Customer Reviews

From the Piano Bench: Memorable Moments With Mobsters, Moguls, Movie Stars, and More

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4 star:		(3)
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"From the Piano Bench" was filled with funny stories from page one. The author gives us a good glimpse of life from his professional perch. The stories flow along effortlessly with his wry wit and quirky style providing laughs all the way through. I never thought playing the paino for a living would be so much fun and lead to so many encounters with famous people. A good book for anytime reading!

I have enjoyed this book thoroughly. Several of my friends have picked this book up from my coffee table and read a few quick stories. I personally read the book in two days. It is easy reading and I naturally couldn't wait to go on to the next story. How fortunate the author, Roger Rossi, has been to have so many experiences in his life. Yet, he is just an ordinary guy. This book has made for quick Christmas shopping. I've already bought four to give as gifts.

This author really downplays how good a pianist and entertainer he is. I've read his book and he wants to sound like Joe Average piano pounder, but that's not true. He plays ANYTHING, yes ANYTHING. And he plays it well. I mean classics, jazz, cool, romantic, oldies, R & B, R & R, and country and whatever. And he plays them well. I've heard him play alone and with his cute wife Sal, and they are terrific.
But about his book---it's a rip! The guy has met, fallen on or over or into the lap of, about any sort of celeb you can name. He's done it graciously ( if occasionally clumsily) and the results have been hysterical. I mean this guy is as down to earth as they come, but he really has hobnobbed with the full range of celeb--Perlman to Dangerfield--and I mean up close and personal. He's writes a funny book chock full of cute stories and anecdotes.
I think this book makes a great gift. I got my copy from my Dad who lives in Florida, and I couldn't put it down after I cracked the first page. A must read--fun book!

A very fun, easy read. Mr. Rossi's storytelling credentials equal that of his very impressive musical credentials. It's nice that Mr. Rossi had all these great experiences. It's a treat that he shared them with us. A delightful read for the musician and non-musician alike. We hope that he is considering a sequal.

There are a lot of enjoyable anecdotes here, with quite a substantial number of close encounters with celebrities. I got a copy for my parents (who are always difficult to shop for), as many of the encounters involve celebrities they are familiar with. Another nice feature of this book is that you can read it in one sitting or one or two anecdotes at a time. Rossi's writing style is conversational, and makes for pleasant reading.

It's a fun book.

This is a new and refreshing book as told by a professional pianist. He describes his experiences meeting celebrities from the stage, screen, world of entertainers and absolutely blows away my prior images of loads of top name folks. Who would dream of meeting the likes of gangsters who are "nice guys"? Who would dream of literally running into (and running down) top drawer folks like Perry the Sleeping Prince Como, getting passes from Johny Mathis (another guy) and on and on. This is a very funny guy who tells one very funny story after another. What's new in the book writing scene? This author that's who. Roger Rossi.

This book is fun to read. I especially liked Roger Rossi's stories about his meetings with "tough guys." During his long career, Rossi has interacted with the famous and the infamous, celebrities and truly talented men and women, good guys and those whose standards of behavior are different than mine. Through it all Rossi maintained his integrity while having fun and sharing his music with others. This book is more than a series of stories about others. When taken as a whole, its about a talented musician who shares his feelings and lives a life that brings joy and pleasure to many people. I liked getting to know him and hope to hear him perform someday.

"From the Piano Bench" is a light, and easy read. What fun to confirm your suspicions about some stars, and gain new insights into others. I loved it. Marilyn Irr, author of "REVENGE", and "DISTANT COUSINS."