St. Louis Magazine: What It's Like To Be a Dueling Piano Player from St. Louis Magazine on Vimeo.
[Above, a web-only video of the subject at work.]
It began so innocently. “I started taking piano lessons when I was 5. My next-door neighbor was a piano teacher,” explains Philip Manaois, co-owner and resident piano player at The Jive & Wail. In college, he wandered into a Florida piano bar. The owner recognized Manaois’ charisma right away. There was just one problem: that name. “No one could spell my last name or remember it,” he says, laughing. “So one night they said, ‘From St. Louis, Missouri: It’s Spanky!’” The name stuck. So did the gig. Eventually, in September 2007, Manaois and his partners opened The Jive & Wail back home. (They hope to add another location along Washington Avenue soon.) Manaois’ signature song? “I’m kind of known for ‘Baby Got Back.’”
In His Words…
• We don’t cringe about playing [oft-requested songs like] “Piano Man” or “Sweet Caroline.” The ones I cringe at are stuff like Miley Cyrus’ “Party in the U.S.A.” I’m like, “This is why I took 10 years of piano lessons?”
• With this gig, you still get to feel like a rock star. Playing “Piano Man” or “American Pie” are perfect examples. It gives you chills. It’s such a natural high to be on that stage with people having the night of their lives.
• It’s very rare for piano players to actually duel. The only time is when people request “Dueling Banjos.” We split up the room and get each side cheering.
• I tell newbies, “Don’t drink too much.” It always happens a couple times when piano players start. The young guys get shots sent to them; I tell them to learn from it.
• The biggest downside? When someone gets drunk and says, “I gave you $5 for the Cheers theme song, and you haven’t played it!” There’s no sense in arguing with them.
• It’s unusual because you rarely tip before the service… We explain to people that it’s America—the higher the tip, that’s how much quicker your song gets played.
