Gianni Valenti News

The Broadway at Birdland concert series was proud to present Broadway legend Chita Rivera in a fundraiser called An Evening of Song, benefiting the Art Attack Foundation, on Monday, September 15. BroadwayWorld brings you photos of the evening below!

Referred by Ella Fitzgerald as 'the greatest white female singer in the world', by Johnny Carson as the 'Super Singer' and said to have a voice that is '...robust and steady, her stamina seemingly inexhaustible...' by the NY Times, Marilyn is a jazz legend known and loved by all. Check out photos from her Birdland return below!

On Monday, August 11, Billy Stritch and Jim Caruso took to the Birdland stage for the first time. OK, not exactly. They've been hosting Cast Party in the historic music room every week for eleven years - but this was the swinging duo's first time to be booked in concert! Thanks to their faithful Cast Party following, and the fact that Jim has been booking the Broadway at Birdland concert series for a decade, the room was packed with friends, fans and fellow performers. Caruso and Stritch were joined by Steve Doyle on bass, and jazz vocalist superstar Jane Monheit made a surprise musical cameo. Scroll down for photos!

This past Monday marked the fifteenth edition of 'Victoria Shaw: Under The Covers' in the past ten years of the Broadway at Birdland concert series That's a lot of really great music and insider stories told by some of country music's top hit-makers, superstars and up-and-comers. Scroll down for photos!

On Monday, July 7, the Broadway at Birdland concert series was delighted to present 'A Sophisticated Reunion,' starring Terri Klausner, Valarie Pettiford and Ty Stephens. Scroll down for photos from the concert!

On Sunday night, Birdland was proud to launch a new summer series, "Jane Monheit's Jazz Party," which will continue through September. The series provides Jane the opportunity to develop new material, and to collaborate with invited musical guests in a relaxed environment that is part concert, part jam session, part workshop and all fun. Scroll down for photos from the kick-off concert!

Michael Feinstein joined Nick Ziobro, the 17 year-old pop/jazz vocal sensation, as a special guest for his CD release concert at Birdland Jazz Club (315 West 44th Street in Manhattan) last night, May 22 at 6:00 PM. The CD's all-star band - led by Tedd Firth and featuring music Jay Leonhart on bass, Ray Marchica on drums, Brian Pareschi on trumpet and flugelhorn, and Marc Phaneuf on saxophone and clarinet - also joined the concert. Nick's debut album A Lot of Livin' to Do is produced by Michael Feinstein, the two-time Emmy and five-time Grammy Award-nominated vocalist, pianist and musicologist. Tickets - which include a complimentary CD - are $20 with an additional $10 minimum. VisitBirdlandJazz.com for more information.

For the past ten years, Jim Caruso's Cast Party has been the ultimate place for Broadway, jazz and cabaret folks to entertain each other and the people who love them. This past week was no exception, as show business royalty poured through the doors of Birdland. Liza Minnelli, Art Garfunkle, Michael Feinstein, Daisy Egan, celebrated bassist Freebo, and Jane Monheit were all seen singing and/or cheering dozens of impromptu performances. Klea Blackhurst was hostess-with-the-mostess (as Caruso was helming the "Fiddler at 50" event at another venue) and as always, the Cast Party Symphony Orchestra (Billy Stritch, Steve Doyle and Rick Montalbano) accompanied everyone with style and musical panache.

On Monday, April 14, the Broadway at Birdland concert series was proud to present Tony and Drama Desk Award nominated songwriter Amanda Green and her Broadway friends in 'Amanda Green's Spring Trunk Show'. Scroll down for photos from the concert!

On Monday, March 31, The Broadway at Birdland concert series welcomed composer Lance Horne, along with a bevy of Broadway performers singing his praises and songs. On the heels of his premier with the SF Gay Men's Chorus and appearance at Sydney's Mardis Gras, Lance Horne made his Broadway at Birdland debut with guests including long-time collaborators Alan Cumming, Alice Ripley, Rachel Dratch, Stephen Wallem, Michael Rose, Lea DeLaria, Pamela Bob, and Sarah Shenkkan. The band included Matt Aronoff on bass, John Bollinger on drums and Yair Evnine on cello. This very special concert included highlights from Horne's debut album 'First Things Last,' and several world premiers, including a sneak peak into The Night Before My Wedding, Mr. Horne's collaboration with Neil Gaiman. Check out a look back at the evening below!

