Champian Fulton, Wayne Tucker, and More to Play Birdland This Month

Birdland Jazz Club and Birdland Theater have announced all jazz programming running July 17 through July 30.

Performers appearing at Birdland Jazz Club include SRT with John "J.R." Robinson, Champian Fulton, Wayne Tucker and the Bad Mothas, Delfeayo Marsalis and the Uptown Jazz Orchestra, and Courtney Wright Big Band. 

Downstairs at Birdland Theater, catch Ashley Pezzotti, Carole J. Bufford, Michael Wolff Trio and Harry Allen Quartet. 

Repeat engagements include Vince Giordano & the Nighthawks, David Ostwald's Louis Armstrong Eternity Band, Frank Vignola's Guitar Night, Birdland Big Band and Arturo O'Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra. 

Jazz Programming at Birdland Jazz Club and Birdland Theater July 17 through July 30

July 17 (Monday) 5:30 & 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater
Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks
Catch Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks every Monday evening in July at Birdland Theater! Giordano, the recipient of a GRAMMY Award for his work scoring the HBO show Boardwalk Empire, is a master composer and arranger whose 11-piece band, The Nighthawks, recreate the jubilant 1920s jazz sound with amazing definition, using violins, tubas, banjos, and collector's item drum sets. The band has provided soundtracks for film and television productions including The Cotton Club, The Aviator, Finding Forrester, Revolutionary Road, Cafe Society, Boardwalk Empire, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and many more. Not to be missed!
$30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum

July 18 (Tuesday) 5:30 PM – Birdland Theater
Ashley Pezzotti
Called a “performer to watch” by DownBeat Magazine, Queens-born Ashley Pezzotti takes an early set on the Birdland Theater stage four consecutive Tuesdays in August to deliver her trademark renditions of American standards. This 25-year-old rising star has performed with jazz icon Wynton Marsalis (on his 2020 recording The Ever Fonky Lowdown), country legend Keith Urban, and piano prodigy Joey Alexander. On her debut recording, We've Only Just Begun, she was backed by the Emmet Cohen Trio and other young lions. A vocalist indebted to the great jazz singers like Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, and Carmen McRae, Pezzotti offers listeners a chance to relax into the music they know and love, while bringing a freshness of presence that enchants her audiences..
$20 + $20 food/drink minimum

July 18-22 (Tuesday-Saturday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM (7/21-22); 8:30 & 10:30  – Birdland Jazz Club
SRT with John "J.R." Robinson and special guest Tom Scott
In an era where music is created virtually in basements, jazz-rock power trio SRT is creating music the old fashioned way: live and together in the studio. SRT features world-renowned, Grammy-winning drummer John "J.R." Robinson, the drummer on over 20 number one hits by artists such as Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Lionel Richie, Quincy Jones, Daft Punk, Lady Gaga and Steve Winwood. "J.R." was named one of Rolling Stone Magazine's "Top 100 Drummers of All Time." SRT also features Grammy-winning L.A. session-ace guitarist Andrew Synowiec, whose credits include The Who, Michael Buble, David Foster and hundreds of Hollywood film scores, and jazz organ phenom Mitch Towne, organist on the Grammy-nominated album "Velvet Portraits" by Terrace Martin. Joining SRT is very special guest, legendary Grammy-winning saxophonist Tom Scott whose iconic playing has been featured with countless artists, including Steely Dan, Aretha Franklin, George Harrison, Joni Mitchell and The Blues Brothers.
$40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum

July 19 (Wednesday) 5:30 PM – Birdland Theater
David Ostwald's Louis Armstrong Eternity Band
Inspired by the noble jazz pioneers Louis Armstrong, Bix Beiderbecke, Duke Ellington, Jelly Roll Morton and their colleagues, David Ostwald's Louis Armstrong Eternity Band breathes life and passion into America's own great art form. Now in its 18th year of residency at Birdland, the weekly post-workday engagement is the city's best musical bargain! Tuba player David Ostwald leads a rotating lineup that features talents such as clarinetist Anat Cohen, trombonist/vocalist Wycliffe Gordon, pianist Ehud Asherie, drummer Marion Felder and more!
$30 tables; $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum

July 19 (Wednesday) 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater
Frank Vignola's Guitar Night with special guest Sara Caswell.
It's the best jazz guitar lover's show in the world. Frank Vignola's virtuosity has made him the guitarist of choice for many of the world's top musicians, including Ringo Starr, Madonna, Donald Fagen, Les Paul, the Boston and New York Pops, and more. Every Wednesday at 8:30pm in the Birdland Theater, Frank leads “Frank Vignola's Guitar Night at Birdland.” Inspired by journeyman jazz guitarist John Pisano's now famous Los Angeles Guitar Night, the Frank Vignola Quartet, featuring bassist Gary Mazzaroppi, drummer Vince Cherico, and pianist Ted Rosenthal, will perform tunes from the standard repertoire, with special guests. This week it's violinist Sara Caswell, and next week, pianist Bill Mays.  *Guitar night streams live every week at YouTube.com/RadioFreeBirdland
$30 tables; $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum

July 21 (Friday) 5:30 PM – Birdland Jazz Club
The Birdland Big Band
Every Friday, and for two headlining weeks a year, the “BBB” roars into action playing a thrilling and original mix of jazz, funk, Brazilian, Latin and world music for sold-out audiences. Featured weekly guest artists drop in from television bands (David Letterman, Saturday Night Live) and pop music touring bands (Rob Thomas, Rod Stewart). Come see for yourself why Time Out New York called the BBB “A completely unique experience… there isn't another band like this anywhere,” and why yelp.com proclaims, “If you hear one band in NYC make sure this is it… and prepare to be blown away!”
$30 + $20 food/drink minimum

July 21-23 (Friday-Sunday)  7:00 & 9:30 PM – Birdland Theater
Carole J. Bufford – “Divine Decadence”
With a seductive blend of vintage charm and modern flair, “Divine Decadence” combines the best of the past and present, showcasing a diverse collection of songs spanning from the Roaring 1920s to the Vibrant 2020s. This captivating cabaret takes audiences on a dazzling 100 year journey celebrating the evolution of music and capturing the spirit of each decade. Carole J. Bufford and her trio breathe new life into timeless classics and offer scintillating takes on some of today's current hits. The show features songs made famous by Barbra Streisand, Ella Fitzgerald, Adele, Tina Turner, Solomon Burke, Patsy Cline, Liza Minnelli, Nancy Wilson, Amy Winehouse, Frank Sinatra, and more. Carole J. Bufford has become one of the most sought-after young performers in the New York nightclub and jazz scene. Her recent shows, “speak easy” (featuring the Grammy Award-winning Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks) and “Body & Soul” earned her rave reviews across the board, including The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. Carole is the recipient of a Nightlife, Bistro and BroadwayWorld Award for Outstanding Vocalist. She was featured in Michael Feinstein's Great American Songbook series at Jazz at Lincoln Center.
$35 tables / $25 bar + $20 food/drink minimum

July 22 (Saturday) 5:30 PM — Birdland Jazz Club
Champian Fulton Duo with Hide Tanaka
A great jazz singer is something special, and something special indeed is Champian Fulton. Daughter of trumpeter Stephen Fulton, Champian grew up inside the world of music, and as she grew she developed a swinging sound on the piano and a voice beyond her years—a sound reminiscent of the old master vocalists. Named the Hot House Readers Poll 2019 Pianist and Vocalist of the Year, and with 14 albums to her name, she is understandably a Birdland fan favorite. Fulton recorded Birdsong in 2020 with the great bassist and drummer team of Hide Tanaka and Fukushi Tainaka. Her latest album Meet Me At Birdland is out now and was recorded live at the famed venue. Here she joins us for a special duo performance with Tanaka.
$30 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum

July 23 (Sunday) 5:30 PM – Birdland Jazz Club
Wayne Tucker and the Bad Mothas
The fantastic Wayne Tucker's contemporary stylings combine the best in jazz trumpet tradition with the smooth stylings of Stevie Wonder and other soul greats. A trumpeter, composer, arranger, violinist and vocalist based in NYC, Tucker has released 4 albums under his name and performs regularly with his band, The Bad Mothas—gaining local fame when, during the first summer of the pandemic, they set up at the entrance to Brooklyn's Prospect Park and began playing every day with the group. The trumpeter for jazz legends Kurt Elling, Dee Dee Bridgewater and Cyrille Aimée; pop legends Taylor Swift, David Crosby, Elvis Costello; R&B giants Ne-Yo and Gabriel Garzon-Montano; hip hop big-wigs Jidenna and Ryan Leslie; and rock band Brass Against; Tucker continues to present tasteful, grooving music that transcends genre boundaries and speaks directly to the heart.
$30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum

July 23 (Sunday) 8:30 & 10:30 PM – Birdland Jazz Club
Arturo O'Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra
Pianist, composer and educator Arturo O'Farrill—leader of the “first family of Afro-Cuban Jazz” (The New York Times)—leads the GRAMMY award winning Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra (ALJO), who bring together the drama of big band jazz, the culture of Latin music, and the virtuosity of eighteen of the world's most accomplished solo musicians. Twelve years of critically-acclaimed performances internationally have firmly established the ALJO as the standard-bearer for creative interpretation of Latin jazz greats such as Tito Puente, Frank “Machito” Grillo, and Chico O'Farrill, as well as the driving force behind new commissions from Latin music's most talented composers and arrangers.
$30 + $20 food/drink minimum

July 24 (Monday) 5:30 & 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater
Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks
Catch Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks every Monday evening in July at Birdland Theater! Giordano, the recipient of a GRAMMY Award for his work scoring the HBO show Boardwalk Empire, is a master composer and arranger whose 11-piece band, The Nighthawks, recreate the jubilant 1920s jazz sound with amazing definition, using violins, tubas, banjos, and collector's item drum sets. The band has provided soundtracks for film and television productions including The Cotton Club, The Aviator, Finding Forrester, Revolutionary Road, Cafe Society, Boardwalk Empire, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and many more. Not to be missed!
$30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum

July 25 (Tuesday) 5:30 PM – Birdland Theater
Ashley Pezzotti
Called a “performer to watch” by DownBeat Magazine, Queens-born Ashley Pezzotti takes an early set on the Birdland Theater stage four consecutive Tuesdays in August to deliver her trademark renditions of American standards. This 25-year-old rising star has performed with jazz icon Wynton Marsalis (on his 2020 recording The Ever Fonky Lowdown), country legend Keith Urban, and piano prodigy Joey Alexander. On her debut recording, We've Only Just Begun, she was backed by the Emmet Cohen Trio and other young lions. A vocalist indebted to the great jazz singers like Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, and Carmen McRae, Pezzotti offers listeners a chance to relax into the music they know and love, while bringing a freshness of presence that enchants her audiences.
$20 + $20 food/drink minimum

July 25-29 (Tuesday-Saturday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM (7/25-7); 8:30 & 10:30 PM (7/28-29) – Birdland Jazz Club
Delfeayo Marsalis and the Uptown Jazz Orchestra
The great New Orleans trombonist, producer, composer, and educator Delfeayo Marsalis is a powerful force in the music world. With over 120 recording credits as a producer (including one GRAMMY Award and several nominations) and nearly 50 recordings as a trombonist, Delfeayo could be said to have made his mark. But in 2000, this committed educator created the Uptown Music Theatre, a non-profit that leads musical theater training for youth. The UMT's sister organization is the Uptown Jazz Orchestra, which Marsalis formed in 2008 as the jazz arm of the endeavor. This 18-piece band upholds the traditions of New Orleans swing, ensemble riff-playing, and infectious, soulful dance music that form the foundations of American jazz. With a star-studded cast, they never fail to amaze.
$40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum

July 26 (Wednesday) 5:30 PM – Birdland Theater
David Ostwald's Louis Armstrong Eternity Band
Inspired by the noble jazz pioneers Louis Armstrong, Bix Beiderbecke, Duke Ellington, Jelly Roll Morton and their colleagues, David Ostwald's Louis Armstrong Eternity Band breathes life and passion into America's own great art form. Now in its 18th year of residency at Birdland, the weekly post-workday engagement is the city's best musical bargain! Tuba player David Ostwald leads a rotating lineup that features talents such as clarinetist Anat Cohen, trombonist/vocalist Wycliffe Gordon, pianist Ehud Asherie, drummer Marion Felder and more!
$30 tables; $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum

July 26 (Wednesdays) 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater
Frank Vignola's Guitar Night with Bill Mays
It's the best jazz guitar lover's show in the world. Frank Vignola's virtuosity has made him the guitarist of choice for many of the world's top musicians, including Ringo Starr, Madonna, Donald Fagen, Les Paul, the Boston and New York Pops, and more. Every Wednesday at 8:30pm in the Birdland Theater, Frank leads “Frank Vignola's Guitar Night at Birdland.” Inspired by journeyman jazz guitarist John Pisano's now famous Los Angeles Guitar Night, the Frank Vignola Quartet, featuring bassist Gary Mazzaroppi, drummer Vince Cherico, and pianist Ted Rosenthal, will perform tunes from the standard repertoire, with special guests. This week, it's pianist Bill Mays.  *Guitar night streams live every week at YouTube.com/RadioFreeBirdland
$30 tables; $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum

July 27 (Thursday) 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater
Michael Wolff Trio
The Birdland Theater is pleased to welcome back the Michael Wolff Trio! The award-winning pianist—known for an impressive and eclectic career that has spanned five decades and included stints with Cannonball Adderly, Nancy Wilson, Sonny Rollins, Cal Tjader, and Tom Harrell, as well as recordings with Tony Williams, Christian McBride, Freddie Hubbard, and Sheila E—released his latest recording Live at Vitellos on March 19th, 2021 with Sunnyside Records. Surfacing a decade after its recording at the iconic Los Angeles jazz club in 2011, Live at Vitellos captures a stirring snapshot of a stunning live performance that instantly transports listeners to a night of musical magic and intrigue over the course of seven spellbinding tracks.
$30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum

July 28 (Friday) 5:30 PM – Birdland Jazz Club
The Birdland Big Band
Every Friday, and for two headlining weeks a year, the “BBB” roars into action playing a thrilling and original mix of jazz, funk, Brazilian, Latin and world music for sold-out audiences. Featured weekly guest artists drop in from television bands (David Letterman, Saturday Night Live) and pop music touring bands (Rob Thomas, Rod Stewart). Come see for yourself why Time Out New York called the BBB “A completely unique experience… there isn't another band like this anywhere,” and why yelp.com proclaims, “If you hear one band in NYC make sure this is it… and prepare to be blown away!”
$30 + $20 food/drink minimum

July 28-30 (Friday-Sunday) 7:00 & 9:30 PM – Birdland Theater
Harry Allen Quartet
The saxophonist that John Pizzarelli has called “Nothing less than perfect,” Harry Allen is the consummate swinger. A veteran of jazz music, he has recorded over 70 discs as a leader—three of which winning Gold Disc Awards from Japan's Swing Journal, and his album Tenors Anyone? winning both the Gold Disc and the New Star Award. Allen's work with Rosemary Clooney, Tony Bennett, Ray Brown, Hank Jones, Frank Wess, Flip Phillips, Harry “Sweets” Edison, Kenny Burrell, Herb Ellis, John Pizzarelli, Bucky Pizzarelli, Gus Johnson, Jeff Hamilton, Johnny Mandel, James Taylor, and Sheryl Crow—to name a few—places him in an elite class, but he is no snob: in fact, what makes Harry Allen so great is his down-to-earth playing, his love of the music. His off-the-cuff style needs no set-lists. For these three nights at Birdland, he is sure to start and end swinging. What happens along the way will undoubtedly be pure magic.
$30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum

July 30 (Sunday) 5:30 PM – Birdland Jazz Club
Courtney Wright Big Band
Courtney Wright is an inspiring young baritone saxophonist—one whose dedication to the legacy of her swinging bebop-style predecessors (among them bari sax great Pepper Adams and trumpeter/arranger legend Thad Jones) is clear. A quietly prolific composer, Wright leads her own large ensemble (which she will bring to Birdland for this Sunday engagement) as well as small groups, both chiefly performing her original material. The Virginia-born Wright was a child of the D.C. jazz scene before attending University of North Texas's famed jazz program and later moving to New York City to attend Manhattan School of Music for her graduate studies. Her music has been performed and recorded by the WDR Big Band, Juilliard Jazz Orchestra, and the One and Two O'Clock Lab Bands at the University of North Texas. She is a current member of the BMI Jazz Composer's Workshop and was a recipient of the 2021 ISJAC/USF Prize for Emerging Black Composers, as well as the 2021 Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award. Courtney was one of fifteen young musicians invited to participate in the Ravinia Steans Music Institute's 2022 program for jazz. Catch her Big Band for one thrilling set!
$30 tables / $20 bar + $20 food/drink minimum

July 30 (Sunday) 8:30 & 10:30 PM – Birdland Jazz Club
Arturo O'Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra
Pianist, composer and educator Arturo O'Farrill—leader of the “first family of Afro-Cuban Jazz” (The New York Times)—leads the GRAMMY award winning Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra (ALJO), who bring together the drama of big band jazz, the culture of Latin music, and the virtuosity of eighteen of the world's most accomplished solo musicians. Twelve years of critically-acclaimed performances internationally have firmly established the ALJO as the standard-bearer for creative interpretation of Latin jazz greats such as Tito Puente, Frank “Machito” Grillo, and Chico O'Farrill, as well as the driving force behind new commissions from Latin music's most talented composers and arrangers.
$30 + $20 food/drink minimum

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