Who’s Live Today?

Stacey Kent

Birdland315 West 44th Street, New York 10036

Stacey Kent is billed for a late Birdland set in Manhattan, with no additional performers listed. Expect the focus to be on Kent’s song interpretations and her multilingual repertoire, which ranges from standards to original material. The 75-minute appearance offers a compact late-night program from a singer whose work is built around phrasing, close attention to lyrics, and emotional detail.

An American jazz singer, Kent has earned a Grammy nomination and sold more than two million albums, alongside Platinum, Double-Gold and Gold releases. Her repertoire includes songs written by her husband, saxophonist, producer, composer and arranger Jim Tomlinson, with Nobel Prize-winning author Kazuo Ishiguro, a collaborator since 2006. She has also recorded with Brazilian musicians Marcos Valle, Roberto Menescal and Danilo Caymmi, as well as the French string quartet Quatuor Ébène. Her 2023 studio album Summer Me, Winter Me collects requests from concert material she had not previously recorded and reached number one on the French jazz charts.

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.

Everything on in New York tonight