Musical Entertainment
Eyal Vilner
Eyal Vilner is one of the leading voices in the New York and global big band swing scene. Born in Tel Aviv, saxophonist, clarinetist, flutist, composer and bandleader, Eyal moved to NYC in 2007 and started his big band the following year. The Eyal Vilner Big Band has been performing widely in NYC’s landmarks such as Lincoln Center, the Guggenheim, Birdland, Dizzy’s Club, Smalls, The Joyce Theater, Minton’s Playhouse, Harlem Jazzmobile and Central Park SummerStage.
Internationally, Eyal has performed at the Red Sea Jazz Festival, Tel Aviv Museum, Jerusalem Theater; Ghent Festival, Belgium; Teatro Alameda, Spain; Théâtre Plaza, Montreal, as well as the historical La Bellevilloise, Le Duc des Lombards, and Caveau de la Huchette in Paris, to name a few.
Eyal’s interest in the exchange between sound and movement within the jazz idiom inspired his musical journey and yielded collaborations with acclaimed dancers and choreographers. Among these projects are theater productions, dance festivals and competitions such as the International Lindy Hop Championships, The Xperience, Midsummer Night’s Swing, and the celebrated SW!NG OUT show at the Joyce Theater (co-creator and musical director). This show, which the New York Times has called “Groundbreaking,” has toured throughout the US, in venues such as the Jacob’s Pillow and the LA Music Center.
The big band performs Eyal’s original compositions as well as his new arrangements of jazz classics. Their music, which derives from the tradition of jazz, swing and the blues, strives to bring a unique voice to this beautiful art form. Their first seven albums: Introducing the Eyal Vilner Big Band, Almost Sunrise, Hanukkah, Swing Out!, Live in Washington Square Park!, The Jam!, and Swingin’ Uptown, received rave reviews and made it to the Top Jazz Radio Charts of the US and Canada. Their new album Big Apple Stomp will be released in Spring of 2026.
