Bruce Springsteen, "New York City Serenade" (Piano Cover)

[@alanthomason2798]

Beautifully played Michael, you have the feel and dynamics just right. I play with a UK Bruce tribute band, and taking the current downtime as an opportunity to nail this piece. Your playing has inspired me. Thanks Alan

[@michaelarrom94]

Thank you, Alan! We're all shedding hard for that day when we can share our music with friends again. Have fun working on Serenade!

[@sharonaldridge3332]

Ahhh, thank you Michael...to sail off into a magical kingdom, away from the tediousness of an everyday life...transported from the City of Angels... to a bit of heaven!

[@michaelarrom94]

Thanks, Sharon! I'm very happy that you enjoyed the song!

[@magicrat34]

This is fantastic. It really helped me get into a groove on a work project this afternoon. More Bruce please! Maybe Point Blank?

[@michaelarrom94]

Thanks Jason! Hmm, Point Blank. Love that song, never thought of playing a piano version of that before. I'll put it on my list!

[@mungofinalfi4480]

@@michaelarrom94 Could you please do Incident on 57th street?

[@murraywestenskow2896]

@@mungofinalfi4480 - yes - please.

[@mxschrtt9194]

@@michaelarrom94 Hi I don’t know if you’re planning to do more from Springsteen but the melodic composition of his songs is phenomenal.. Even some of his ballads playing with all the details required are phenomenal (Stolen Car, Sandy) I don’t know if it will ‘’inspire’’ you but if you can check on KZbin the live rendition of 4th of July Asbury Park (Sandy) played in New York (June 23 2000) I think a piano composition of it would be great (there’s a lot of alternance between bass and treble) Thanks a lot for your work Take care

[@michaelarrom94]

@@mxschrtt9194 Thank you so much for the suggestion! I love that song...enough to have actually braved the Asbury Park Beach on the 4th of July just so that I could live the experience of the song! I'll have to add this to my to-do list. I'm now a full-time working musician and don't get a lot of down time. I'm dreaming of a day when Bruce asks me to sub for Roy Bittan for just one show at the Meadowlands. I'll prepare Bruce's complete catalog if that ever happens :)

[@RandyHall324]

I'm in awe. Just gorgeous. I think I have every album Bruce ever recorded and this song may very well be my favorite, mostly because of that beautiful piano part. I've seen him perform dozens of times, but this song? Maybe twice ever. Thank you!

[@michaelarrom94]

Thank you for your comment, it's also one of my favorites :)

[@brianwalsh6666]

Thanks for posting your work, Michael. I Love the story of your recording this at 14 years along with the later midtown photo. I agree with you about the ranking of this song in the top of Bruce’s work. Keep playing and inspiring us!

[@michaelarrom94]

Glad you enjoyed this! I'm home in Jersey with family right now and visiting all my old stomping grounds. I actually had a gig at a club in Times Square and passed through here nearly every day for 2 weeks. It's a totally different feel with all the Christmas visitors. Haha, the smells are still a big part of the experience!

[@brianwalsh6666]

Thanks for the spirited reply! You’ll be amused to know that I lived 3 years in The Bronx (Little Italy) studying Greek and Latin in Fordham’s Rose Hill. What I like about Bruce’s epics is that they sublimate the city and make us forget the harsh bits. Like my newly inherited Roland FP30! Happy New Year! Brian

[@michaelarrom94]

@@brianwalsh6666 My pleasure! I agree with you about the hazy veneer on NYC...lol, you can't look too closely. Enjoy your FP30! Rose Hill is a beautiful campus :)

[@alzo1sgood]

That is beautiful ❤

[@michaelarrom94]

Thank you, Allan, I'm glad you enjoyed the performance!

[@michelemoffa3160]

I have seen Bruce 59 times live from 1988 to 2023 (I'm 53, maybe I ain't that young anymore...). Hundreds of incredible surprises, tears, joy, but the moment I will never, never, never forget is the end of Rosalita in Rome 2013. We all in the audience were aware that something really special was happening, but when Bruce and Steve took the big sign request I couldn't believe that we were going to listen to the song I have chased for so many years and never heard before. Your cover is wonderful. What about Incident on 57th street to complete the collection ? The solo piano version would be perfect..

[@michaelarrom94]

Thanks for sharing your concert stories! I love Incident on 57th, I'll have to put it on my list.

[@ckurtis4236]

one of my faves.. and you got the dynamics perfect

[@michaelarrom94]

Thanks for your support!

[@paulsullivan1650]

Absolutely Amazing! Perfect, note for note brother!

[@michaelarrom94]

Thanks for listening, glad you enjoyed it!

[@stephencoulter8180]

Seriously beautiful , thank you

[@michaelarrom94]

Thank you, Stephen, I'm glad you enjoyed the performance!

[@sharonaldridge3332]

Listening again..ya know, Keith Jarrett said that his words couldn't adequately explain the hows and whys of his performances, so he turned to the piano and started to play. Michael, you play..no words of mine left to let you know how wonderful this sound of yours is.

[@michaelarrom94]

Thank you Sharon! I owe it all to the incredible teacher who taught me classical piano. She would sing to me during my lessons. The challenge was always to play the piano as though you're singing.

[@sharonaldridge3332]

Michael Everett ..thank you for sharing that. You have provided a special insight into the whys and hows of your music. I only had piano lessons for a couple of years, voice training for a longer time..back in the 1960's. Your fingers DO seem to sing..I'm using a bit of creative writing in saying that but it explains how I experience your unique sound. :-)

[@thomasread4329]

I was thinking of Keith Jarrett too...Bruce must have seen the future when he met David Sancious

[@grantthomson6229]

outstanding

[@michaelarrom94]

Thank you!

