Performing as a Pianist in Manchester
My name is Eugene Portman and I always look forward to working as a pianist in the Manchester area. The venues in the region are surprisingly varied as Greater Manchester is a strange mixture of urban and semi-rural. These venues range from pubs and trendy restaurants to hotels and country clubs.
At one time or another, I have played the piano for many different types of events in Manchester and I hope the work keeps rolling in.
The Music
There is a huge jazz scene in the Manchester area and this has been a source of work to me as a pianist. In fact, I have always loved jazz and I just love playing the old jazz standards from the 30s and 40s. Moreover, I play an older form of jazz which is melodic and easy to listen to. My piano style has developed from listening to the great pianists of the past. These include Oscar Peterson, George Shearing, and Erroll Garner.
Because I play for so many weddings, I have to be versatile. Playing jazz is not enough. In order to play for the different parts of the wedding day, I have to be able to play different styles of music. Luckily I do play lots of different styles including pop, rock, classical, Latin, blues, and sing-along.
My Work as a Sing-along Pianist in Manchester
Manchester has been the home to a recent trend which has given me a surge of requests for me as a sing-along pianist. This has quickly become something that I really enjoy. and I always look forward to the next sing-along event. This sort of thing tends to suit informal events, but there have been occasions when sing-alongs have been featured at weddings. When I perform for a sing-along I provide all the song-sheets and I dress like a typical old fashioned pub pianist. This consists of a Bowler hat, waistcoat, grandad shirt, neckerchief, pocket watch, etc.
Please see the page HERE for more information. Alternatively, please visit www.uksingalongpianist.co.uk.
Line-ups
manchester supplies me with quite a lot of work as a solo pianist, but I can provide larger line-ups. These line-ups range from duos and trios right up to a five-piece jazz band. here is the full range of line-ups:
a) Duo – piano and vocals or piano and bass
b) Trio – piano, bass and vocals or piano, bass and drums
c) Quartet – piano, bass, drums and vocals or piano, bass, drums and sax
d) Five Piece Jazz Band – piano, bass, drums, sax and vocals
I always use the best musicians available for these line-ups. This is so that you can rest assured that the music is going to be as good as it can be.