Billy Stritch & The Michael Berkowitz Big Band Join Forces At Birdland

Jim Caruso's Cast Party is proud to announce that for the first time in New York, singer/pianist Billy Stritch will join forces with the big band of Michael Berkowitz, as part of the Broadway at Birdland concert series.

Sixteen musicians, led by drummer Michael Berkowitz, will play the arrangements of Mel Torme, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr, Steve Lawrence and Frank Sinatra for the multi-talented award-winning performer, Billy Stritch.

Billy Stritch is one of the premier singer-pianists on the New York and national jazz and cabaret scene. His most recent nightclub act "Billy Stritch sings the Mel Tormé Songbook" earned rave reviews from the New York music critics. Stritch has appeared in cabaret venues across the nation as well as concert performances at the London Palladium, NHK Hall in Tokyo and Rio de Janeiro's Municipale Auditorium. In New York, he has performed at Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall and completed 688 performances as Oscar the rehearsal pianist in the 2001 Broadway revival of 42nd Street which starred Christine Ebersole. It was in this production that Billy and Christine initially met, laying the groundwork for a happy and mutually rewarding musical collaboration. Their CD release "In Your Dreams" is available on Ghostlight Records. Billy is also a songwriter and arranger, and his composition "Does He Love You" was recorded by Reba McEntire and Linda Davis. The single reached the number one spot on the Billboard Country chart, winning a Grammy Award and selling over five million copies along the way. Billy has also written music for theater and for The Radio City Christmas Spectacular. He has arranged for many top performers and is a frequent collaborator with Liza Minnelli, having written the arrangements for Minnelli On Minnelli at the Palace Theater, Liza's Christmas at Town Hall, and was musical supervisor and pianist for the Tony Award-winning, Liza's At The Palace. Billy has played and sung on numerous television shows including "The Rosie O'Donnell Show," "Oprah," "The CBS Morning Show," "The Today Show" and "Inside The Actor's Studio". He has three CDs to his credit and his latest "Jazz Live," recorded at The Jazz Standard in New York, was recently released on Fynsworth Alley Records. He is the winner of the Nashville Music City News Award, a BMI Song of the Year Award, and four awards from the Manhattan Association of Clubs and Cabarets.

Michael Berkowitz is the Music Director/Conductor for Liza Minnelli, working with her on the Tony Award Winning, Liza's At The Palace on Broadway and in concerts around the world. Michael will be seen on PBS stations all over the country as Liza's Conductor/Drummer this December, when "Liza's at the Palace" is aired. Michael is currently the Principal Pops Conductor of the Santa Rosa Symphony in Santa Rosa, Ca. Previous posts have included the Carolina Pops in Greensboro, NC and the Paducah Pops. He served as Marvin Hamlisch's Music Director for 9 years, appearing with him at the White House, the London Symphony and the Academy Awards as well as virtually every Symphony in the US. Michael also had a 13-year working relationship with arranger Nelson Riddle, as his Drummer, Assistant Conductor and Musical Contractor. Michael worked closely with Riddle on projects with Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Linda Ronstadt, television specials and recordings. On Broadway, Michael has collaborated with theatre legends such as Harold Prince, Stephen Sondheim, Jule Styne, Michael Bennett, Bob Fosse, Jerome Robbins and Michael Kidd. Jerome Robbins requested Michael for the Premiere of his West Side Story Suite for the New York City Ballet. Michael performed this Ballet with the NYCB over 50 times, including two tours to Japan and the Kennedy Center. His recordings include the Original Cast Albums of Jerome Robbins Broadway, Liza's At The Palace, Follies with the NY Philharmonic, My Favorite Broadway, Anyone Can Whistle, Betty Buckley at Carnegie Hall, Tribute To Stephen Sondheim at Carnegie Hall, Route 66 with the Cincinnati Pops and many more. In addition to Ms. Minnelli, Michael has appeared with Elaine Paige, Michael Crawford, Beyonce, Harry Connick Jr., Steve Lawrence, Helen Reddy, Jon Bon Jovi, Chuck Berry, Ringo Starr, Roger Daltrey, Hal Linden, Sting, and Billy Joel, to name a few. Symphony Orchestra appearances include The London Symphony,The New York Philharmonic, The Naples Symphony, The Lexington Symphony, The New Mexico Symphony, The Virginia Symphony, The Colorado Symphony, The Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, The Symphony Orchestra of Guatemala, The Elgin Symphony, Santa Rosa Symphony, The Hartford Symphony as well as orchestras throughout Italy, France, Sweden and Germany. Michael's creative Pops programs include everything from Broadway to Hollywood, Garland to Sinatra, Motown to John Denver and the Beatles, most with the original arrangements! His acclaimed conducting technique as well as his comfortable and humorous manner on the Podium, have made him a favorite of audiences and Orchestras throughout the US and abroad.

Billy Stritch With The Michael Berkowitz Big Band
Monday, February 8 at 7pm
$30 and $40 plus $10 food/drink minimum
Birdland, 315 West 44 Street, NYC
212-581-3080
www.BirdlandJazz.com