A pianist I could listen to all day

[Jolly Blue Giant]

23-year-old kid from Hungary. Name is Peter Buka (sometimes calls himself Alan Walker...or maybe that's the name of the person videotaping...I don't know). Mostly a street musician, but has amassed 1.5 million dollars in wealth, so it must be working for him. Not only is the kid ridiculously talented, but he chooses songs that are perfect for the 21st century. He takes many modern songs and puts his own twist on them

As a pianist myself, I never reached any level worth having an audience, although I can hammer out some fairly difficult songs...never mastered "Malaguena" or "Rhapsody in Blue", my two favorite piano pieces, but not because I failed to log in hours practicing. I tried to mimic Floyd Cramer's "Last Date" and was getting pretty good at that "outside-in chord roll" that has a unique sound. Then I had a stroke that shut down my right side and I no longer have the dexterity or quickness in my right hand to do some of the things I used to do and take for granted

I know Bob in PA is also a pianist, but he's never let on how accomplished he became. One of the things I did while raising four kids, was to make them take an instrument, but they had to take a year of piano first...they should at least be able to walk up to a keyboard and know where middle-C is and should be able to know which keys are which, which is a flat or sharp, a chord, getting the timing down, etc. I never expected them to become concert pianists, but if they are anything like me... trying, struggling, and coming to the conclusion that I'm never going to be another Liberace makes me appreciate those who have mastered an instrument. I'm not sure I could ever have such a deep appreciation for talented musicians had I not tried to be one myself...and failed 

Surprisingly, people walk by - and those who stop, tend to ruin it by getting out their phones as if they are going to relive a magic moment. As for me, I'd stop in my tracks and just soak in the moment. I put a play list together of Buka's playing that I play on the computer (has a great sound system attached) when I'm cooking or working around the house

Check him out:

He does Carol of the Bells about as good as anyone I've ever heard

Another Christmas song (medley)

And for those who don't know who Floyd Cramer is (may he R.I.P.), he was a country music star and developed a unique sound with the piano. Song is fairly easy to play, but getting that unique sound is not as easy as one would think