What's Coming Up At Birdland: December 13 - December 26
Artists include Artemis, Steven Feifke and Benny Benack Christmas Show, Champian Fulton and City Rhythm Orchestra.
By: A.A. Cristi Dec. 10, 2021
Exciting jazz programming is on the slate at Birdland Jazz Club and Birdland Theater running December 13 - December 26.
Artists appearing at Birdland Jazz Club include Artemis, Steven Feifke and Benny Benack Christmas Show, Champian Fulton and City Rhythm Orchestra.
December 13 (Monday) 8:30 PM - Birdland Theater
Richard Cortez Quartet
A fearless performer with profound understanding of the Great American Songbook,
Richard Cortez is a radically queer vocalist who has developed a tremendous following in New York City. Splitting his time between five weekly residencies-among them Club Cumming, Metropolitan Bar, and Rebar-Cortez has focused and refined his artistry. He presents provocative, moving portraits of love, updating and reinvigorating standard material and writing originals that may as well be standards themselves. Cortez brings his quartet, composed of New York City's finest jazz artists, for this one-night-only engagement.
$30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
December 14-18 (Tuesday-Saturday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM (12/14-6); 8:30 & 10:30 PM (12/17-18) - Birdland Jazz Club
Artemis
The women of ARTEMIS comprise a jazz supergroup, organized by Blue Note Records. Featuring an internationally diverse lineup of individually-established leaders, ARTEMIS conjures original compositions or arrangements from its members. Bringing together pianist and musical director Renee Rosnes, bassist Noriko Ueda, saxophonist Nicole Glover, trumpeter Ingrid Jensen, clarinetist Anat Cohen, drummer Allison Miller, the band offers lush, moving orchestrations and explorative solos. The group has performed at the Newport Jazz Festival, Carnegie Hall, and NPR's Jazz Night in America.
$45 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
December 15 (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
December 15 (Wednesday) 8:30 PM - Birdland Theater
Frank Vignola's Guitar Night
One of the world's most exciting jazz guitarists for the last 25 years, Frank Vignola's virtuosity and pan-stylistic expertise has led to work with such stars as Ringo Starr, Madonna, Donald Fagen, Tommy Emmanuel, and the Boston and New York Pops. This December, Vignola will take charge at Birdland every Wednesday (with two exceptions) for a night of brilliant guitar playing. Accompanied by his versatile and masterful quartet featuring Jimmy Bruno (guitar), Peter Washington or Josh Marcum (bass), and Vince Cherico (drums), he will invite special guests each evening: on December 1st, Henry Acker will join; on the 8th, Peter Bernstein; on the 15th, Vinny Raniolo; and on the 22nd, Cheryl Bailey. Guitar and music lovers will delight!
$30 tables; $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
Happy 72nd Birthday Birdland!
December 17 (Friday) 5:00 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 yelp.com proclaims, "if you hear one band in NYC make sure this is it... and prepare to be blown away!"
$30 + $20 food/drink minimum
December 18 (Saturday) 9:30 PM - Birdland Theater
The EarRegulars
Renowned brassman Jon-Erik Kellso and virtuosic guitarist Matt Munisteri formed the EarRegulars in 2007. Known for their popular residency at local jaunt The Ear Inn, these two master musicians perform swinging, melodic classic jazz with an ever-changing roster of players. Listeners will hear everything from New Orleans style through the Tin Pan Alley classics, the swing era, and mainstream jazz in this high-energy, uplifting show. Featuring Matt Munisteri (guitar, vocals), Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet) and Scott Robinson (saxes).
$30 tables / $20 bar seating + $20 food/drink minimum
December 19 (Sunday) 5:00 PM - Birdland Jazz Club
Steven Feifke and Benny Benack Christmas Show
This dynamic duo, comprised of two young musicians at the height of their still early careers, brings the holiday cheer through swinging jazz music. Their 2019 joint release, Season's Swingin' Greetings, released this year as a Deluxe Edition with Cellar Music, features pianist Feifke-called "masterful" by JAZZIZ-and trumpeter/crooner Benack-finalist in the 2014 Thelonious Monk Competition-celebrating various year-end holidays. From classics like "I'll Be Home For Christmas" and "The Dreidel Song" all the way to the tongue-in-cheek original "My Girlfriend Is An Elf," Season's Swinging Greetings is an upbeat good time. Benack and Feifke follow up the success of the record with their holiday performance at Birdland, spreading good tidings far and wide through snappy tunes and fun-loving music.
$30 tables + $20 food/drink minimum
December 19 (Sunday) 8:30 & 10:30 PM - Birdland Jazz Club
Arturo O'Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra
Pianist, composer and educator Arturo O'Farrill-leader of the "first family of Afro-Cuban Jazz" (New York Times)-leads the GRAMMY award winning Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra (ALJO), who bring 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. Twelve 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.
$30 + $20 food/drink minimum
December 19 (Sunday) 9:30 PM - Birdland Theater
The Anderson Brothers Quintet
Juilliard-trained identical twins Peter and Will Anderson have been hailed as "virtuosos on clarinet and saxophone" by The New York Times. Their passion for classic jazz shines through each time they perform. Having shared the stage with some of the music's biggest straight-ahead jazz acts-including Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Wycliffe Gordon, Cecile McLorin Salvant, Paquito D'Rivera, and Wynton Marsalis-the brothers constitute a formidable force. They've headlined shows at Carnegie Hall, The Blue Note, Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, and live on Garrison Keillor's Prairie Home Companion Radio Program. Birdland welcomes them for one Sunday night set of straight-down-the-middle jazz.
