim Caruso's Cast Party
"Jim Caruso's Cast Party," a New York institution for almost two decades, is a wildly popular weekly open mic night/variety show that has brought a sprinkling of Broadway glitz and urbane wit to Birdland since 2004. Called "show-business heaven" by The New York Times and "the gold-standard of open mic nights" by The Wall Street Journal, "Cast Party" will take advantage of the city's post-pandemic nightlife renaissance to keep presenting a potent mix of Broadway stars, jazz swingers and cabaret legends, in addition to new faces and rising talent from every genre. The buoyant, sharp and charming Caruso guides the entire affair, while musical genius Billy Stritch (Liza Minnelli, Tony Bennett) holds court at the ivories and leads the Cast Party Symphony Orchestra (Steve Doyle on bass and Daniel Glass on drums).
$30 + $20 food/drink minimum
Every Tuesday at 8:30 PM - Birdland Theater
The Lineup with Susie Mosher
"The Lineup with Susie Mosher" is a wild, anything-goes variety show featuring entertainers from the Broadway, cabaret and comedy scenes, ranging from today's hottest headliners to the best up-and-coming stars of tomorrow. Mosher - the noted actress and singer from Broadway and beyond, called "one of those talents you need to see to believe" by Time Out New York - hosts the spontaneous extravaganza every Tuesday, and each Lineup is unique and promises to deliver an unforgettable night of quintessential New York City entertainment.
$20 + $20 food/drink minimum
Every Saturday at 5:30 PM - Birdland Jazz Club
Eric Comstock & Barbara Fasano
Hailed as "the truest heir to Bobby Short" in The New York Times, pianist/singer Eric Comstock returns to Birdland with star bassist/composer Sean Smith with songs by everyone from George Gershwin to George Harrison. These two masters met on the Off-Broadway hit Our Sinatra (which Eric co-wrote) and have since worked separately and together around the world. Vocalist Barbara Fasano joins them at Birdland for a swinging Saturday supper where the music and stories are equally great. Sean Smith has been an integral part of the international jazz scene for over 25 years, and has performed with Gerry Mulligan, Phil Woods, Benny Carter, Art Farmer, Flip Phillips, Clark Terry and many others. Barbara Fasano has been praised as "a gorgeous, soulful singer who has an actor's intensity in whatever she sings" by The New York Post and "a lyrically sensitive interpreter" by The New York Times. Her latest album Busy Being Free is the recipient of the MAC Award for "Major Recording of the Year."
$30 + $20 food/drink minimum
February 9 (Thursday) 8:30 PM - Birdland Theater
Nicolas King has been performing since age 4. He was seen first on Broadway in Beauty and the Beast, then in A Thousand Clowns opposite Tom Selleck, and Hollywood Arms, directed by Hal Prince, all before age 12. Other credits include 8 consecutive annual performances on "The Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon," Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, "The View," NBC's "Today" show, "Liza & David," "Sally Jesse Raphael" and twice on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno." Other career highlights include originating the role of "Oscar" on Discovery Kids' "Kenny the Shark", as well as over two dozen national Television commercials. His "Oscar Mayer Lunchables" commercial went international, and won the Golden Marble Award in 1998. Nicolas went on the road with his mentor Liza Minnelli to perform as her opening act from 2002-2012. The Mabel Mercer Foundation awarded Nicolas their "Julie Wilson Award" at the 2010 Cabaret Convention at Lincoln Center. He's the recipient of the 1995 Talent America Award, 2012 Bistro Award for Outstanding Performer of the Year, 2015 AMG Heritage Award for Artist of the Year, the winner of the 2019 Legends Award, as well as receiving a Grammy consideration for his album, On Another Note with jazz great Mike Renzi.
$30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
February 13 (Monday) 7:00 PM - Birdland Jazz Club
Steve Ross - "Falling in Love... Again"
Vocalist and pianist Steve Ross - widely heralded as "The Crown Prince of New York Cabaret" - in a special new show. Ross will sing
romantic ballads and a few light-hearted standards by Stephen Sondheim, Irving Berlin and of course Cole Porter. Ross has been a fixture of the cabaret community in Manhattan for over forty years. In 1981 he re-opened the legendary Oak Room at Manhattan's famed Hotel Algonquin where he held forth for over 15 years. He has appeared on Broadway in Noël Coward's Present Laughter and off-Broadway in his Fred Astaire tribute I Won't Dance. Internationally, he has performed in London, Paris, Tokyo, Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Melbourne and Sydney as well as cabarets and theatres across America and on the high seas.
$40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
February 20 (Monday) 7:00 PM - Birdland Jazz Club
Lina Koutrakos - "One Night Only"
Lina will be perfectly perched at Birdland with her stellar trio: Tedd Firth at the piano, David Finck on bass and Matt Zebrowski on drums. Witness the compelling synthesis of seasoned voice, joyful exuberance, unique interpretative, and storytelling skills, while Lina explores music from (mostly!) the Great American Songbook. Koutrakos is a singer, songwriter, director and teacher. She has been called "a walking Master Class" (The New York Times) and "The Pied Piper of song" (Billboard). From the Rainbow Room to the legendary Bottom Line she has successfully straddled the musical worlds of rock and cabaret simultaneously, earning her rave reviews and major awards across the country and in Europe.
$30 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
February 27 (Monday) 7:00 PM - Birdland Jazz Club
Amanda Green & Friends - "Merry February"
Come catch the post-post Holiday Spirit and join Birdland favorite, two-time Tony-nominated and Grammy-nominated songwriter and performer Amanda Green and her Amazing Friends in her least favorite month, for an evening of her hilarious and moving songs. Guest performers include Tony nominee Jenn Colella, two-time Grammy-winning Tamika Lawrence, and Tony-nominated Howard McGillin. Musical Direction is by James Sampliner. Amanda Green is a Tony Award-nominated lyricist and composer. She revised the book and lyrics for the recent revival of Kiss Me, Kate, starring Kelli O'Hara and Will Chase. She is currently writing lyrics for a new musical with Billy Crystal and Jason Robert Brown, and Female Troubles, an original musical comedy conceived by Amanda and composer Curtis Moore. Her Broadway credits include On the Twentieth Century revival, starring Kristin Chenoweth (Addt'l Lyrics); Bring It On, co-lyricist, with Lin-Manuel Miranda; Hands on a Hardbody, lyrics and co-composer; High Fidelity (Lyrics) TV: "Peter Pan Live!" on NBC (Addt'l Lyrics). As a performer, Amanda has appeared in concerts everywhere from Carnegie Hall to Birdland, Joe's Pub, 54 Below, and beyond. She has received two MAC Awards and a Bistro Award.
$40 tables / $40 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
February 27 (Monday) 8:30 PM - Birdland Theater
Karen Oberlin - "Bewitched: The Life and Lyrics of Lorenz Hart"
Oberlin - hailed as one of premier interpreters of the Great American Songbook by both The New York Times and London's Classical Source - will present this show with dazzling arrangements by Tedd Firth, fleshing out the complexities and genius of Lorenz Hart's songbook while delving into the details of this complicated, troubled and fascinating figure. Lorenz "Larry" Hart transformed the world of lyric writing, and we've never looked back. Where many songwriters had been rehashing love-story tropes, Hart delivered substance and sophistication to create songs that were fresh, substantial, and utterly contemporary. His legendary ability to create intricate yet conversational rhymes remains unparalleled. The show features iconic hits such as "The Lady Is a Tramp," "Manhattan," "My Romance," and "Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered." Oberlin has received the Mabel Mercer Foundation's Award for Excellence in Cabaret and the New York Nightlife Award for Jazz Vocalist of the Year. She has had major engagements at the Algonquin's Oak Room, Feinstein's/54 Below, the Café Carlyle and Birdland, along with performances at Carnegie Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, and Caramoor.
$30 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
April 6-7 (Thursday-Saturday) 7:00 PM & 9:30 PM - Birdland Jazz Club
Rickie Lee Jones - "Pieces of Treasure"
An exclusive six-show engagement from Rickie Lee Jones will preview her upcoming album Pieces of Treasure. Rickie Lee will be backed by Rob Mounsey on piano, guitarist Russell Malone, bassist Paul Nowinski and drummer Mark McLean.. A livestream option is for Friday, April 7 at 7:00 PM. Rickie Lee Jones' upcoming album Pieces of Treasure is a reunion with her lifelong friend, legendary producer Russ Titelman, co-producer of Jones' star-making debut and Pirates. Throughout her career, the Grammy-winning singer songwriter has interpreted an extraordinarily wide range of songs and has recorded celebrated jazz-leaning albums including Girl at Her Volcano and Pop Pop, but until now, she had never devoted an entire album to the American Songbook. "This album is as much about being human, the view of surviving - which means aging, and loving relentlessly - as it is about anything," says Jones. Pieces of Treasure will be out April 28 on BMG Modern Recordings. The first single "Just in Time" features Mike Mainieri on vibraphone. Her acclaimed memoir Last Chance Texaco is out now.
$80-100 tables / $50 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
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