Doug Major

Birdland presented singer/actress Linda Purl on the historic stage on Monday, April 1, with Big Band Romance. Ms. Purl was accompanied by the DIVA Jazz Orchestra and musical director Tedd Firth, with special guest singer Nicolas King.

Birdland presented Julie Benko – direct from Broadway’s Funny Girl and Harmony– with her band “Euphonic Gumbo” on Monday, February 12. Check out photos here!

If you start with a talented singer, back him up with a skilled pianist/arranger and secure a Director who can weave it all together, you have the team in place to create a great show.

Errico has been conquering the scene lately singing all kinds of music from from noir to show tunes to classic soprano fare and is now starting to work with symphonies and she and Stritch have undeniable “chemistry”, making this look like they’ll be teaming up for a while, if the audience has anything to say about it!

If all the world loves a clown, then the people have twice as much fun for these clowns who also make spectacular music, every Monday night of the year... and then some.

Although the official location of Billy’s Place is located on Manhattan’s Central Park South it’s now transforming itself into anywhere that Mr. Stritch sits at the piano and croons in his musically elegant style.

Like a classic culinary creation, capable of continually and forever exciting the senses and defying the hazards of repetition, Marilyn Maye satisfied her audience's expectation for greatness last night with her performance at Feinstein's/54 Below. The perfect wine to compliment this musical feast was the artistry of Billy Stritch at the piano and some of his strategic vocal harmonies. Marilyn's song list is well known and loved by her fans and most folks in the packed house silently sing along, listen, and watch in total exhilaration as arguably the finest pop/jazz vocalist of our generation puts her special stamp on anything she sings.

Hal Prince visited the band, (led by Billy Stritch) and Linda Lavin in the legendary Cafe Carlyle last night and BroadwayWorld was there.

It was night that will long be remembered by fans (and who isn't) of Marilyn Maye and of American Songbook hero, Dick Robinson. Marilyn is currently celebrating her 90th year with her current engagement at Feinstein's/54 Below and her friend DIck Robinson, creator of Legends Radio and founder of the Connecticut School of Broadcasting is celebrating his 80th.

Stritch hides behind the mantra of Musical Director, Arranger, Songwriter, vocal and piano accompanist for some of the most talented and famous performers on the planet the majority of the times you see him. However, It comes as no surprise to his many fans that when he decides to feature himself and go solo it's an event not to be missed.

Monty Hall could not have offered a more spectacular deal. Four women had the right price and were the top bidders at last year's Primary Stages Gala's Silent Auction. As a result, Tony Award-Winning Broadway legend Betty Buckley came through door #1 at Jamie deRoy's apartment and sang at a private party organized by the winners . Jamie, Catherine Adler, Paula Kaminsky Davis and Christina Rose.

Multiple Tony Award-winner Christine Ebersole made her highly anticipated return to Cafe Carlyle with an all-new show titled After The Ball, last night and Broadwayworld was there. The engagement runs through October 22.

Last night, with photos of some of the greatest entertainers looking down at him in the Frank Sinatra Dining Room, Billy Stritch -- one of the most talented and creative musicians on the planet -- entertained his fellow Friars. I don't know if the velvet fog ever sang in the Monastery, but the closest you will ever get to his music is to hear Billy Stritch perform his Mel Torme show. It's the definitive interpretation of Mel's extraordinary musical genius, performed by the unequaled artistry of Mr. Stritch.

Lillias White brought her music director, arranger, and vocal accomplice Billy Stritch to William Finn's Cabaret at Barrington Stage Company last night and BroadwayWorld was there.  The title of her show, The Lillias White Effect is entirely fact-based as Ms. White and Mr. Stritch had a bedazzling effect on the Berkshire audience in Mr. Finn's Cabaret.

In a prelude to their upcoming January 18th NYC concert at the Highline Ballroom the Nunziata brothers performed a show for a 'jury of their peers' at the legendary Friars Club last night and BroadwayWorld was there.   Check out the photos below.  

Tony and Golden Globe winner Linda Lavin takes the 54 Below stage this September, performing Broadway favorites, standards, jazz, and even some songs she learned from the great girl singers. New York audiences remember her from It's a Bird…It's a Plane…It's Superman, Last of the Red Hot Lovers, Broadway Bound, Collected Stories, The Diary of Anne Frank, Gypsy,The Tale of the Allergist's Wife, and many others, and the world over knows her as Alice Hyatt in the long-running hit TV series Alice.

Linda Lavin and musician/director/actor/painter/writer husband Steve Bakunas walked the Red Carpet a few days ago at the Broadway Opening of Hamilton and then drove up the carpet of Green to their home in the Berkshires to perform at Lee Tannen's Helsinki on Broadway and of course BroadwayWorld was at both events. This summer the East Coast is getting treated to Linda Lavin and Billy Stritch as Linda has brought her show titled Starting Over and her swinging band to PTown, the Hudson Valley, and on September 16th to Guild Hall in East Hampton. At Helsinki on Broadway last night Linda was the star of the show, but the food at Helsinki Hudson definitely also gets top billing.

Birdland was the scene of a very special show last night as friends and family gathered for the Wedding Celebration of Ann Hampton Callaway and Kari Strand. Broadway at Birdland and Jim Caruso's Cast Party have seen many famous and talented people on that legendary stage but it will be hard to top last night's list of guests. Broadwayworld was there and here are some of the friends and relatives of Ann and Kari.

54 Below presented a special night with LUBA MASON - the Broadway star of Chicago, Jekyll & Hyde, The Capeman, among many others, last night and Broadwayworld was there. Fresh off the smash success of the Off-Broadway musical Pretty Flilthy - for which she was hailed as 'outstanding' by The New York Times, 'deliciously droll' by The Hollywood Reporter and 'straight up and affecting' by The New York Daily News - she will present an updated version of her concert Mixtura. Luba's trademarked blend of different musical currents, Mixtura is hybrid musical format consisting of various styles that can also be in any language. The 54 Below evening will include the work of diverse songwriters such as Van Morrison ('Moondance'), Cole Porter ('Love For Sale'), Kander & Ebb ('All That Jazz') and Lou Reed ('Pale Blue Eyes'), in addition to original songs from her Brazilian jazz album Krazy Love. Mixtura will also feature a special version of her breakout number 'Beautiful' by Michael Friedman from Pretty Filthy. You can watch the song 'In Performance' from The New York Times here. Previous incarnations of Mixtura were called 'powerful' by The Huffington Post and 'rapturous musical heaven' by Times Square Chronicles. The evening will feature musical director and arranger Felipe Fournier on vibes.

Last night, legendary vocalist MARILYN MAYE will brought her own style of jazz & show-biz to Iridium NYC, joined by the legendary BUCKY PIZZARELLI, for TWO NIGHTS ONLY, November 5th & 6th at 8:30 & 10:30pm. The reunion of these two 'Tonight Show' alumni is bound to be a musical party. Ms. Maye appeared on 'The Tonight Show' a record 76 times, more than any singer & Mr. Pizzarelli was an original member of 'The Tonight Show Band,' playing with Skitch Henderson.