Christina Bianco is truly the girl with a thousand voices! She proved it on Monday night during her Birthday Bash at Birdland - which was a jam-packed, super-fun extravaganza! Divas like Celine, Idina, Bernadette, Adele, even Drew Barrymore were represented by the Big Voice of Bianco - and happily, her own sound was an important part of the evening! Accompanied by Brad Simmons, there were songs by John Bucchino and Bobby & Kristen Anderson Lopez, special guests (Michael West, Tamara Paulino, Jessica Vosk, J.P. Hartmann, Jim Caruso and hubby Billy Ernst), and hilarious rants about being 'too cute.'

On Monday, January 27, Broadway, jazz and pop performers jammed Jim Caruso's Cast Party at Birdland, as they have every Monday for the past ten years! The evening was made especially meaningful with the 5th 'Mentor Monday,' a monthly musical segment that pairs up and coming composers with established artists. Presenter Trevor McQueen combined Broadway's Lillias White with writers Ethan Pakchar and Douglas Lyons, a young songwriting team who began collaborating while touring with The Book of Mormon. The resulting performance was the song, 'Not Meant To Be in Love,' accompanied by Matt Aument, which gave Lillias ample opportunity to be vampy and campy and otherwise leave the audience helpless with laughter. It was a perfect way to introduce the community to Lyons & Pakchar's clever wordplay and catchy melodies!

Now through December 28, Michael Feinstein will be bringing his 'Holiday @ Birdland' to Birdland Jazz Club. Performances run December 24-26 (Tuesday-Thursday) at 9:00PM and December 27-28 (Saturday-Sunday) at 8:30PM & 11PM. Scroll down for photos from one of the concerts!

Now through December 28, Michael Feinstein will be bringing his 'Holiday @ Birdland' to Birdland Jazz Club. Performances run December 24-26 (Tuesday-Thursday) at 9:00PM and December 27-28 (Saturday-Sunday) at 8:30PM & 11PM. Scroll down for photos from one of the concerts!

New York City night club and cabaret venue Feinstein's at Loews Regency closed almost a year ago on December 31, 2012, and according to the New York Times, music legend Michael Feinstein is currently working on opening a new venue. Feinstein has teamed with Birdland owner Gianni Valenti to open 'Feinstein's on Broadway' in midtown Manhattan.

'A Swinging Birdland Christmas' opened with a bang on December 21! For the fourth year in a row, Jim Caruso, Billy Stritch, Klea Blackhurst, and the band (Steve Doyle on bass and Carmen Intorre on drums) kick of Christmas week with their swinging holiday standards, and a few pieces of special material that are impossible to define! Opening night saw Broadway folk like Christine Ebersole, Colleen Zenk, Daniel Rowan and Andrea Prestonario leading the applause. Check out a look back below!

BIRDLAND RECORDS has announced the release of "A Swinging Birdland Christmas" CD. The CD was recorded live in winter 2012 during a performance of this annual holiday show at historic Birdland Jazz Club in Midtown Manhattan. "A Swinging Birdland Christmas," stars Birdland regulars Klea Blackhurst, Jim Caruso and Billy Stritch with special guest jazz violinist Aaron Weinstein. In the tradition of beloved seasonal specials, Blackhurst, Caruso and Stritch perform swinging arrangements by Billy Stritch of Kay Thompson's classics "It's The Holiday Season," "Sleigh Ride," and "I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm," among other favorites. The record also features Billy Stritch on piano, John Hart on guitar, Paul Gill on bass, Carmen Intorre on drums. The album is executive produced by Birdland's Gianni Valenti.

BIRDLAND RECORDS has just announced the release of 'A Swinging Birdland Christmas' CD. The CD was recorded live in winter 2012 during a performance of this annual holiday show at historic Birdland Jazz Club in Midtown Manhattan. 'A Swinging Birdland Christmas,' stars Birdland regulars Klea Blackhurst, Jim Caruso and Billy Stritch with special guest jazz violinist Aaron Weinstein. In the tradition of beloved seasonal specials, Blackhurst, Caruso and Stritch perform swinging arrangements by Billy Stritch of Kay Thompson's classics 'It's The Holiday Season,' 'Sleigh Ride,' and 'I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm,' among other favorites. The record also features Billy Stritch on piano, John Hart on guitar, Paul Gill on bass, Carmen Intorre on drums. The album is executive produced by Birdland's Gianni Valenti.

Last night, the Broadway at Birdland concert series presented Broadway/television leading man Cheyenne Jackson on the stage of the historic music room for the first of two shows. The second show will take place tonight, Monday, December 2, at 9:15pm. This is the New York celebration for his recently-released album, 'I'm Blue, Skies.' Check out a look back at the evening below!