The Kitano New York, Manhattan’s first and only Japanese-owned hotel, will showcase the city’s best jazz with the opening of a new supper club, JAZZ at KITANO. Located in a historic former Rockefeller Family townhouse adjacent to the hotel, JAZZ at KITANO builds upon The Kitano’s long history of presenting world class jazz performances. It features a full schedule of entertainment along with a menu of Contemporary American cuisine with a Pan Asian influence. JAZZ AT KITANO serves breakfast, lunch, dinner and cocktails daily, in addition to musical performances.
The Kitano New York is on Park Avenue at East 38th Street in the Grand Central area of Murray Hill. The Toshiko Akiyoshi Trio will perform May 4-5. Toshiko Akiyoshi is one of the most successful female instrumentalists of her generation and has received 14 Grammy nominations.
Already celebrated by jazz aficionados for nightly performances in the hotel’s mezzanine lounge, The Kitano New York joins an exclusive group of supper club venues offering live jazz around Manhattan. JAZZ at KITANO offers an elegant environment in which to fully appreciate the jazz experience. Warm mahogany walls, sumptuous banquettes, and contemporary art sets the tone for first class entertainment. Flooded with light by day from skylights set in a 30-foot ceiling, the room will become more intimate yet open by night. The stylish scene presents a distinctive contrast to the dark and often underground spaces for which many jazz venues are typically known. An inspired menu enhances guest enjoyment.
“We are thrilled to provide a venue with a dynamic dining experience and the sounds of world class jazz,” says General Manager Clement Carey. “We want JAZZ at KITANO to reenergize and reinvent the supper club scene in New York.”
Legendary artists who have entertained at the hotel will continue to perform at JAZZ at KITANO, including Fred Hirsch, Barry Harris, George Cables, Denny Zeitlin (pianists); Joe Locke (vibraphonist); Sonny Fortune (saxophonist) and Gene Bertoncini (guitarist). More contemporary artists include Aaron Diehl, Gerald Clayton and Jeb Patton. JAZZ at KITANO also plans to continue weekly jam sessions and showcase international artists.
JAZZ at KITANO’s weekly line-ups features:
· Monday: Jazz Jam will invite musicians and vocalists to join in all evening, backed by the three-piece house band.
· Tuesday: Young Pianist Series will feature a new up-and-coming artist each month.
· Wednesday and Thursday: Top jazz entertainers ($10 cover charge + $15 minimum)
· Friday and Saturday: World-class marquee jazz acts ($25 cover charge + $15 minimum)
· Sunday: Jazz Brunch
“While we will retain our intimacy, the new space will be more comfortable, all views completely unobstructed and the acoustics outstanding,” says Musical Director Gino Moratti. “We also proudly maintain our Steinway piano in concert condition to showcase the abilities and artistry of the best pianists in the jazz world.”
Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the elegant and enticing new menu is the perfect accompaniment to the fresh décor and sounds of the finest classic and contemporary jazz. One of the few restaurants to offer traditional Japanese as well as American-style breakfast offerings, the menu also consists of modern lunch and dinner items, including sushi in the evening. A seasonal sidewalk café, located on East 38th Street near Park Avenue, will also operate, weather permitting.
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The Kitano New York opened its doors in 1973 as New York’s first Japanese hotel. Thirty-nine years later it remains the first and only Japanese-owned hotel and has become an integral part of one of Manhattan’s historic neighborhoods, Murray Hill. Located four blocks south of Grand Central Station on fashionable Park Avenue at 38th Street, the 18-story hotel towers over some of New York City’s most magnificent turn-of-the-century dwellings, offering spectacular views of city landmarks. The hotel features 149 guestrooms, including 17 contemporary suites and a one-of-a-kind Japanese Tatami Suite. The Kitano New York is home to the critically acclaimed Michelin-rated Hakubai restaurant where traditional Kaiseki delicacies are served. The Kitano New York is also home to live jazz music featuring performances by legendary musicians who descend upon the hotel’s bar lounge nightly to perform classic and contemporary jazz music. The Kitano New York is a member of Summit Hotels & Resorts, a consortium of deluxe hotels worldwide. For more information, contact The Kitano New York at 212-885-7000, 1-800-548-2666 or log onto www.kitano.com <http://www.kitano.com/> .
