Buckley and Werner Play the Blue Note, July 17-22

Cabaret comes to the Blue Note for the first leg of the July Vocal Series with Tony Award-winner Betty Buckley and acclaimed pianist Kenny Werner.  Buckley will be returning to the Blue Note (131 W. 3rd St.) for the second time with Werner and her trio on Tuesday, July 17 through Sunday, July 22, 2007 for shows at 8:00pm at 10:30pm.

The show will feature vocals by Buckley, with Werner on piano, Tony Marino on bass, Anthony Pinciotti on drums on Tuesday through Thursday, and Rieser on drums from Friday through Sunday.

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