The Ivory Tickler Pianist from Sarasota, FL

Temporarily located in Sarasota, Florida, but will travel as far as Jacksonville or Palm Beach. Also widely available and negotiable for retirement communities were I am highly regarded in Virginia and Maryland. Anything Piano. I am primarily known for ragtime, but have a good classical repertoire, well versed in many facets of jazz and have worked as a jazz pianist and bassist, ensemble work with big bands, keys for cover bands, pop and rock piano as both soloist and ensemble member, and a versatile wedding ceremony/reception pianist with broad references. Anything from Bach to Billie Eilish and in between. I particularly enjoy entertaining for parties, given that I can just blend into the background with a focused set, or respond immediately to a call for requests. The feedback from these types of events is often energizing, and keeps me challenged in a good way. Among the unique shows I offer are silent film evenings with live-accompanied comedy shorts and/or features from the 1910s and 1920s. These are good fundraisers, are family friendly, and work equally well for groups of teens as they do seniors. Well versed in jazz piano ranging from 1920s traditional jazz groups to the works of Brubeck, Corea, Winston, Evans, Shearing, and others. Also have an upright and can double as a bassist with ensembles. As a ragtime and jazz historian, I bring a storied perspective to the work that can be both authentic and enhanced with modern sensibility. Worked for years at venues that required entertainment for drinking, ranging from Durango, CO to Alexandria, VA, which required frequent performance of standard pop songs from the 1910s to 1990s, television themes, party songs, etc. More than just passable as a singing leader to get the crowd going. Classical works include many by Beethoven, Brahms, and particularly Chopin, as well as some 20th century classics like Ferdé Grofé, George Gershwin, Zez Confrey, and other crossover composers. A wide variety suited for Christian, Jewish, or generic weddings. Themed weddings can also be done, ranging from Baroque to Disney, Star Wars or Pixar. I have ready access to some other instrumentalists, plus classical guitarists, flautists and violinists. Custom wedding music also composed upon request, and MIDI orchestral arrangements for a broader sound can be quickly assembled. Specialty is in ragtime, where I am regarded as one of the top performers in that field. Happy and joyous music mixed with good blues tunes and comic songs provide something both old and new for audiences, and a great deal of new music has also been adapted into that format from a surprising range of selections. Other skills include professional piano technician, so if there is any question about the instrument, tuning and/or repair can be affected with advance notice. Also have keys and a high-powered sound system for gigs both indoors and out. Musical samples readily available, and 42 CDs have already been released over the past 30 years. Regular attendee of jazz and ragtime festivals around the United States, and co-director of a couple of them. I was also one of a handful of pianists who were the subject of a documentary released in 2012 titled The Entertainers, available on Amazon Prime.