Arnie Abrams Resume

      Arnie Abrams started playing piano at the early age of 5. At that young age, he began copying the hand movements of his father, who was an accomplished, self-taught pianist. His dad played exclusively by ear, and despite the fact that he could not read a note, Howard Abrams knew and could play thousands of songs, all by ear. Howard's musical signature was his high-energy "Harlem stride style", which Arnie inherited, and is what he is known for in the area today, along with his talented ear for picking up songs quickly and playing them after just hearing them a few times. Later, Arnie also realized that he was blessed with perfect pitch, which helps him enormously when he works with other musicians and vocalists.

Arnie studied classical and jazz piano in New Haven and later in the Buffalo area. Longing to play the more popular tunes, Arnie's dad taught him how to play without sheet music and helped develop his musical ear, and taught him many of the most wonderful songs that were so popular during his golden era. Arnie combines his classically trained technique with the style, enthusiasm and “heart” that his dad passed onto him. The result is his gift for performing many of the most popular tunes produced over the past 70+ years.

Arnie grew up in the ‘70's, so many of his favorite artists are from that period. His influences include, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Andy Williams, Perry Como, Dean Martin, Barbra Streisand, Nat King Cole, George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Duke Ellington, Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern, Big Band tunes, as well as more contemporary artists like Michael Feinstein, Harry Connick, Jr., Billy Joel, Elton John, Linda Ronstadt, Daniel Powter, Josh Groban, Anna Nalick, Broadway show tunes, including those of Phantom, Cabaret, and many of the classic show tunes of the 40's, 50's & 60's, like those from the My Fair Lady, Camelot, Fiddler on the Roof, Paint Your Wagon, West Side Story, Oklahoma, South Pacific, The King & I, and The Sound of Music era.

Arnie began his musical career in the New Haven, Connecticut area, playing in many restaurants and piano bars including The Recovery Room (an upscale restaurant that was connected to a hospital!), Tandom's, The Summit House, 500 Blake Street, and App's Ristorante, just to name a few. He later worked as a booking agent and performing musician for Richard Neal Productions in Hamden, CT, where he learned the business and worked with numerous fine musicians in many different and diverse venues. Today, in addition to the many weddings, parties, corporate events & sing-alongs at which he performs each week, Arnie plays at several local restaurants in New Jersey, including La Fontana in New Brunswick (now Spuntino's), Covino's in North Brunswick, C.J. Montana's in Tinton Falls, and now at Acqua in Raritan, NJ, performing there currently every Friday night.
Updated:  May 30, 2008

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