Tuesday, 5 April 2011

My Work: The NYC Piano Guy & His Fan

M9/Elmarit 28mm-Photo © Tewfic El-Sawy-All Rights Reserved

The "Piano Guy" of New York City was giving a performance in Washington Square a few days ago, and I photographed him entertaining a lady fan. She was standing there enjoying the music for perhaps more than 10 minutes, while he was banging away at the keys. No, she's not his mother. Click the picture to enlarge it.

The piano player is quite a fixture in some of New York City's parks and squares. He's been seen in Union Square, Father Demo Square, and now Washington Square. He's been featured in The New York Times in an August 30, 2008 article titled "The Real Piano Man".

His name is Colin Huggins, and he's a classically trained pianist. New Yorkers know him as "the piano guy". He uses four well-used pianos, which he keeps in storage units around the city. Each unit is close to a favored busking spot, and the pianos are moved on dollies. You can read the rest in the linked article.

Only in New York City!

Call Me KIJU

Here are impromptu street portraits of Kiju on Crosby Street in Soho, NYC. Kiju is an alternative rock performer.