For Lisa Rankin, the unalloyed pleasure of the piano bar lies in the performance.
Lisa Rankin, singer/songwriter/performer, is on a mission.
With 35 years of music entertainment under her belt and a passion for songs of the 60s, 70s, and 80s, she has launched her own Piano Bar Revival.
"The piano bar, popular decades ago, had a unique ambiance." she says. "People responded to piano in ways that were different from any other live music. Today, Wine Bars, are the rage and piano bar music is a perfect complement to that atmosphere which is more sophisticated and more personal than most contemporary venues."
Part of what makes piano bars successful is that the songs are familar, singable melodies that tap into listeners' memories. And the piano bar creates its own community. People gather round, make requests, and become part of the happening.
Rankin is a versatile musician playing everything from Carole King to Jani to Elton John, and she does it all her way. A gift arranger, she weaves in LIsa magic with an unexpected chord or meter change, some gritty funk, or a twisting thread of The ionious Monk.
Rankin says of her arrangements, "Instead of daily performances becoming role, I do some tweaking to breathe new life into the music. And that keeps it fresh and fun for me as well as my audience. I adapt to the room, Eva Cassidy, Carly Simon, Adele, Ella Fitzgerold, Diana Kroll, Nat King Cole, and hundreds more performers and composers are all staples in my entertainment bag."
Add to that her skills on piano, guitar, harmonica, percussion, wind instruments, and more and she is a musical powerhouse.
Special thanks to The Laurel Magazine.
