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Nordstrom's Department Store, Gardens Mall, Palm Beach Gardens, FL
(ground floor, next to the escalator)

I kid you not

In the far East Bay of the San Francisco area I play piano at Scottie's restaurant every Friday and Saturday from 6:30-8:30. It's transitioning from its old name of Shutters Brasserie, so go to www.shuttersbrasserie.com for more info.

Grand Rapids, Michigan:

Rock Fire Grille has solo piano and dueling on occasion
www.rockfiregrille.com
Mangiamos! Features solo jazz piano
www.thegilmorecollection.com/mangiamoletseat.html

Public libraries are an excellent place to hear piano concerts. I've done a few there myself.

Many, many libraries have a music room or 'community' room where quite often, there is a piano.

There's a really nice Steinway at the Pacific Beach library here in sunny San Diego.

Right up my alley, eweiss—books AND music.

I love that so many of the venues listed here are so unusual.

Glad to hear that! I thought they were getting rid of all of their pianists.

NORDSTROM PIANISTS

Wolfsburg, Germany: The Ritz Carlton at the VW Autostadt. Sunday Brunch. Beautiful Schimmel Grand.

Note: This is a 5 star hotel catering to people picking up their new cars directly from the VW plant. It's a spectacular hotel. I saw two grands in the hotel, but as far as I could tell, only one is being used, and only ONCE a week. The hotel seems to be doing well---it was full on a Monday night in February. Seems a shame to have those gorgeous pianos there with no one playing them.

I remember going to Nordstrom when I visited LA 7 years ago - I knew it was a high-scale department store, but large piano beside the elevator kind of department store? I wish we had those in Canada.

Most 5 star hotels and up scale restaurants in Asia have a piano or piano bar. In Cebu, Philippines I have been to many hotels with a piano in the lobby and for the price of a drink or a cup of coffee you can spend the evening. Here in Thailand most decent hotels have live entertainment and most of it is piano with or without a singer.

The Deer Head Inn in Delaware Water Gap, PA has great jazz piano and combos nearly every Friday and Saturday. You have to check their schedule to see who's playing what, but some fine folks have played there. Usually only a $5 cover.

Sarasota Florida Piano Bars ...

New York New York
1934 Hillview Street
Sarasota, FL 34239

First Street Chophouse
1296 First Street, Sarasota.
http://firststreetchophouse.com/default.aspx


2 Marina Plaza
Sarasota, FL 34236
941-365-4232
http://www.marinajacks.com

And in Fort Collins, Colorado ...

The Times Square Dueling Piano Bar & Grill
2631 College Ave
970-282-PIANO

This is a great thread and a great list!

Has anyone been to the pianobar in Lutz FL?

Benedetto's.

Hop

What about cruise ship piano players?

On the Grand Princess, a couple of years ago, I heard a young man from the Phillipines who played fairly well and sang very well (reminded me of Johnny Mathis). Arny G (aloyo) sings crooner-type ballads and accompanies himself on the piano. Lots of fun.

He's currently on an Alaskan run (I think on the Sapphire, a Princess ship). Sadly, that's too cold for me.

I'm looking for other cruise venues where really good lounge piano players are billed. I'm more interested in finding a a really good player than a singer/player.

Hop

Here's one pretty far out of the way. If you go to Grand Cayman Islands in the Caribbean stay at the Westin. They have a very nice big open lobby area (I didn't even need to buy a drink, totally free) and they had a pianist (actually a different guy each night) a few nights in a row there. It was classical and really nice. This was on my honeymoon 10 years ago but I always remember it, and hopefully they still do it.

Any suggestions for Boston area?

In Toronto (and surrounding area)

The Rex Jazz and Blues Club
The Homesmith Bar at the Old Mill Inn
The Reservoir Lounge
The Trane Studio
Azure Lounge in the Hotel Intercontinental
Gate 403
Nawlins
The Pantages Hotel Lounge
Chalkers Pub
Momo's Bistro
Ten Feet Tall
Manhattans (in Guelph, Ontario)
The Corktown (in Hamilton, Ontario - Wed. night jazz)

Look up the Regatta Bar. Not sure if they're still aroung but I played there a couple of years ago and they had a beautiful Steinway D or B (can't remember)

Thanks AJF!

Just came across this one while planning a trip to Minneapolis, MN:

The Shout House
http://www.theshouthouse.com/

Dueling Rock n Roll pianos.

They apparently also have locations in Glendale, AZ and San Diego, CA.

I saw dueling pianos in Treasure Island, FL at Wahoo's

whahoosontheisland.com

They were entertaining and comical. They played and sang primarily from the 50s to present pop tunes, and were enjoyable. They played on digital pianos hidden inside the case of baby grands. On some weekday nights, they had a piano player inside the bar who played and sang the same palette of tunes, also on a digital. He had very loud electronic drum accompaniment, which I don't prefer, but the crowd there really enjoyed what he did. Outside, on one night, I heard still another player (digital again, and not a very good one) play and sing Sinatra tunes. I liked his piano accompaniment; his electronic drums and more were less obtrusive than the ones inside.


I haven't yet been able to find locally the preferred combination of a really good player, using a really good and well-tuned grand, playing (and not, or only rarely) singing, with nice arrangements and improvisation.

If I get to Seattle again, I'll try the Canlis restaurant:

Walt Wagner at the Canlis restaurant. Google his name, and lots of hits come up. Try listening to Cry me a River here:

http://www.waltwagner.com/Merchant2/merc...ry_Code=Current

Hop

A place I have enjoyed:

http://www.redheadpianobar.com/

16 W. Ontario St
(between State and Dearborn)
Chicago, IL 60654
312.640.1000