Renton, Washington may be increasingly hip and cool, and is increasingly gaining many things it's neighbor Seattle has, but it doesn't have Howard Bulson.
Who is Howard Bulson?
He is one of the best piano players anywhere, and plays gigs throughout Seattle, as an accompaniest to anyone who wants to sing with him. Like a karaoke, except with a live piano, Howard Bulson knows all the songs, and plays them well.
In his seventies, he represents a part of Seattle that is fading fast, just plain good, with style, a cool that doesn't broadcast "World Class", which too many things in Seattle scream out lately.
I sang once with Howard Bulson playing, and connected with my inner lounge lizard. I intend on doing it again.
Howard Bulson plays at Julia's on Broadway Sunday's 6-8:45 ish, Martin's @ 14th and Madison Sunday and Tuesday 9 PM-2AM, and Dexter and Hayes Monday 9 PM-2AM..I'm sure he has other gigs I'm forgetting about.
If he played Renton I'd be there all the time...but my orientation has become less Seattle focused since living out here in the burbs.
If you want to have a good time, go hear and sing with Howard Bulson. The range of people who sing with him range from godawful drunks to professional singers who sing jazz and opera and standards and pop tunes...he knows them all.
He looks like a rumpled old guy who's too skinny to fit in a suit but wears them anyway, looks like he rolls out of bed in the afternoon to start his day smoking cigarettes and drinking.
This guy is a treasure, and if you haven't experienced him, I'd strongly recommend it.
4 comments:
Sure, I'm definitely due for a Howard Bulson fix. i should call to find out that he's still alive. But if you go and I sing, you have to promise that no matter how much of a fool I make of myself, that you cheer and clap and mutter things like "genius."
That's quite a kudo to have the patrons at the Skyway Park Bowl appreciate Mark, after all they are such a discerning crowd.
The fact that most of them were shitfaced didn't hurt either.
See you Sunday PM.
The fact that I was shitfaced didn't hurt anything either :)
Howard Bulson no longer plays Julia's, but he's at Martin's Off Madison, on 14th at 8 PM every Sunday. I'll be there tonight. You too?
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