Birdland Big Band feat. Emma Smith

Birdland Big Band brings its fifteen-piece ensemble to Birdland with London-based vocalist Emma Smith as special guest, under the direction of saxophonist David DeJesus. The group’s program draws on its original mix of jazz, funk, Brazilian, Latin and world music, leaving room for the band’s tightly arranged writing, individual solos and Smith’s featured vocals. It is a club-band performance in the room that has been central to the ensemble’s long-running New York residency.

Now in its 21st year as a Birdland resident, the New York ensemble is known for weekly appearances and two annual headlining weeks, as well as guests drawn from the David Letterman and Saturday Night Live bands and tours with Rob Thomas and Rod Stewart. Time Out New York called it “a completely unique experience... there isn’t another band like this anywhere,” while All About Jazz found “its own brand of magic” in the group’s range and soloists. Smith is an award-winning London-based jazz vocalist, composer and radio presenter who has collaborated with Michael Bublé, the Quincy Jones Orchestra and Jeff Goldblum. Birdland describes her as a “powerful, expressive artist.”