Now, both players were also great entertainers who obviously, could read and handle a crowd of drunks at a bar. Great video, Donny,

Gary

Bill If you found playing a 'Dueling Pianos' gig easy, I commend you ... Anytime I've seen an act like that, each guy had to share an equal part of the load, musically and vocally ... I find it amazing how these acts can answer SO many requests - I am sure that the ones they don't know are just put aside but I haven't seen that many put aside ...

And yes, I remember Ferrante and Teicher ...

Paul... I agree ... the BEST dueling pianos I've ever seen was at Pat O'Brien's in NO LA ...

I've seen them make thousands of dollars in tips in college towns. One side would give them a hundred to play the fight song for their school; the other side would give them a hundred to stop playing it and play theirs, and vice versa. Soon one would be playing one song and the other playing the opposite song at the same time, and they made it sound good!

Thanx Gary...awesome show...these guys are terrific in every aspect, ...no Arranger KB needed ....just sayin'
Would love to see them perform!!

I did that routine for 3 months - its was awful. Four players rotated in 1 hour shifts and all night long the SAME songs, NO, the same PARTS of songs played. Yes, the tips were almost obscene, but you never got to finish a stinking song! The original concept came from a place in Baltimore, I believe called "Little Ditties" ... it was a low point in my career and I hated every second of it. It's loud, rude, raunchy and crowd driven. Not my cup of tea. I've seen it dumbed down on a Disney cruise and it was "better" but still a horrid act if you like music .... or singers ... or piano music.
It's all about that drink. Not my scene.

Bill If you found playing a 'Dueling Pianos' gig easy, I commend you ... Anytime I've seen an act like that, each guy had to share an equal part of the load, musically and vocally ... I find it amazing how these acts can answer SO many requests - I am sure that the ones they don't know are just put aside but I haven't seen that many put aside ...

My post was misleading. I went to a new place that was going to feature piano players and talked to the guy who was doing the Happy Hour. Just a few customers there so he invited me on stage and gave me a rundown on how to work together as a piano duo. There were two EP's on stage in real piano cases. I would play the basic rhythm of chords and bass and he would do the melody and fills. Again vocals are the focus. I don't remember what we did but it was real simple a fell together quick. I certainly didn't do a whole gig and I'm amazed as to how those guys do all those requests. There has to be a trick to it where you can use some basic stock progresssions and sort of fake the lead or vocal.

If anyone has any thoughts on this I'd love to hear them.

BTW within a few months the place turned into a Latin Disco, had numerous police calls and shut down.

Bill

"Dueling anything" is fun to watch!!