Rob’s tribute to legend Joel
Music
Scarborough’s own ‘piano man’ Robert Schmuck is heading a tribute night to one of his musical heroes Billy Joel on Saturday.
Robert will be on piano and lead vocals on One Night of Billy Joel and will be joined by a six-piece band made up of local musicians:
Ralph Alder (Little Big Horn) – saxophone: Andy Crofts (Northern Showtime Orchestra) – drums; Mark Gordon (Stony, Tom Townsend Blues Band) – keyboards; Alastair James (Alastair James Band, Jelly Roll Jazz Band) - guitar, percussion: Chris Lea (Sultans of Thwing, Alastair James Band) – bass guitar; Dan Robinson (East Coast Vagabonds) – lead guitar.
Aliastair is Robert’s brother and they play in each other’s bands as well as doing regular gigs at Blue Crush in Scarborough’s North Bay. “I am a big fan of Billy Joel’s, if you play piano you have to be a fan,” said Robert. “His songs are so clever and fun to play.”
Robert, who went to Raincliffe School and Scarborough Sixth Form, played flute and guitar at school. He started to learn piano after watching Freddie Mercury and Queen. “I wanted to be like Freddie and realised I wanted to play and sing at the same time,” he said.
His classical training on other instruments stood him in good stead for keyboards and the classical influence obvious in Billy Joel’s songs.
“For two years I could only play Queen music,” said the 22-year-old. Too young to see the real thing, he saw Brian May and Kerry Ellis at Scarborough Spa and the first gig he saw was Queen and Paul Rodgers when he was 14.
Billy Joel was classically trained and did recitals before moving into pop. “That is partly why his music is so good and interesting for musicians to play,” said Robert.
Robert’s evening of music will be interlaced with other stories about Billy Joel. He saw the chart-topper at Hammersmith Apollo in 2013.
The play list includes Uptown Girl, Piano Man, Just The Way You Are, River of Dreams, Scenes From An Italian Restaurant, She’s Always A Woman, The Longest Time and We Didn’t Start The Fire as well as lesser known numbers.
As well as Queen and Bill Joel, Robert likes the music of The Beatles, Buddy Holly, anything pre 1980s and musical theatre.
The jukebox musical Dreamboats and Petticoats, which toured to the Futurist, introduced him to Smokey Robinson. He heard X-Factor’s Terry Winstanley sing Shop Around and he was hooked. Robert has been on stage at the YMCA in pantomime including Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast and was in the orchestra for Sweet Charity performed by Scarborough Musicals last year.
He also plays jazz standards on piano while people ‘take tea’ at the Palm Court, Scarborough, every weekend.
After this one-off, which hopefully will lead to more Billy Joel nights, Robert will be musical director for Legally Blonde being staged by Scarborough Musicals at the YMCA in May.
He is also touring with ‘Diddy’ David Hamilton in Rock ‘n’ Roll Back the Years.
One Night of Billy Joel with Robert Schmuck is on at the YMCA Theatre, St Thomas Street, Scarborough, on Saturday March 25 at 7.30pm.
All tickets £15. Book online: ticketsource.co.uk/ymcascarborough
Box office: 01723 506750.