Tony: Sorry for the late reply: I was on the road all day yesterday and only able to get back on the web today. Yes, I know Johnny Brackett - he's a great pianist and vocalist. He still hosts a popular Monday night jazz jam at The Jazz Corner. He left The Blue Night some time ago, which is now closed.

Glad you and Scott agree with my popular-but-not-burnt motif. I too do some Elvis (Memories, with just piano/bass/guitar and very rarely I'll do Blue Hawaii with ocean effects for sport) and Sinatra (my own versions of Fly Me To The Moon, The Way You Look Tonight). I'm on a crusade to figure out a new way to play "New York, New York" instead of the same old tired version. Haven't solved that one yet. Right now I do the stereotypical "NY,NY" when requested, not as part of my normal routine, and segue into "NY State of Mind".

Pro ... As much as we may like innovation, and taking new roads with tunes (isn't that what Jazz is all about?), I think that in the venues most of us play there are some tunes that we just about HAVE to do in the stock way ... otherwise the audience may not know we just played their request
.. as for JB, I saw him first about 5 years ago when he was at that restaurant - Big Rocco's or something?!? ... that Halloween he was 'The Mad TV Repairman' with a box around his head like a TV ... saw him 3 years later, I believe at the Jazz Corner, when he had 2 extra 'arms' sewn onto his shirt ... sometimes he played like he had 4 hands!!! ... both times I just happened into the place he was working ... would have seen him again last year, but my wife didn't want to fly that soon after 9/11 ... next time I'm there I would love to try to catch YOUR act .....
t.