Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks
Birdland315 West 44th Street, New York 10036
Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks bring their 11-piece New York ensemble to Birdland for an evening of period-minded jazz. Led by Giordano, the group recreates the sounds of the 1920s and beyond, drawing on vintage hot jazz, swing-era jazz and popular music. Giordano also sings and plays multiple instruments, placing the band’s tightly arranged, close-set ensemble sound at the heart of the performance.
Giordano is a New York native, and the Nighthawks have built their reputation on painstakingly authentic early-jazz performance. Their work reaches well beyond the bandstand: they have contributed to The Cotton Club, The Aviator, Boardwalk Empire and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Giordano and an augmented version of the Nighthawks also appear on-screen and on the soundtrack for Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon. A New York Times assessment called the music “an erupting sense of euphoria”; NiteLife Exchange dubbed the group “the best party in town.” Writing in Stage and Cinema, a reviewer said the band’s close-set playing evoked “a 1920s jazz ensemble.”
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.