Birdland Jazz Club Will Present Julie Halston, Bill Charlap Trio & More
Birdland Theater will also feature Michael Wolff Quartet, Robin McKelle & Vince Giordano.
Birdland Jazz Club and Birdland Theater have announced their performance schedule for May 11-24. The lineup will include appearances by Bill Charlap Trio, Julie Halston, Robin McKelle, Michael Wolff Quartet, Richard Cortez, and recurring weekly engagements including Jim Caruso’s Cast Party and Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks.
Artists appearing at Birdland Jazz Club include Julie Halston, Bill Charlap Trio, Richard Cortez, Jason Yeager and Justin Poindexter, and Steven Feifke Trio. Downstairs at Birdland Theater, audiences can catch Michael Wolff Quartet and Robin McKelle.
Repeat engagements include Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks, Jim Caruso’s Cast Party with Billy Stritch at the piano, David Ostwald’s Louis Armstrong Eternity Band, Frank Vignola’s Guitar Night, The High Society New Orleans Jazz Band, The Birdland Big Band, Bill Charlap Solo Piano, and The Birdland Latin Jazz Orchestra.
MAY 11-12 (MONDAY-TUESDAY) 5:30 & 8:30 PM – BIRDLAND THEATER
Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks
Catch Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks every Monday and Tuesday at Birdland Theater. Giordano, recipient of a GRAMMY Award for his work scoring the HBO series Boardwalk Empire, leads the 11-piece ensemble recreating 1920s jazz arrangements with period instrumentation including tubas, banjos, violins, and vintage drum kits. The band has contributed music to productions including The Cotton Club, The Aviator, Finding Forrester, Revolutionary Road, Cafe Society, Boardwalk Empire, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.
$40 tables / $30 bar / $20 partial view table seating + $20 food/drink minimum
MAY 11 (MONDAY) 7:00 PM – BIRDLAND JAZZ CLUB
Julie Halston: VIRTUAL HALSTON LIVE
Julie Halston will bring her web series VIRTUAL HALSTON to the stage for a one-night-only event featuring playwright and novelist Paul Rudnick. Created during the pandemic by Halston, Jim Caruso, and Ruby Locknar, the live presentation will include storytelling and conversation between the longtime collaborators.
Halston most recently appeared in the Broadway revival of Thornton Wilder’s OUR TOWN. Her Broadway credits include TOOTSIE, HAIRSPRAY, GYPSY, and ANYTHING GOES. In 2021, she received the Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award for advocacy work with The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation. She is also known for portraying Bitsy Von Muffling on Sex and the City and And Just Like That.... Livestream available through Veeps/Birdland.
$40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum / $20 livestream
MAY 11 (MONDAY) 9:30 PM – BIRDLAND JAZZ CLUB
Jim Caruso's Cast Party
Hosted by Jim Caruso with musical direction by Billy Stritch, the weekly open mic series continues at Birdland with performances by Broadway artists, jazz musicians, comedians, and guest performers. The house band also features Steve Doyle on bass and Daniel Glass on drums.
$35 tables / $25 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
MAY 12-16 (TUESDAY-SATURDAY) – BIRDLAND JAZZ CLUB
Bill Charlap Trio
One of jazz’s leading pianists, Bill Charlap returns to Birdland for a two-week engagement alongside David Wong on bass and Dennis Mackrel on drums. Charlap previously served as Tony Bennett’s primary pianist and has received Grammy nominations for albums including Somewhere: The Songs of Leonard Bernstein and Live at the Village Vanguard.
Performances take place at 7:00 & 9:30 p.m. May 12-14 and 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. May 15-16.
$50 tables / $40 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
MAY 13 (WEDNESDAY) 5:30 PM – BIRDLAND THEATER
David Ostwald's Louis Armstrong Eternity Band
David Ostwald’s Louis Armstrong Eternity Band returns for its 26th year of residency at Birdland. The rotating ensemble pays tribute to jazz pioneers including Louis Armstrong, Bix Beiderbecke, Duke Ellington, and Jelly Roll Morton.
$40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
MAY 13 (WEDNESDAY) 8:30 PM – BIRDLAND THEATER
Frank Vignola's Guitar Night with Mark Whitfield
Frank Vignola leads his weekly Guitar Night alongside pianist Ted Rosenthal, bassist Gary Mazzaroppi, and drummer Alex Raderman. This week’s guest artist is Mark Whitfield.
Livestream available through Radio Free Birdland YouTube Channel.
$40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
MAY 14 (THURSDAY) 5:30 & 8:30 PM – BIRDLAND THEATER
The High Society New Orleans Jazz Band
Led by Simon Wettenhall and GRAMMY-winning pianist Conal Fowkes, The High Society New Orleans Jazz Band returns with music associated with films including Midnight in Paris, Blue Jasmine, Cafe Society, and A Rainy Day in New York.
$40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
MAY 15 (FRIDAY) 5:30 PM – BIRDLAND JAZZ CLUB
The Birdland Big Band
The Birdland Big Band continues its weekly Friday residency with music spanning jazz, funk, Brazilian, Latin, and world music traditions.
$45 tables / $35 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
MAY 15-17 (FRIDAY-SUNDAY) 7:00 & 9:30 PM – BIRDLAND THEATER
Michael Wolff Quartet
The Michael Wolff Quartet returns to Birdland Theater featuring Camille Thurman, Darrel Green, and Andy McKee. Wolff’s career has included collaborations with Cannonball Adderley, Nancy Wilson, Sonny Rollins, Cal Tjader, and Tom Harrell.
$40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
MAY 16 (SATURDAY) 5:30 PM – BIRDLAND JAZZ CLUB
Bill Charlap Solo Piano
Bill Charlap performs a solo piano engagement featuring selections from the Great American Songbook before joining his trio later in the evening.
$40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
MAY 17 (SUNDAY) 5:30 PM – BIRDLAND JAZZ CLUB
Sinatra With Style RETURNS: Hits and Rare Gems Swung by Richard Cortez
Vocalist Richard Cortez returns following a sold-out engagement with an evening devoted to Frank Sinatra. Cortez’s debut album Mood Swings surpassed two million streams, followed by releases including Nightbird and Standards in Orbit.
$40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
MAY 17 (SUNDAY) 8:30 & 10:30 PM – BIRDLAND JAZZ CLUB
The Birdland Latin Jazz Orchestra
Directed by saxophonist David DeJesus, the Birdland Latin Jazz Orchestra performs classics from the Latin jazz big band repertory.
$40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum
MAY 18-24
Additional performances during the second week include returning engagements by Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks, Jim Caruso’s Cast Party, Bill Charlap Trio, David Ostwald’s Louis Armstrong Eternity Band, Frank Vignola’s Guitar Night featuring James Chirillo, The High Society New Orleans Jazz Band, The Birdland Big Band, and The Birdland Latin Jazz Orchestra.
Highlights include Jason Yeager and Justin Poindexter’s Don’t Fence Me In – The Music of Cole Porter on May 18 featuring special guests Julie Benko and Sasha Papernik; Robin McKelle’s Ella Fitzgerald tribute engagement May 22-24; and the Steven Feifke Trio performing May 24-25.
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