Mark Richards

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Monday, December 12, 2005

Rose's Turn

While in New York last month, a couple of friends took me to this incredible piano bar called Rose's Turn. I was a little skeptical at first as this was my first ever trip to such a venue. Honestly, I expected to spend a few minutes in this place, have a few drinks, and be on our merry way. Two or three hours later I found myself having to be dragged out of the bar.

When you first walk down the stairs, there is a small seating area with tables next to which the "piano man" sat (and please do not ask him to play the Bill Joel song). Give him a tip and he will play you what you want. If you have the guts, step up and sing a song yourself. But this is not your typical karaoke joint as most of the patrons can actually sing well. I considered getting up and bringing the house down with my musical talents, except that I am not sure if I know every word to an entire song of the appropriate genre. That is my excuse and I am sticking to it!

On the right of the room is a long bar with two or three bartenders serving drinks. But these are not just your run-of-the-mill bartenders; they too are performers. They bang on the tambourine, have choreographed dances for certain songs, and sing back up, harmonies, and even entire songs for the crowd.

The fan favorite seemed to be Terri White. Terri kicked some major ass. To put it in perspective a bit, a friend of mine wants to have her sing at his wedding. He also said that "listening to a large, black woman sing is better than sex and pizza." Obviously, this guy really liked Terri. I believe I may have enjoyed Terri about as much as he did, but I cannot make the sacrifices he is willing to make.

This West Village secret is a must-visit for anybody looking for a change of pace. I would highly recommend Rose's Turn as I had one heck of a good time there.

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