| BIRDLAND presents 15th ANNUAL engagement "A SWINGING BIRDLAND CHRISTMAS" - starring KLEA BLACKHURST, JIM CARUSO and BILLY STRITCH - for FIVE SHOWS, 12/22-25 | |
| Posted by: Official_Press_Release 08:43 pm EST 11/25/24 | |
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| BIRDLAND JAZZ CLUB PRESENTS THE 15TH ANNUAL ENGAGEMENT "A SWINGING BIRDLAND CHRISTMAS" STARRING KLEA BLACKHURST, JIM CARUSO AND BILLY STRITCH FIVE PERFORMANCES – DECEMBER 22 TO DECEMBER 25 BIRDLAND JAZZ CLUB will present the 15th Annual "A Swinging Birdland Christmas" – starring vocalists Klea Blackhurst, Jim Caruso, and Billy Stritch – for five shows from Sunday, December 22 to Wednesday, December 25. Performances are Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday at 5:30 PM, and Monday at 7:00 PM and 9:30 PM. This wildly successful extravaganza has been celebrating the holidays at this historic music room since 2010. In the tradition of beloved seasonal specials, the trio of singers will perform swinging arrangements of "The Christmas Waltz," Kay Thompson's "Holiday Season," "Sleigh Ride," "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm," "Snow," and "It Happened in Sun Valley," among other favorites. In addition, the show will include holiday selections from Stephen Sondheim and Barry Manilow, both of whom the trio recently celebrated at Carnegie Hall. The vocalists will be joined by Steve Doyle on bass and Daniel Glass on drums. The Deluxe Edition of their popular album Christmas at Birdland, produced by Wayne Haun on the Club44 Records label, will be available at the show. There is a $40-50 music charge. Birdland is located at 315 West 44th Street in New York. Klea Blackhurst is an actress, singer and comedienne who has appeared in legendary concert venues from The London Palladium to Carnegie Hall, The Royal Albert Hall to Jazz at Lincoln Center and with symphony orchestras from Atlanta to Boston, Pittsburgh to Philly. Most recently she appeared as the Witch in Into the Woods for Opera North, Ragtime: The Symphonic Concert with the Boston Pops at Tanglewood, conducted by Keith Lockhart, as well as Ragtime: The Symphonic Concert with the Cincinnati Pops, under the direction of John Morris Russell. Theatre credits include NY: Party Face opposite Hayley Mills, Bingo, Radio Gals, Oil City Symphony, and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Regional: the 50th Anniversary production of Hello, Dolly! at The Goodspeed Opera House, The Nutty Professor by Rupert Holmes and the late Marvin Hamlisch, directed by legendary Jerry Lewis. Her television appearances include "Pose," "The Knick," two seasons on "The Onion News Network" as legal pundit Shelby Cross, "Law and Order: SVU," and "Sesame Street." Klea is a distinguished Alumna of the University of Utah. She is also a member of Mendez Boxing Harlem where she is known as The Belter. Jim Caruso is the host of "Jim Caruso's Cast Party," the wildly popular weekly open mic night that has brought a sprinkling of Broadway glitz and urbane wit to Birdland in New York City every Monday night since 2003. The Mayor of the City of New York recently proclaimed, "Whereas, I am enormously proud to lead a city renowned as a global capital of the arts, ‘Jim Caruso's Cast Party' has enriched our dynamic cultural landscape since 2003, and on the occasion of its 20th anniversary, I am pleased to recognize the weekly show's tremendous contributions to our performing arts and nightlife sectors." "Cast Party" has been seen at Jazz at Lincoln Center, across the country, and, most recently, on YouTube as "Pajama Cast Party." Jim made his Broadway debut alongside Liza Minnelli in the Tony Award-winning Liza's at the Palace!, singing, dancing and celebrating the music and arrangements of Kay Thompson and the Williams Brothers. He has won six MAC Awards and eight BroadwayWorld Awards for his work in nightclubs, performed with the New York Pops in a tribute to Kander & Ebb, with Rosemary Clooney celebrating Bing Crosby, and sang the songs of Hope & Crosby with Michael Feinstein at Carnegie Hall. Jim was honored to sing with Barbara Cook, Lauren Bacall, and a bevy of Broadway stars at President Clinton's First State Dinner at the White House. He also books and produces