The Hot Stars for Cold Nights series will kick off Jan. 24 and 31, 2005, with "Amanda Green & Tom Kitt & Friends," featuring both old and new songs from the songwriting duo. Those scheduled to sing the works of Green and Kitt include Gavin Creel, Alice Ripley, Matt McGrath, Amy Spanger, Jenn Collela, Julia Murney, Greg Naughton, Jerry Dixon and Jonathan Dokuchitz. The evenings will also include tunes from the upcoming musical High Fidelity, which will be produced in spring 2005. Show time is 7 PM.

Belter Julia Murney will perform in concert at Birdland Feb. 7 at 7 PM. Murney, who has appeared onstage in The Wild Party, First Lady Suite, A Class Act and Time and Again, has also been seen in the benefit concerts of Funny Girl, Chess and, most recently, Hair. Tom Kitt is Murney's musical director.

Stephanie J. Block, who will lead the upcoming tour of Wicked as Elphaba, returns to Birdland Feb. 14 for a Valentine's show at 7 PM. The concert will include tunes from Wicked, a duet with musical director Billy Stritch and a tribute to Peter Allen. Block made her Broadway debut as Liza Minnelli in the Allen bio, The Boy From Oz.

At 9 PM on Feb. 14, Tony Award winner Christine Ebersole and her 42nd Street co-star, Billy Stritch, will offer an encore performance of "In Your Dreams." That show, recently released on CD on the Ghostlight label, features such tunes as "Fine and Dandy," "Surrey with the Fringe On Top," "My Ship," "You're Getting to Be a Habit with Me" and "There's a Boat That's Leavin' Soon for New York."

Jazz singer Peter Eldrige is set to play Birdland Feb. 21, and March will see concerts by Marcy Heisler and Zina Goldrich ("The Marcy & Zina Show," March 7), Natalie Douglas (March 21) and Dance of the Vampires' Max von Essen (March 28). Birdland is located in Manhattan at 315 West 44th Street. Call (212) 581 3030. There is a $10 food/drink minimum for all shows; covers range from $18-$30.