Matt Wilson’s Christmas Tree-O
Dizzy's Club102 Columbus Circle, New York 10107
Matt Wilson’s Christmas Tree-O returns to Dizzy’s Club for its annual holiday visit, with Wilson on drums, Jeff Lederer on reeds, and Paul Sikivie on bass. This is a trio built around seasonal material: festive favorites are given serious swing, room for improvisation, and playful turns. The evening is billed as a joyful, high-spirited celebration, with music and laughter at the heart of a performance that has become a regular December tradition at the club.
The New York-based holiday jazz trio began with a first concert in Brooklyn and has made a specialty of reshaping familiar holiday songs. Its arrangements move from swinging standards to more adventurous treatments, using recognizable tunes as, in the Chicago Reader’s phrase, “a launchpad for what a good jazz band does best: improvise.” The New York Times heard a “mischievous but sentimental air” in the group’s holiday music. Over the years, Christmas Tree-O has welcomed guests including Bill Frisell, Jason Moran, Joe Lovano, Kurt Elling, Aaron Diehl, Christian McBride, Esperanza Spalding, and Cécile McLorin Salvant; its annual New York holiday engagements have become a local tradition.
Dizzy's Club offers a refined jazz experience with a seating capacity of about 140, where guests enjoy live performances from world-class musicians in a room that frames sweeping views of Central Park and the Manhattan skyline. The venue features a full bar and a seasonal menu with sophisticated soul food, enhancing the evening beyond just the music. Shows are ticketed and typically run two sets per night, with late-night sessions available without reservation. The seating is generally first-come, first-served, encouraging early arrival for the best vantage points. The club’s location within Jazz at Lincoln Center places it in a lively cultural hub, making it ideal for a night that blends attentive listening with the pleasure of fine dining and cityscape views.