the "Broadway at Birdland" concert series, and performs regularly with Billy Stritch at Bemelmans Bar at The Carlyle Hotel. Jim's two albums, The Swing Set and Caruso Live and In Person, are available online. Billy Stritch is a pianist-singer who has been a presence on the New York and national nightclub scene for nearly four decades He began his career in Houston where we formed the vocal trio Montgomery, Plant and Stritch. The threesome performed all over New York and Europe from 1983 until they parted ways in 1990. That same year, Billy started his solo performing career. He is perhaps best known for his 25-year position as musical director and pianist for Liza Minnelli, and has also toured with Tony Bennett, Christine Ebersole, Linda Eder, Melissa Manchester, Linda Lavin and many other top singers. His composition "Does He Love You" won the Grammy Award in 1993 and was recorded 30 years later by Reba McEntire and Dolly Parton, garnering another Grammy nomination in 2023. Billy was recently named Outstanding Musical Director for the fifth time by the readers of BroadwayWorld and his 2022 birthday show at New York's famed Birdland Jazz Club was named Outstanding Vocal Jazz Engagement of the year. He is the bandleader for "Jim Caruso's Cast Party" every Monday night at Birdland and the twosome also have a long-running Sunday night residency at Bemelmans Bar at the Carlyle Hotel. Billy has recorded numerous solo albums, as well as two with Christine Ebersole. His most recent release, Billy's Place (Club44 Records), is available on all the streaming platforms and at his website billystritch.com. Follow Billy on Instagram @billystritch BIRDLAND JAZZ CLUB will present the 15th Annual engagement of "A Swinging Birdland Christmas" for five shows from Sunday, December 22 to Wednesday, December 25. Performances are Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday at 5:30 PM, and Monday at 7:00 PM and 9:30 PM. There is a $40-50 music charge and a $20 food and beverage minimum. Birdland Jazz Club 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. 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 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 2003. Called "show-business heaven" by The New York Times and "the gold-standard of open mic nights" by The Wall Street Journal, "Cast Party" presents 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). Eric Adams, the Mayor of the City of New York, recently proclaimed, "Whereas, I am enormously proud to lead a city renowned as a global capital of the arts, ‘Jim Caruso's Cast Party' has enriched our dynamic cultural landscape since 2003, and on the occasion of its 20th anniversary, I am pleased to recognize the weekly show's tremendous contributions to our performing arts and nightlife sectors." $30 + $20 food/drink minimum November 25 (Monday) 7:00 PM – Birdland Jazz Club "Sing Happy: The Lyrics of Fred Ebb" This special night, hosted by Jim Caruso and Billy Stritch, commemorates the 20th year of the Fred Ebb Foundation. The evening will feature some beloved Kander and Ebb songs as well as some rarely performed gems and a few unheard treasures that were cut out of town. Performers include Kate Baldwin, Heidi Blickenstaff, Luke Hawkins, Telly Leung, Joel Crump, and Julia Murney, with more names announced. Stritch will also serve as music director. Since 2004, The Fred Ebb Foundation has given out The Fred Ebb Award to a songwriter or songwriting team that has yet to achieve commercial success. Past winners include Shaina Taub (Suffs), Michael R. Jackson (A Strange Loop), and Mizer and Moore ("The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel"). It is a $60,000 prize. In addition, The Foundation makes an annual gift to Broadway Cares / Equity Fights AIDS. Since 2004, the Foundation has gifted over $30 million to BCEFA. "Sing Happy: The Lyrics of Fred Ebb" is a presentation of the Fred Ebb Foundation, Tim Pinckney, producer. $40 tables / $40 bar + $20 food/drink minimum December 2 (Monday) 7:00 PM – Birdland Jazz Club Ernie Haase & Signature Sound – "A Jazzy Little Christmas" The album A Jazzy Little Christmas is a collection of holiday classics and sacred seasonal songs has not only been a fan favorite, but the sold-out tour dates