Bobby Conte to Present ALONG THE WAY at Birdland in August

BIRDLAND JAZZ CLUB will present Bobby Conte - currently playing the role of PJ in the Broadway revival of Company - in his acclaimed solo concert "Along the Way" on Monday, August 15 at 7:00 PM. Based on his debut studio album, "Along the Way" is scored by an eclectic array of songs, all re-imagined and orchestrated by conductor/musician and producer, James Sampliner. Featuring a 10-piece band, the show highlights songs from classic Broadway ("Time Heals Everything"), funkified Sondheim ("Everybody Says Don't"), acoustic folk ("Here, There and Everywhere"), and gospel rat pack ("That's Life"), to swinging mambo ("She Loves Me"), 90's R&B ("Me and Mrs. Jones"), Brahms meets Berlin ("How Deep Is the Ocean?") and Steely Dan meets Pasek & Paul ("Along the Way"). Conte strives to subvert expectation and surprise the listener at every turn, all in the service of lyric-driven storytelling. The music charge ranges from $40-$100. VIP tickets guarantees premium seating and meet & greet with Conte following the show. Birdland is located at 315 West 44th Street in New York.

"Along the Way" charts the journey of a not-so-fictional young man slowly ridding himself of his ignorance as he strives to carve his own path in this terrifying world. Through a series of relationships, he reflects on the profound joy, heartbreak and good humor experienced in the pursuit of love, success and connection. He comes to the understanding that it's not the mistakes that define one's life, but how that individual chooses to learn, evolve and live on through those missteps out of brutal honesty, unconditional love and kindness.

Bobby Conte made his Broadway debut originating the role of Calogero in A Bronx Tale, directed by Robert De Niro and Jerry Zaks. Other New York theater: My Fair Lady (Bay Street Theater); Starting Here, Starting Now (York Theatre Company). Regional: Last Days of Summer (George Street Playhouse); all-male A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (Two River Theater); the world premiere of Ken Ludwig's A Comedy of Tenors (McCarter Theatre Center/Cleveland Play House); three seasons at The Muny, including the regional premiere of Jersey Boys and revised adaptation of Lerner & Loewe's Paint Your Wagon. Film/TV: If Beale Street Could Talk (directed by Barry Jenkins); "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" (Netflix); "Madam Secretary," "The Code" (CBS). His debut studio album, Along the Way, is available across all digital music providers.

BIRDLAND JAZZ CLUB will present Bobby Conte in "Along the Way" on Monday, August 15 at 7:00 PM. The music charge ranges from $40-$100. VIP tickets guarantees premium seating and meet & greet with Conte following the show. There is a $20 food and beverage minimum for all seats. Birdland is located at 315 West 44th Street (between 8th and 9th Avenues) in Manhattan. For reservations, please call (212) 581-3080 or visit www.BirdlandJazz.com. In compliance with New York City rules for indoor activities, Birdland requires proof of vaccination or a verified medical exemption from all customers, staff, and performers.

UPCOMING HIGHLIGHTS AT

BIRDLAND THEATER AND BIRDLAND JAZZ CLUB

Every Monday at 9:30 PM - Birdland Jazz Club

Jim Caruso's Cast Party

"Jim Caruso's Cast Party," a New York institution for almost two decades, is a wildly popular weekly open mic night/variety show that has brought a sprinkling of Broadway glitz and urbane wit to Birdland since 2004. Called "show-business heaven" by The New York Times and "the gold-standard of open mic nights" by The Wall Street Journal, "Cast Party" will take advantage of the city's post-pandemic nightlife renaissance to keep presenting a potent mix of Broadway stars, jazz swingers and cabaret legends, in addition to new faces and rising talent from every genre. The buoyant, sharp and charming Caruso guides the entire affair, while musical genius Billy Stritch (Liza Minnelli, Tony Bennett) holds court at the ivories and leads the Cast Party Symphony Orchestra (Steve Doyle on bass and Daniel Glass on drums).

$30 + $20 food/drink minimum

Every Tuesday at 8:30 PM - Birdland Theater

The Lineup with Susie Mosher

"The Lineup with Susie Mosher" is a wild, anything-goes variety show featuring entertainers from the Broadway, cabaret and comedy scenes, ranging from today's hottest headliners to the best up-and-coming stars of tomorrow. Mosher - the noted actress and singer from Broadway and beyond, called "one of those talents you need to see to believe" by Time Out New York - hosts the spontaneous extravaganza every Tuesday, and each Lineup is unique and promises to deliver an unforgettable night of quintessential New York City entertainment.

$20 + $20 food/drink minimum

Every Saturday at 5:30 PM - Birdland Jazz Club

Eric Comstock & Barbara Fasano

Hailed as "the truest heir to Bobby Short" in The New York Times, pianist/singer Eric Comstock returns to Birdland with star bassist/composer Sean Smith with songs by everyone from George Gershwin to George Harrison. These two masters met on the Off-Broadway hit Our Sinatra (which Eric co-wrote) and have since worked separately and together around the world. Vocalist Barbara Fasano joins them at Birdland for a swinging Saturday supper where the music and stories are equally great. Sean Smith has been an integral part of the international jazz scene for over 25 years, and has performed with Gerry Mulligan, Phil Woods, Benny Carter, Art Farmer, Flip Phillips, Clark Terry and many others. Barbara Fasano has been praised as "a gorgeous, soulful singer who has an actor's intensity in whatever she sings" by The New York Post and "a lyrically sensitive interpreter" by The New York Times. Her latest album Busy Being Free is the recipient of the MAC Award for "Major Recording of the Year."