$30 tables / $20 bar seating + $20 food/drink minimum
December 20 (Monday) 8:30 PM - Birdland Theater
Erin Bode
A Twin Cities native from a musical family, Erin Bode has pioneered a unique style that balances itself on the nexus of jazz, pop, and folk. Her October release, YourSong (Ropeadope, 2021) is a collection of songs that Bode presents directly to listeners' hearts. It comes as her latest in a string of impressive records that includes 2004's Don't Take Your Time (MAXJAZZ), 2006's Over and Over (MAXJAZZ), 2008's The Little Garden (Native Language Music) and A Cold December Night (Omagatoki), 2010's Photograph, and 2016's Here and Now. Bode's yearning, soulful tone reaches new depths with this latest recording. She brings her music to Birdland Theater for one set.
$30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
December 21-25 (Tuesday-Saturday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM (12/21-23); 8:30 & 10:30 PM (12/24-5) - Birdland Jazz Club
Christmas With Champian Fulton
A great jazz singer is something special, and something special indeed is Champian Fulton. Daughter of trumpeter Stephen Fulton, Champian grew up inside the world of jazz, and as she grew she developed a swinging sound on the piano and a voice beyond her years-a sound reminiscent of the old master vocalists. Named the Hot House Readers Poll 2019 Pianist and Vocalist of the Year, and with 14 albums to her name, she is understandably a Birdland fan favorite. Fulton returns to the jazz club with drummer Fukushi Tainaka and bassist Hide Tanaka, with whom she recorded Birdsong in 2020. Her latest album is Live From Lockdown with her father Stephen Fulton. For this week at Birdland, Champion will perform Christmas classics to soothe the soul.
$40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
December 21 (Tuesday) 8:30 PM - Birdland Theater
Dave Pietro Quartet
One of the foremost saxophonists in the jazz world for the past several decades, Dave Pietro is renowned for his writing, arranging, bandleading, soloing, and large ensemble work. His membership over the years in the Maria Schneider Jazz Orchestra, Darcy James Argue's Secret Society, and Toshiko Akiyoshi's Orchestra belies his affinity for imaginative, fulfilling composition and robust improvisation. Pietro's own projects have included a who's who of contemporary jazz stardom since his recording career began in 1994 with Forgotten Dreams, an album featuring Dave Holland, Bill Stewart, Kenny Werner and Ben Monder. Over the next nearly three decades on the international jazz scene, Pietro established himself with scores of recording credits on projects by artists such as David Bowie, Maynard Ferguson, and Chaka Khan. He continues to write and record original work, his latest effort being 2020's HyperSphere, released on Artist Share.
$30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
December 22 (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
December 22 (Wednesday) 8:30 PM - Birdland Theater
Frank Vignola's Guitar Night
One of the world's most exciting jazz guitarists for the last 25 years, Frank Vignola's virtuosity and pan-stylistic expertise has led to work with such stars as Ringo Starr, Madonna, Donald Fagen, Tommy Emmanuel, and the Boston and New York Pops. This December, Vignola will take charge at Birdland every Wednesday (with two exceptions) for a night of brilliant guitar playing. Accompanied by his versatile and masterful quartet featuring Jimmy Bruno (guitar), Peter Washington or Josh Marcum (bass), and Vince Cherico (drums), he will invite special guests each evening: on December 1st, Henry Acker will join; on the 8th, Peter Bernstein; on the 15th, Vinny Raniolo; and on the 22nd, Cheryl Bailey. Guitar and music lovers will delight!
$30 tables; $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
December 23-24 (Thursday-Friday) 8:30PM (12/23) 7:00 & 9:30PM (12/24) - Birdland Theater
Allan Harris Sings A Nat King Cole Christmas
Head into Christmas with the rich voice of Allan Harris paying tribute to crooning legend Nat King Cole. Harris, whose luxurious balladry and bluesman slickness make him one of jazz's leading men, has performed at festivals and halls in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, as well as the 2012 Olympics in London. At home, he has toured nationally and performed at top venues such as New York's Lincoln Center and D.C.'s Kennedy Center. A three-time recipient of the New York Nightlife Award for "Outstanding Jazz Vocalist" and the DownBeat Critics Poll Award for "Rising Star Vocalist," Harris brings his storied life into each song. His Nat King Cole tribute builds off of his 2007 release, Long Live The King, which was met with critical acclaim.
$30 tables / $20 bar seating + $20 food/drink minimum
December 26 (Sunday) 5:30 PM - Birdland Jazz Club
City Rhythm Orchestra
Led by Pete Spina and Nick Vallerio, the City Rhythm Orchestra has performed swinging classics for the last two and a half decades. After seven tours of Italy, five albums, and performances in every major American hotel, country club and music venue along the East Coast, City Rhythm has developed a name for itself as a powerhouse ensemble that brings-true to their motto-"Great Music and Great Fun" wherever they go. Their last recording, entitled Vibrant Tones, featured Hammond B3 organ master Joey DeFrancesco and made Jazzweek's Top 50 CDs for 2005. City Rhythm doesn't disappoint: come get into the swing of things!
$30 tables / $20 bar seating + $20 food/drink minimum
December 26 (Sunday) 8:30 & 10:30 PM - Birdland Theater
Arturo O'Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra
Pianist, composer and educator Arturo O'Farrill-leader of the "first family of Afro-Cuban Jazz" (New York Times)-leads the GRAMMY award winning Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra (ALJO), who bring 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. Twelve 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.
$30 + $20 food/drink minimum
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