have yielded in-demand appearances for four consecutive Christmas seasons. The group enlisted Tony Bennett's former music director and pianist Billy Stritch, award-winning producer Wayne Haun, and some of New York's finest musicians. With true, four-part harmony and a three-piece jazz band, the live show is reminiscent of the sounds of The Four Freshmen with the jazz of Tony Bennett. A Jazzy Little Christmas debuted at No. 1 on Soundscan's Christian Seasonal Sales chart and Southern Gospel Sales chart upon its release in 2019. Ernie Haase & Signature Sound received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Roots Gospel album for their album Keeping On (2022). Additionally, that album received two Gospel Music Association Dove Award nominations and claimed Southern Gospel Album of the Year (2022). This marked Haase's ninth Grammy nomination individually and the group's fourth collective nomination. $40 tables / $40 bar + $20 food/drink minimum December 16 (Monday) 7:00 PM – Birdland Jazz Club "We Love the Winter Weather: Songs of the Season" Four award-winning New York favorites - KT Sullivan, Stacy Sullivan, Jeff Harnar and Todd Murray - take the stage with music director and jazz virtuoso Jon Weber to present an eclectic and entertaining holiday cabaret including songwriters Irving Berlin, Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne, Carol Hall, Danny Apolinar, David Friedman, and Mel Torme. The seasonal spotlight shines musically on traditional favorites as well as on "Grandma," Elvis, Peggy Lee and a "short attention span theater" retelling of the holiday film classic White Christmas, with the quartet donning the roles of Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, Vera Ellen, and Danny Kaye. This show will send you out believing "It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year." $40 tables / $30 bar + $20 food/drink minimum December 18 (Thursday) 8:30 PM – Birdland Theater James Barbour – Annual Holiday Concert Broadway leading man James Barbour - star of The Phantom of the Opera and beyond - returns in his annual Holiday Concert. Since its inception in 2008, this cherished event has brought the warmth and cheer of the holidays to thousands around the globe. Enjoy an evening of timeless holiday classics, performed with Barbour's signature voice. Along with special guest appearances from the Broadway community, Barbour will make this a night to remember. Barbour was nominated for the Drama Desk, Drama League and Outer Critics Awards for "Best Actor in a Musical" for his portrayal of Sydney Carton in the Broadway musical version of A Tale of Two Cities, and won the Sarasota Magazine "Best Actor" award for the Asolo Rep pre-Broadway production. He has starred on Broadway in such Tony Award-winning shows as Stephen Sondheim's Assassins, Disney's Beauty and the Beast as The Beast, Carousel as Billy Bigelow, Urinetown as Officer Lockstock, and Jane Eyre as Edward Rochester (Drama League Award nomination). $45 tables / $35 bar + $20 food/drink minimum December 30 (Monday) 7:00 PM – Birdland Jazz Club David Marino A finalist from Canada's "The Voice," David Marino is a singer making headway internationally, performing at prestigious venues and jazz clubs across North America. Marino performs regularly at Place des Arts in Montreal, and at Birdland with Billy Stritch. David just completed his West Coast US debut tour starting in San Francisco, and was just in Rome making his European debut in September. Marino is an actor as well, and a graduate of The Neighborhood Playhouse. He recently played the lead role of Melchior in Contact Theatre's production of the musical Spring Awakening. Marino is a proud advocate for mental health causes, and has helped raise $50,000 for the Jewish General Hospital in Montreal. Next up, Marino will be releasing his first live EP in 2025 and is currently working on his debut studio album. Vocal legend Marilyn Maye said: "One word: phenomenal! He's just brilliant and his singing is just wonderful." Jane Monheit, the Grammy Award-nominated Jazz singer: "Truly one of the most gorgeous voices I've ever heard. Please go see him." $35 tables / $25 bar + $20 food/drink minimum |
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