Makoto Ozone is one of the few pianists who moves credibly between Gershwin concertos with major orchestras and a hard-swinging jazz trio, and this Birdland stand is the trio side. The occasion is a memorial for bassist Kiyoshi Kitagawa, a fixture of the New York scene, which gives the set an emotional spine most club dates do not have. Yasushi Nakamura and Clarence Penn make up a rhythm section good enough to justify the trip on its own.
What to expect
Birdland's main room seats a couple hundred at tables facing a raised bandstand, with a full dinner service running before the downbeat. The trio plays two sets, working through Ozone's originals and standards associated with Kitagawa. Expect virtuoso piano playing that never turns into a showcase, and a room full of musicians who knew the honoree.
Good to know
- Birdland is on West 44th Street west of Eighth Avenue — the A/C/E to 42nd Street–Port Authority is a two-minute walk.
- There is a music charge plus a food or drink minimum, and the kitchen serves a full menu before and during sets.
- Reserve ahead: table assignment favors reservations and the room fills for a memorial program.
- The Birdland Theater downstairs is a separate room with its own bill, so confirm which space your ticket names.
- Sightlines from the side banquettes are worse than the price difference suggests; center tables are worth it.
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Common questions
Who was Kiyoshi Kitagawa?
A Japanese-born bassist and long-standing presence on the New York jazz scene; this program is a memorial to him.
Are the two sets different?
Club sets typically vary in repertoire and length, with the later one usually looser.
Is there a dress code?
No formal code, but Birdland's dinner-club setting means most of the room dresses up a little.
