One of the great joys and, at the same time, one of the increasingly great hazards these days is playing to people on a one-on-one. i.e. playing for a very small crowd or "strolling" among restaurant tables.

I get "strolling" jobs here and there that I do on accordion. I'm a very sociable person so I tend to talk easily between playing. Most tables will greet you with pleasantries and eagerness to have you play for them. But in the few steps and few seconds before you visit the next table or booth, you have to do a quick assessment of the situation you're walking into. i.e. would they rather eat just now, are they having a deep conversation or is it a first date and courtship and it's not a good time to interrupt, are they just plain immune to music, does the man look like he might become "possessive" if you talk to the wife first, has anyone had too much to drink, what type of music might they be into, shall I talk on a personal level or keep it professional, and other situations that might be good plots for a horror movie.

It can be challenging but exciting at the same time. Most are eager for you to approach them, but each person (or persons) has to be analyzed in those "few seconds" before you start your interaction.

People don’t realize that good entertaining is not only a musical endeavor but a psychological one also.

Mark