[@mitakuyeoyasin2320]

Breathtakingly beautiful Michael! My new piano mancrush.

[@michaelarrom94]

Lol, thank you! I'll get to Thunder Road as soon as I get home to New Jersey this summer!

[@ignacioperez8350]

Wow, just amazing. Like someone wrote, if you could play Point Blank... I'd add Racing in the street or Lost in the flood.

[@michaelarrom94]

Thanks, Ignacio! "Racing in the Streets" is next on my list. I'm hoping to shoot the video this weekend :)

[@sjparadiso]

Right on Michael Everett, right on.

[@michaelarrom94]

Thanks Steve!

[@drsnugglesmusic1837]

Awesome man

[@michaelarrom94]

Thank you!

[@christophs5070]

So good - love it 👍

[@michaelarrom94]

Thanks!

[@joefox354]

wow that was incredible! I'm truly jealous, I've been looking for a piano player who's good for a few years now. I'm living in Tallahassee Florida now so the pickings are slim, but I'm from jersey like you. seriously keep it up!

[@michaelarrom94]

Thanks, Joe! Hope you find your great player in Florida. Hope you're having better luck finding good pizza too. I love my California friends here in Los Angeles, but California pizza, yeah, not so much.

[@brianb.8111]

I'm just making the connection now Michael. I found this video almost six years ago when I first this discovered this song. My friend was at Bruce's first Met Life show in 2016 (8-23-16) and had me on the phone. She couldn't believe he opened with this song having not done it that often in concert. I could hear it very clearly through the phone and was completely mesmerized. I've never heard anything so unique in rock 'n roll or pop and when a string section is used in a rock song, I just think that's incredible. I listened to the song incessantly all week and was front row in the pit at Met Life for the 8-30-16 show and almost right up front in Pittsburgh on 9-11-16. And I thoroughly enjoyed reading about how Bruce and his staff got a string section ready for each of these shows. Bruce just gets totally lost in this song and especially so the last 3 minutes, IMO. And fantastic as always Michael. Your talent is incredible and I hope you cherish it for many many years to come.

[@michaelarrom94]

Thank you so much, Brian! I appreciate your sharing your experience with this song and your kind words about my talent. I've only been able to see Bruce 2x and have never been blessed to see this one. I love the Rome live video of this song. The close up smile on the young violinist perfectly encapsulates how I feel about this song. I agree that it's mesmerizing and arguably his most beautiful. The string section makes the song positively ethereal. I was deep into my classical musical studies when I did this song and it felt more like a pure classical piece than a rock piece. I was 14 and pulled this together quickly for a friend who was leaving on vacation with her family. A lot has happened in the 13 years since I did this. Part of me would love to do this again with some of my talented string playing friends. The mixed news is that being a working musician/professor in LA keeps me very busy :)

[@brianb.8111]

@@michaelarrom94 Rome of course! I think most of those views are probably mine! And if you haven’t seen it, check out one from the Garden in 2009! Roy actually reverses the introduction a bit and I think it’s really unique.

[@michaelarrom94]

@@brianb.8111 Yes, the Garden one is really cool too. Lol, that violinist really makes the Rome video for me :) Her smile at 9 minutes something gets me every time.

[@brianb.8111]

@@michaelarrom94 Michael, are you referring to the redhead? I have to admit. I don't mind the brunette at the end at all. But just imagine what a wonderful thing this is for them to be able to remember for the rest of their lives.

[@michaelarrom94]

@@brianb.8111 Lol, no. I'm referring to the violinist who appears on the right side of the screen near the 9:48 point. Her smile is perfectly timed to a very dramatic moment in the song. She looks so happy that I find it completely infection. If you look closely at 9:52, you can see that Bruce has autographed the score on her music stand.

[@mrwoot08]

Fantastic. Such a shame that this song is not as popular with fringe Bruce fans.

[@michaelarrom94]

Thanks for your comment! I agree, but I'm not surprised. I don't think I've ever heard Bruce play this live in the shows that I've seen. It's so different than the rest of his material, but I love the diversity of his songs.

[@michaelfrancis1930]

@@michaelarrom94 OUTSTANDING!!!! I'm sure you've seen it, but, Check this out. kzbin.info/www/bejne/il6si4p_iL9rebs

[@stianmathisen4284]

@@michaelarrom94 He played it several times on the 2016-2017 tour, full band with hired strings, sounded extraordinary well...

[@michaelarrom94]

@@stianmathisen4284 That must have been incredible, i hope you enjoyed it! I've been to a bunch of his shows, but not since 2012. I love the 2013 video from Rome on Bruce's page.

[@stianmathisen4284]

@@michaelarrom94 kzbin.info?search_query=springsteen+new+york+city+serenade+melbourne

[@rickgrove3708]

well done

[@michaelarrom94]

Thank you , Rick! I always appreciate support from Bruce fans.

[@taylordavis2423]

Wanted to talk to about maybe singing over this and seeing what you think of it. Been a lifelong dream to sing on this. I’m a guitar player and would love to give a shot on this

[@michaelarrom94]

Hi Taylor, you're welcome to rip the audio and repost if you like. Have fun!

[@MrSmmou812]

very nicely done

[@michaelarrom94]

Thank you!

[@MrSmmou812]

@@michaelarrom94 are you ever going to do the Thunder Road cover?

[@michaelarrom94]

@@MrSmmou812 The good news is that I'm keeping busy with a lot of professional music work! Thunder Road remains on my to do list for when I have a free moment :)

[@richarddecent1520]

This is so beautiful.. did you have a sheet for the song?

[@michaelarrom94]

Thank you, Richard! I'm sorry, I played this by ear and don't have sheet music.

[@ckurtis4236]

walk tall