I was told when I was very young that the only thing the audience remembers is the first and last song. And the first song should start with a bang.

For some time now when I play solo I've been using Things Ain't What They Used To Be by Ellington. I use the horn sections and different instruments soloing used in a big band to get things rolling, check my sound and let the audience know what is possible on an arranger keyboard before I start any of the other genres of music.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyIVFPxzO5g

Also, when playing in a duo we've been using a take off of Pinetop Boogie where we jam on that a bit and get to hear a bunch of different horn section and solo instruments to set the tone.

The idea behind opening with these songs is to get everybody's adrenaline flowing and to set the mood for the rest of the performance.

ScottL