The Tony nominee is returning to Birdland later this month, joined by a jazz ensemble led by Andy Ezrin.
Melissa Errico is readying to revitalize classic songs during her upcoming Valentine’s engagement at Birdland.
The Tony nominee, whose soaring soprano has graced such Broadway productions as Amour and Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, will play the intimate jazz club February 14–16 at 7 PM and 9:30 PM each night.
Errico’s newest show is titled I Can Dream, Can’t I?, and she will be joined by a jazz ensemble that includes Andy Ezrin on piano, David Finck on bass, and Eric Halvorson on drums.
As she was preparing for her return to Birdland, the Broadway and concert artist chatted briefly with Playbill about her upcoming New York shows.
You’re paired this year with a new pianist, the jazz player Andy Ezrin. How did that relationship come about?
Melissa Errico: A long, long time ago, before we were parents—back in the ice ages, when there was no streaming, no social media, and no Spotify—I met Andy Ezrin. We were from two worlds: me from Broadway and high soprano singing, him from jazz and sultry strange-chord stylings. We discovered that there was a delicious cocktail made in mixing ourselves together. Eventually the sound became the foundation for my philosophically funky Sondheim Sublime album. Off he went, on tour with Chris Botti and as MD to Madeleine Peyroux and then re-emerged last year to arrange my songs when I was opening for George Benson at The Montreal Jazz Festival. He gave the Benson band some funky music I could float through. Now we’re floating higher than ever. I’m more jazz adjacent and swinging than ever before; he’s more cabaret-nightclub sexy than ever before. It’s beautiful, original music.
Last year you gave Birdland a program of Sondheim Manhattan songs for Valentine’s, and the year before it was all noir-inspired music. What can audiences expect this year?
I’ve gotten kind of well-known for my thematic concerts at Birdland, but this year the only theme for Valentine’s is love: its faces, its fun, its frustrations, its fulfillment. Andy and I chose sensitive and loving songs, and all I’ll do is sing them. No theme to offer. No role to play. No history to unwind. Just our look at love—invitations, celebrations, fallings in, fallings out, resentments, broken hearts. And taking care of yourself so you’re worth loving. (Well, I’ll say that. I can’t help speaking some!)