Jim Caruso & Billy Stritch to Kick Off Residency at Bemelmans Bar This April

By: Mar. 24, 2017
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The Carlyle, a Rosewood Hotel, will welcome Jim Caruso & Billy Stritch to Bemelmans Bar for a Sunday night residency throughout April.

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.

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 every Sunday night from 9pm to midnight in April.

Bemelmans Bar is located in The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel (35 East 76th Street at 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.



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