Club44 Records has announced the release of Jim Caruso’s The Swing Set: Deluxe Edition – the urbane baritone’s smart and sophisticated romp through the Great American Songbook – in streaming and digital formats today, Friday, May 16. The album’s lead single “Avalon,” Caruso’s swinging version of the classic standard, featuring the vocal talents of Caruso’s labelmates Jane Monheit and Billy Stritch, hit #3 on the Spotify “Jazz Vocal” chart when it was released last month. The remastered Deluxe Edition also features Caruso’s newly recorded version of the hilarious breakup song “One More Minute,” Weird Al Yankovic’s longtime crowd favorite. To stream or download The Swing Set: Deluxe Edition, please visit: c44.lnk.to/SwingSetDeluxe
On The Swing Set, Caruso brings a warm intimacy and playful exuberance to standards like “If I Only Had a Brain,” “Manhattan,” and “Pick Yourself Up.” There are surprises galore, such as Martin Mull’s “Flexible,” “The Doodlin’ Song” by Cy Coleman and Carolyn Leigh, and Kay Thompson’s swinging “I Love a Violin.” Caruso is joined by special musical guests Michael Feinstein, the late guitar legend Bucky Pizzarelli, violin sensation Aaron Weinstein, pianist and singer Billy Stritch, jazz vocal phenom Jane Monheit, and Tony Award-winning Broadway leading lady Stephanie J. Block.
To celebrate the album, Jim Caruso’s “Cast Party” – his popular open mic night – will be performed at Catalina Jazz Club in Los Angeles, CA on Wednesday, May 28; The McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert, CA on Thursday, May 29; with upcoming stops at London’s Crazy Coqs in September and Las Vegas’s The Smith Center in October. “Cast Party” also continues its 20+ year run at New York’s legendary Birdland Jazz Club every Monday night. In addition, Caruso performs every Sunday with Billy Stritch at Bemelmans Bar at The Carlyle Hotel.
JIM CARUSO most recently performed the role of Theodore Whitman in Follies in Concert at Carnegie Hall. He is the host of “Jim Caruso’s Cast Party,” the wildly popular weekly open mic night that has brought a sprinkling of Broadway glitz and sparkling wit to Birdland in New York City every Monday night since 2003. The Mayor of the City of New York recently proclaimed, “Whereas, I am enormously proud to lead a city renowned as a global capital of the arts, ‘Jim Caruso’s Cast Party’ has enriched our dynamic cultural landscape since 2003, and on the occasion of its 20th anniversary, I am pleased to recognize the weekly show's tremendous contributions to our performing arts and nightlife sectors.” “Cast Party” has been seen at Jazz at Lincoln Center, across the country, and, most recently, on YouTube as “Pajama Cast Party.”
Jim made his Broadway debut alongside Liza Minnelli in the Tony Award-winning Liza’s at the Palace!, singing, dancing and celebrating the music and arrangements of Kay Thompson and the Williams Brothers. He has won six MAC Awards and eight BroadwayWorld Awards for his work in nightclubs, performed with the New York Pops in a tribute to Kander & Ebb, with Rosemary Clooney celebrating Bing Crosby, and sang the songs of Hope & Crosby with Michael Feinstein at Carnegie Hall. Jim was honored to sing with Barbara Cook, Lauren Bacall, and a bevy of Broadway stars at President Clinton’s First State Dinner at the White House. He also books and produces the “Broadway at Birdland” concert series. Jim’s debut album, Caruso Live and In Person, is also available.
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