The Piano guy at the bar
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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?
Comments
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?
No, never, not even close.
Cool story though.
Many times in New Orleans...where there are mad random dudes with skills up the yazoo.
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.
not surprising considering where you were at. good steak tho.
The only place I go where they have piano players is Nordstroms.
Chan:
U get tickets for the next run of Stevie Shows?
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.
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.
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...
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.
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.