Richard Cortez
Arthur's Tavern57 Grove Street, New York 10014
Richard Cortez brings his classic-song repertoire to Arthur’s Tavern for a late-night set. The New York City vocalist is billed on his own, with no accompanying musicians or particular formation named for this date. Arthur’s Tavern highlights his readings of material associated with Cole Porter, Billie Holiday, Jerome Kern, and other songwriters: songs shaped by sweetness, self-assuredness, vulnerability, and carefully placed wit.
Cortez is a New York City jazz vocalist whose work centers on the Great American Songbook. He has developed his craft through weekly residencies at Club Cumming, Metropolitan Bar, and Rebar, while building a following across the city. His recent appearances include Live at Emmet’s Place with the Emmet Cohen Trio and Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Jazz at Pride with drummer and bandleader Bryan Carter. He has also shared the bandstand with Sullivan Fortner, Grant Stewart, Joe Farnsworth, Jerry Weldon, Nicole Glover, Russell Hall, and Emmet Cohen. Arthur’s Tavern describes his performances as having “disarming vulnerability with a well-timed wit.”
Arthur's Tavern is a basement club in the West Village where jazz, Latin, and blues are played with deep roots and modern energy. The stage is small, the room intimate, and the audience sits close to the musicians, often with a few people standing near the back. Shows start around 5 PM and go late, with some sets extending into the early hours. The club has a history of hosting top-tier performers since 2001, including regular appearances by Yuichi Hirakawa Jazz Group. It's a place where music is the center, and conversation flows naturally between the audience and the performers.