Ellen Amos: Piano Bars - Springboards to Success

COCKTAIL PIANISTS OCCUPY the lowest rung in the musician's hierarchy. While there are some whose performances approach true art, and others whose reputations place them ahead of the pack, they often battle condescension from their fellow musicians. Stereotypically, the cocktail pianist is stranded in a seedy lounge, playing limp renditions of 'Melancholy Baby' as requested by drunk patrons.