The Piano guy at the bar

Big_Chan

So I went and met my hommie Dave at a fairly high brow spot for drinks and food tonight. Daniel's Broiler on Lake Union here in Seattle. We're sitting at the bar having some drinks and dude in the corner that is singing and playing the piano starts playing Bobby Caldwell's "What You Won't Do For Love." Oh snap! So I go over and put a nice tip in the bowl on the piano and tell him thank you, nice song. Then he plays Hall and Oates "Sarah Smile." Dope. Then dude takes a break and he walks by the bar and we talk for a minute. Turns out he went to my high school and studied piano at my university. We start talking about all kinds of cool music. Dude's name is Martin Ross and he says "I'll play some stuff for you in a minute. Dude gets back on the piano playing and singing and does EWF "That's The Way Of The World." I'm a little loaded and singing along and shit. Then he really gets silly! He then does Boz Scaggs "Lowdown" followed by Sly's "If You Want Me To Stay" and then Stevie???s ???Ribbon In The Sky??? and ???Higher Ground!??? I???m buggin??? out. Clapping hella loud after each song and singing along. My hommie Dave and I are the only people in the crowded bar that are even feelin??? it. Dude was killin??? it! Regular people in a bar are mad wack. Have you ever been in a bar or restaurant and the piano player just started killin??? it?

verb606

The only pianos I've been near have been in places where dude is more background music and playing jazz instrumentals. I've heard versions of my favorites, but nothing that approached this.

Did he do "That's the Way of the World" with the whole falsetto and everything?

And what about "Lowdown?" Was it like a swingin' jazz version?

white_tea

Have you ever been in a bar or restaurant and the piano player just started killin??? it?

No, never, not even close.

Cool story though.

grandpa_shig

when i was a young shig working at my dads drugstore, omar shariff used to come in to buy "asswipes". he was the piano dude at the local card club in old town clovis. perhaps some of you may know him as david alexander.

HarveyCanal

Have you ever been in a bar or restaurant and the piano player just started killin??? it?

Many times in New Orleans...where there are mad random dudes with skills up the yazoo.

high_c

I thought this was gonna be about those dueling piano frat bars where they tell you up front "no jazz requests" before going into renditions "Baby got Back" and the Texas A&M fight song.



But there is a bar in town I frequent that features a jazz trio. They do a mean "Song for My Father" and last visit I got them to play "Ain't no Sunshine." I felt bad about the "Song for my father" request night because the drummer is about 90 yrs old and he was really having to work to keep up. But as I left, after many beers and a couple Jamesons I slipped dudes a 20 into the tip jar.



I woke up the next day with a headache wondering where all my cash went.

therecordpeddler

Regular people in a bar are mad wack.

not surprising considering where you were at. good steak tho.

Young_Phonics

when i was a young shig working at my dads drugstore, omar shariff used to come in to buy "asswipes".

The only place I go where they have piano players is Nordstroms.

Chan:

U get tickets for the next run of Stevie Shows?

pickwick33

when i was a young shig working at my dads drugstore, omar shariff used to come in to buy "asswipes". he was the piano dude at the local card club in old town clovis. perhaps some of you may know him as david alexander.

Yeah, he was known as David Alexander before he changed his name to Omar Shariff. I remember one early-'80s issue of Living Blues magazine where he wrote in suggesting that he had a hard time getting bookings in local bars because of his conversion to the Muslim faith. Supposedly his songs are really controversial - I'm looking forward to hearing him when he plays the Chicago Blues Festival next month.

grandpa_shig

really. in hindsight it was shocking that he got any gigs in clovis. the bar where he played at when i knew him was right across the street from the rodeo grounds and when the rodeo was actually in town, the 500 club (where he played) was super duper redneckky.

djdaze

According to Shock G, in one of the interviews he gave announcing his depature from studio recording he said playing piano in a bar is soemthing he might be doing in the future. I'd love to wander into that place randomly.

stop_33

rad story... sounds hella fun...

pickwick33

really. in hindsight it was shocking that he got any gigs in clovis. the bar where he played at when i knew him was right across the street from the rodeo grounds and when the rodeo was actually in town, the 500 club (where he played) was super duper redneckky.

Is he based in Clovis, Texas now? From perusing older issues of Living Blues, I understand he was a fixture in the Oakland-Frisco area for years.

grandpa_shig

hey, i just replied to this but it didnt show up.

grandpa_shig

hmm, ok, well i am talking about clovis, ca. theres a clovis, tx? thats awesome! i know theres a clovis, nm.

ChequeDaEdit

Cool story

pickwick33

hmm, ok, well i am talking about clovis, ca. theres a clovis, tx? thats awesome! i know theres a clovis, nm.

my fault. i associate clovis with texas-based buddy holly & the crickets, who recorded there. so i got my stories confused for a while. there likely isnt a clovis, TX...

leisurebandit

yeah i mean no- i've heard plenty of good bar/restaurant piano players, but none playing that kind of repertoire. sounds hella fresh!

Big_Chan

Chan:

U get tickets for the next run of Stevie Shows?

You know this!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm going to see Stevie on July 11th at the White River Amphitheatre near Seattle. I got the hook up.

willie_fugal

Have you ever been in a bar or restaurant and the piano player just started killin??? it?

Many times in New Orleans...where there are mad random dudes with skills up the yazoo.

Young_Phonics

Chan:

U get tickets for the next run of Stevie Shows?

You know this!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm going to see Stevie on July 11th at the White River Amphitheatre near Seattle. I got the hook up.

Good for you man, I know you'll definitely enjoy it. I tried to get tickets the second they went on sale (the good 130 up-close ones) and they sold out. Honestly, after seeing the show last year I HAVE TO GE CLOSER THIS TIME, might have to pay through nose via a scalper, ebay, or craigslist but i'm down.

elise

Have you ever been in a bar or restaurant and the piano player just started killin??? it?

oh yeah, we have some of those here. Dude's wearing Harry Caray Glasses and all...



Mostly jazz, which I've been feeling. Again, I guess it would matter on what bar the guy (or woman) is playing at.