Betty Buckley and Kenny Werner Play Blue Note, 7/17-7/22

Tony Award winning actress/singer Betty Buckley will join world renowned pianist and long time collaborator Kenny Werner on Tuesday, July 17th through Sunday, July 22nd for a week of lively cabaret at NYC's Blue Note Jazz Club, with two nightly performances at 8:00pm and 10:30pm (131 West 3rd St., New York, NY).

Buckley kicks off the Blue Note's celebrated July Vocal Series with her show, "Songs for a Summer Night," which will feature music from her upcoming CD release entitled Quintessence, and a selection of songs from her eclectic repertoire, including some new arrangements by Werner especially for the Blue Note.  Some of the musicians joining Buckley on stage include Tony Marino (bass), Anthony Pinciotti (drums, Tues-Thu), Dan Rieser (drums, Fri-Sun) and Billy Drewes (reeds Wed-Sun).

Buckley won a Tony Award for her performance as Grizabella in Cats.  She received a Tony nomination for her performance as Hesione in Triumph of Love, and an Olivier Award nomination for her interpretation of Norma Desmond in the London production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Sunset Boulevard, which she repeated in the New York production. Other Broadway credits include Songs and Dance, Carrie, Pippin, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, and 1776, in which she made her Broadway debut.  At Paper Mill, she played Rose in Gypsy.  In London, she starred as Fran Kubelik in Promises, Promises, for which she received a nomination from The Evening Standard for Best Actress in a Musical. Off-Broadway credits include The Vineyard Theatre's production of Nicky Silver's The Eros Trilogy and Second Stage's production of Juno's Swans. At the Williamstown Theatre Festival, Buckley played Pirate Jenny in Threepenny Opera and starred in Hartford Stage's production of Tennessee Williams' Camino Real as Marguerite Gautier.

In 1977, Werner recorded his first LP that featured of the music of Bix Beiderbecke, Duke Ellington, James P. Johnson and George Gershwin and later that year with Charles Mingus on "Something Like A Bird." In 1981, Werner recorded his own solo album of original compositions entitled "Beyond the Forest of Mirkwood." In 1984, he joined the Mel Lewis Orchestra. Since 1989, he has served as pianist, arranger and musical director for Buckley. Since 1995 he has performed and recorded with Toots Thielemans.  With the trio of Ari Hoenig (on drums) and Johannes Wiedenmueller (on bass), he has released three CDs: "Form and Fantasy," "Beat Degeneration and Peace," and "Live at the Blue Note." In July of 2006, Werner will release his next CD for Half Note records, again live at the Blue Note.  His most recent recording, "Lawn Chair Society," was released on Blue Note Records.   In 1996, he published the book Effortless Mastery. He currently teaches his own techniques in classes at New York University.

Admission is $35 for a table / $20 for the bar, with a $5 minimum.  Visit www.bluenote.net for more information.

Photo of Betty Buckley by Linda Lenzi