$30 + $20 food/drink minimum

August 1 (Monday) 7:00 PM - Birdland Jazz Club

Sam Gravitte - "Songs That Raised Me"

Sam Gravitte, recently seen as Fiyero in Wicked on Broadway, is teaming up with a quartet of some of New York City's most dynamic young musicians to reinvent some old and new favorites. Led by pianist/composer Jake Landau, with guitarist Ravi Campbell, bassist Kanoa Mendenhall, and drummer Zach Mullings, Sam will take you on a journey with standards like "Why Try to Change Me Now," Sondheim's "Finishing the Hat," and more. Come for an evening of songs and storytelling that will remind you there's nothing quite like a night of live music in the greatest city in the world. Sam Gravitte is an actor, musician, and writer who recently made his solo show debut at Birdland. Raised by actors Debbie and Beau Gravitte, Sam graduated with a BA in Anthropology from Princeton before formally entering the family business. Sam recently starred as Fiyero in Wicked, and was seen in Almost Famous (Original Cast, Old Globe), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (ACT), and the Wicked national tour.

$40 Table/Bar +$20 food/drink minimum

August 8 (Monday) 7:00 PM - Birdland Jazz Club

Karen Mason - "30...and Counting"

Mason performed her first show with Music Director Christopher Denny in 1992 after losing her first Music Director Brian Lasser to AIDS. Mason and Denny have continued that collaboration to this day. A few years later, Director Barry Kleinbort was added to the mix, and this triad of talent have been creating brand new arrangements and shows ever since. This new show will highlight some of their favorite arrangements including "Help/Being Alive," "Watch What Happens/I Will Wait For You," and "Pick Yourself Up," and many more surprises. Mason was recently seen playing Mrs. Marsh on Ryan Murphy's "Halston" on Netflix. On tour, was last seen as Madame Giry in the North American premiere of Love Never Dies (Andrew Lloyd Webber's epic sequel to The Phantom of the Opera). On Broadway, she starred in Wonderland, 
and originated the role of Tanya in Mamma Mia! (2002 Drama Desk nomination). Her other leading roles include Norma Desmond 
in Sunset Boulevard on Broadway and in Los Angeles for three years; Velma von Tussel in the Broadway company of Hairspray; "Monotony" singer and Mazeppa in Jerome Robbins' Broadway. She is a14-time MAC Award winner, and was the recipient of the 2019 MAC Lifetime Achievement Award.

$40 tables / $40 bar + $20 food/drink minimum

August 22 (Monday) 8:30 PM - Birdland Theater

Amy Spanger

Spanger, a Drama Desk-nominated Broadway singer and actress, will sing songs from her celebrated career so far, including beloved tunes by Jonathan Larson, Cole Porter, Kander & Ebb and more. She and her musical director, Paul Masse, have created a rocking set with all the feels. Her special guest will be Broadway veteran Brian Shepard (who also happens to be her husband). Spanger has starred in eight Broadway shows, including Kiss Me, Kate; The Wedding Singer; and Rock of Ages, originating roles in five of them. She was the original Susan in the off-Broadway production of Jonathan Larson's tick, tick... BOOM! and notably played Sally in "Reefer Madness The Movie Musical," and recently guest starred on "Chicago Med."

$30 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum

September 12 (Monday) 7:00 PM - Birdland Jazz Club

Karen Akers - "Among My Souvenirs"

Singer and actress Karen Akers will return to Birdland with her concert featuring musical director Alex Rybeck. Akers takes a look back at some of the songs that first brought her acclaim in cabaret as well as on Broadway, television, and recordings - works by Craig Carnelia, Maury Yeston, Edith Piaf, and Stephen Sondheim, among other treasures. Akers is one of America's more arresting and successful concert stars. She is the recipient of the 2005 New York Nightlife Award for Outstanding Female Cabaret Vocalist, as well as the 2009 Nightlife Legend Award. Ms. Akers has appeared in many prestigious venues worldwide, including Carnegie Hall and The Hollywood Bowl, as well as the Cafe Carlyle and The Oak Room at The Algonquin Hotel. She has taken her music to the south of France, Russia, and Barcelona's Liceu Opera House. She appeared on Broadway as one of the original stars of the Tony Award-winning musical Grand Hotel. She made her debut on the Great White Way in the original production of Nine, receiving a Tony nomination and a Theatre World Award.

$40 tables + $20 food/drink minimum

September 26 (Monday) 8:30 PM - Birdland Theater

Phillip Officer - "Let Me Sing And I'm Happy"

It's been a decade since Phillip Officer, one of NYC's favorite singers, stepped into the spotlight. Officer returns to make his Birdland Theater debut with "Let Me Sing And I'm Happy." The Chicago Tribune wrote, "Officer joins the rank of great singers as he elevates his material with a natural effervescence you wish you could bottle." Phillip built a commanding reputation for his commitment to lyrics. The New York Times complimented him as "a master of lyric interpretation - a textbook example of pop understatement." "Let Me Sing And I'm Happy" will celebrate a coterie of great writers and artists who have influenced his musical journey, including Peggy Lee, Carole King, Stephen Sondheim, The Beatles, Irving Berlin, Cher, and Johnny Mercer. The talented trio of musicians include Mark Hartman on piano, Kevin Kuhn on guitar, and Erik Friedlander on cello. Officer made his Broadway debut in the Tony-nominated musical Side Show. He is the recipient of multiple New York Nightlife, Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs, and Backstage Bistro Awards. The show is directed by Bill Russell.

$30 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum