Bill Westmoreland News

Tony Winner Linda Lavin has a new CD out and it is one musical bullseye after another.

While all non-essential businesses have closed, Birdland owner Gianni Valenti has been hard at work, preparing for the inevitable day when the legendary Manhattan hotspot will reopen for the throng of fans who call Birdland home.

In her first cabaret show in 2020, Karen Mason will ring in her birthday on Monday, March 30 at Feinstein's/54 Below! It will be night of unforgettable music, stories, laughter, and joy, and perhaps a few surprisesa??..because you never know what will happen with this birthday girl!

Wendy Scherl's TOWN AND COUNTRY continues to wow audiences around the New York City area, as she brings her unique and lovely style to this much-praised cabaret show.

The keeper of the keyboards, Billy Stritch, heads into the busiest month of his year so far.. and it's only the first month of the year! Read his chat with Stephen Mosher to learn how it all started and how he's going to keep it going with a song in his heart.

Birdland presented the TENTH year of “A Swinging Birdland Christmas,” starring Birdland regulars Klea Blackhurst, Jim Caruso and Billy Stritch.  The limited engagement of five performances, December 21 - 25 was completely sold out, thanks to some smashing reviews, including one by Stephen Mosher at BroadwayWorld, who said, “This jazzy, festive, melodious show is one of the finger-snappingest, toe-tappingest, laugh-riotous shows this season.”

A Swinging Birdland Christmas has become a New York City institution, a holiday tradition and a staple of the Birdland calendar. With three of the most popular talents of the cabaret community and, definitely, three of the hardest working people in the business, the annual Christmas concert gives fans a chance to spend a night with Klea Blackhurst, Jim Caruso and Billy Stritch, to sip on some eggnog or to skip the egg and go right to the nog, and to get into the holiday spirit without fighting the all-night crowds at Macy's. The trio of friends are each extremely popular in their own right, with Ms. Blackhurst spending the year going from show to show, Mr. Stritch playing in concerts and clubs around the world, and Mr. Caruso maintaining his place as Birdland's impresario and most fashionable host in town, so this event when the three of them join forces to spread cheer is something Birdland audiences look forward to for eleven months. 2019 saw a special happening to add to the season when the trio released the cd A SWINGING BIRDLAND CHRISTMAS. With the holiday music out on every platform, these chums jumped into rehearsals for their holiday show, which opens December 21st.

Beloved and iconic, the great Karen Mason brings a new show to New York City and Birdland! The fans can't wait.

The Manhattan Association of Cabarets (MAC) 33rd MAC Awards will be held tomorrow night at Sony Hall in New York City. 

Beginning tomorrow, December 22 (6pm), and running through December 25, Birdland will present the eighth year of 'A Swinging Birdland Christmas,' starring Birdland regulars Klea Blackhurst, Jim Caruso and Billy Stritch.

When husband-and-wife duo John Pizzarelli and Jessica Molaskey make their annual fall pilgrimage to Caf Carlyle with an all-new show, THE LITTLE THINGS YOU DO TOGETHER (running November 7-18), they'll be including songs from Ant nio Carlos Jobim, Stephen Sondheim, and, of course, Joni Mitchell.

NATALIE DOUGLAS - the acclaimed vocalist hailed as "a true, true star" by BBC London, "sensational" by Time Out New York and "stirring" by The New York Daily News - will release her new long-awaited third album Human Heart on Friday, March 18. She will celebrate the new recording with a special concert at Birdland Jazz Club on Monday, March 21 at 7:00 PM. Human Heart is produced by Brian J. Nash with photography by Bill Westmoreland.

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra PNC Pops: Ann Hampton Callaway presents The Streisand Songbook. November 14-17.

New Jersey Performing Arts Center's 18th Annual Spotlight Gala, The Enchanted Oz, will be held on Saturday, October 5th at the center in Newark.

Following Joanne Beretta's astounding performance of classic cabaret songs last week, Any Wednesday will present New Jersey's Tony DeSare, an established young jazz/singer pianist quickly gaining acclaim for his interpretations of old standards, contemporary classics, and his own original compositions.

Ann Hampton Callaway and Irma Thomas will join Elvis Costello, Dr. John, Wynton Marsalis and the Dave Brubeck Quartet at the 2006 Tanglewood Jazz Festival