Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks
Birdland315 West 44th Street, New York 10036
Vince Giordano brings the Nighthawks to Birdland Theater for an evening in the bandleader’s ongoing residency. Giordano leads the 11-piece ensemble through its recreation of authentic jazz sounds from the 1920s and beyond: a period-minded orchestra set built around the arrangements and drive of early hot jazz. The event is presented as a full Nighthawks performance, with no guests or additional performers announced.
A New York native, Giordano is a Grammy Award winner and multi-instrumentalist; his own description calls him a bass instrumentalist specializing in jazz of the 1920s and 30s. The New York City-based Nighthawks have become known for preserving that repertoire onstage and for supplying period music to screen productions including The Cotton Club, The Aviator, Finding Forrester, Revolutionary Road, Café Society, Boardwalk Empire, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Succession. Lincoln Center calls them “one of the world’s best known and most authentic champions of hot jazz music.” A New York Times assessment hears “an erupting sense of euphoria,” while Stage and Cinema points to the ensemble’s “1920s jazz ensemble set-up.”
Birdland offers a refined jazz experience in a room where the audience sits at tables close to the stage, allowing every note to reach you clearly. The venue features a full menu with dishes like New Orleans-style gumbo alongside a well-stocked bar, making it easy to enjoy a meal or drinks while listening. Each show is ticketed per set, encouraging focused listening as the music unfolds in roughly 45-minute segments. The club’s walls echo decades of jazz history, having hosted legends and continuing to attract top contemporary artists. Located in Manhattan’s Theater District, the space balances a serious music environment with the energy of a night out, where attentive audiences savor the performances without distraction. Booking ahead is essential, as the club fills quickly for its celebrated lineup.