In one of the finest musical examples of Birdland’s Jazz tradition and the thrill of Broadway, Alysha Umphress and Jeff Blumenkrantz performed the songs from their new album, “I’ve Been Played: Alysha Umphress Swings Jeff Blumenkrantz”, in a concert at the club last night. Jim Caruso’s series presented one of it’s Jazziest shows as Alysha, currently starring in the new Broadway revival of On The Town, and Tony nominated composer Blumenkrantz let loose with Jeff’s original songs, and the arrangements that he created specifically for Umphress. Having the great Broadway and Jazz musicians who played on the album also appear on the Birdland Stage made this an audiophiles dream come true. I’m sure the CD has great fidelity, but the thrill of hearing and seeing it live cannot be reproduced.