There are few places as iconic in New York City for a night of jazz than the Birdland Jazz Club on 44th Street. It is not by accident that it is called the Jazz Corner of the World and it is a great place to catch the vibes of the jazz scene along with some dinner. Here’s a Birdland Jazz Club review for those who are considering paying a visit.
History of Birdland Jazz Club
The Birdland Jazz Club is a venue where you can catch famous singers and musicians playing as part of a residency for a couple of days or weeks. Don’t be surprised if you find your favorite artiste playing at Birdland while you are in New York City. It is a popular performance venue because both its acoustics as well as its long and illustrious history.
The original Birdland opened in December 15th, 1949 in the basement of 1678 Broadway, just a block west of 52nd Street, which was a hotbed of jazz in the 1930s and 1940s.
It was inspired and named after saxophonist Charlie “Bird” Parker who was also the headliner when the club first opened.
Over the next 15 years, Birdland thrived with many jazz legends becoming regulars at the club. Count Basie and his orchestra called Birdland their New York City headquarters while John Coltrane’s classic quartet would play regularly at Birdland, recording “Live at Birdland” in 1964.
Other prominent jazz musicians who made their way onto the stage at Birdland included Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis, Lester Young and Stan Gatz.
Celebrities like Gary Cooper, Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra, Marlene Dietrich and Sammy Davis Jr were also regulars at Birdland.
Unfortunately, the original Birdland closed down in 1986 but reopened uptown at 2745 Broadway on the corner of 105th Street in the Upper West Side neighborhood of Manhattan.
Birdland was in the Upper West Side for 10 years till 1996 when it moved to its current location.
Birdland is now located in Midtown at West 44th Street, just to the west of 8th Avenue. Famous artists who have played memorable sets at the midtown Manhattan location include Oscar Peterson, Pat Metheny, Diana Krall, Roy Haynes, Michel Legrand, Dave Brubeck, Freddie Hubbard, Joe Lovano, McCoy Tyner, Michael Brecker, Ron Carter, James Moody, John Scofield, Dave Holland and the list goes on and on. The walls of the establishment are filled with pictures of the who’s who in the jazz world.
In 2006, the Birdland Big Band was formed.
A Night Out at Birdland Jazz Club
We had the opportunity to attend a set at Birdland Jazz Club on 44th Street.
It was convenient to find as it was just a short walk away from the hustle and bustle of Times Square.
Booking Tickets to Shows at Birdland
To watch a show at Birdland, it is best to book tickets online in advance first. You can go to the Birdland website to find out who is on the calendar on the date that you wish to pay a visit.
There are multiple show times each evening. These start as early as 5.30 pm with the doors opening at 4.30 pm. The later shows can start from 7 pm, 8.30 pm, 9.30 pm and even 10.30 pm. It all depends on what shows are lined up for the evening.
If there is a particular artist that you want to watch, we suggest purchasing your tickets early in advance to avoid disappointment.
We attended a performance by the resident Birdland Big Band, led by saxophonist David DeJesus.
Generally speaking the Birdland Big Band plays on Fridays at 5.30 pm.
After paying online, the e-tickets were sent to our email box.
Arriving at Birdland Jazz Club
On the day of the performance, we arrived early at Birdland Jazz Club. It is advisable to arrive early so that they can seat you as close to the stage as possible.
When we arrived at the door, we were about to start fumbling around for the etickets but the greeter was very friendly and just asked for our name and quickly found our reservation.
Making our way into the club, the lighting was rather dim but we were led to our table on the tiered dining area at the Birdland Jazz Club area on the ground floor. The raised seating area allows everyone to have a good view of the stage.
If you can’t get table seating, there is also a bar close to the entrance.
There is a second venue known as Birdland Theatre on the lower level. This is a more intimate venue with a classic bar.
Take note that there is an age restriction at Birdland – only those who are ages 10 and above are allowed entry. This is probably for the good of the other patrons as younger children may disrupt the performance.
Dinner at Birdland
There is a $20 food or drink minimum spend per person per set. This is on top of the admission ticket charges. An 18% gratuity is automatically added to parties of eight or more.
Since we were planning to have dinner at Birdland, this was not an issue.
The menu had a range of starters, salads and sandwiches as well as a selection of main courses. There is a drinks menu too.
The choice of starters included BBQ Chicken Wings glazed in a hot, smokey sauce ($16), Guacomole served with plantain chips ($19), Fried Calamari with sweet Thai chilli sauce ($16), Herbed Parmesan Meatballs with fresh ricotta and parmesan crostini ($17) and more.
We ordered the Spinach & Artichoke Dip which came served with pita chips ($14).
Choice of salads included Roast Beet Salad ($20), Classic Caesar Salad ($15) and Warm Goat Cheese and Spinach Salad ($21).
For those who have a craving for a sandwich, amongst the options were a Birdland Burger which comes dressed with lettuce, tomato and red onion ($20) and Birdland Sliders ($16).
The main courses available at Birdland include Rigotoni and Meatballs ($22), Southern Fried Chicken ($27), 12 oz New York Strip Steak ($35) and more.
We had the Southern Style Macaroni and Cheese ($20).
In addition, we also ordered the Cajun Jambalaya with chicken, crawfish, andouille sausage, bacon and cajun rice ($29).
We also had the New Orleans Style Seafood Gumbo with fresh seafood simmered in a rich spicy stew with vegetables and cajun rice ($32).
On hindsight, perhaps the two dishes were too similar. They both were too heavily salty for our taste and both had a mix of seafood and other ingredients with cajun rice.
Also on the menu are 13″ thin crust pizza. A Margherita costs $15 and you can add on toppings like pepperoni, meatballs and mushrooms at $3 each.
There was a dessert menu that was presented to us in the middle of performance but we were too full to order to dessert.
Watching a Jazz Music Set at Birdland
However, we were not at the Birdland Jazz Club for the food. Instead, we were there to listen to some jazz.
Take note that there is a quiet policy at Birdland – to give due attention and respect to the performers on stage
The Birdland Big Band came on as we finished our meal and we could devote our attention to the music being played on stage.
The music did not disappoint. The big band launched into a blazing first set, setting the mood for the hour to come.
The set allowed different players to showcase their musicianship.
The music allowed the spotlight to on different soloists throughout the set.
Even the rhythm section had a chance to shine.
We loved David DeJesus’ banter with the audience when he wasn’t playing his alto. It was engaging and was a good way for the audience to get to know the various members of the band.
Gift Shop
For those who wish to purchase a souvenir to take home from Birdland, there is a gift shop (more like a gift counter) just beside the front door.
Gifts available include include books, CDs, t-shirts and hats.
Overall Thoughts about Birdland Jazz Club
Birdland is a great place to get a vibe of the New York jazz scene. It makes a great date spot too. You can get a dinner together with a show and you may get a chance to see some renowned artists in person too.
The stage is very close to the audience so you will be able to get a good view of what’s going on. The sound is great. This is not surprising since it is built as a music venue.
We enjoyed our experience at Birdland and we hope that you do too!
Birdland Jazz Club
Where: 315 West 44th St, between 8th and 9th Avenue.
Closest Subway: The closest subway station is 42nd St, Port Authority
Website: Birdland Jazz Club
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