I've taken piano lessons, off and on, for several years. Recently I decided to get back to practicing as I love piano so much. Many times I will be in a place that has a grand piano and wish I knew, by heart, something to play that would impress those around who may be listening. Something that sounds real impressive, but really isn't too technically demanding. Something with a lot of chords, both in bass and treble, some flourishes, and sounds good, maybe one or two pages that could be easily memorized.

Anyone have any suggestions? I especially like pieces that are, for lack of a better term, sad-sounding. Something slow, that you might hear in a blues or jazz club, sort of like Stella by Starlight. Anything like that.

Your suggestion are encouraged and appreciated.
Thanks,
Anthony

Misty is always a good one.

Dolphine Dance or Tell me a Bedtime Story by Herbie Hancock have always been my favs.

Nice suggestions.

For slow that's not too hard, My Foolish Heart is another fave of mine.

Another is Nardis.

If you want to show off, you could do an improvisation on the first part of Spain, something you see Chick duo with Hiromi and Rubalcaba on youtube. It's done slow and acoustic only.

Also - Crystal Silence by chick Corea (Nardis made me think of it for some reason), or Goodbye Porkpie Hat.

Since we're on Chick Corea, there's Windows.

Jeff, we're feeding off each other here

How can we forgot the very basic All the Things that You Are? A great improviser's platform. Whenever I think of Stella, I somehow remember ATTTYA.

Elton John - Funeral for a friend

Lush Life has some really cool chords in it, and Solitude by Duke Ellington is fun.

I know what you mean. The classical
pieces I work on are too difficult
and/or long to play without the sheet
music. And to play a full arrangement
of some popular or jazz piece is just
as hard. And my improvisation isn't
good enough. So I found that
I didn't have anything I could
play on the spot. So I worked up
a simple arrangement of the MASH theme
so I could at least have something to play
from memory if called upon. The chords
are:

1. E G B D - 3 times

2. E G A C#

3. D F# A C# - 3 times

4. D F# A B

5. E G B D

6. G B D E

7. B D E G

8. G B D E

9. D F# A C#

10. F# A C# D

11. A C# D F#

12. B D# F# A

13. Repeat 1. to 8. from above

14. B D F# A

The rt. hand is: G F# G F# G F# E
and so forth.

Great piece of music! Here's the best Youtube version:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=XxXAtFQ4uBA

To do this piece justice, you defintiely need a synthesist, organ, and it wouldn't hurt to have a full band, choir, and orchestra!

This discussion seems more like a what songs do you like thread rather than what are some show off tunes.

Here are some show off pieces:

Moments Notice played in a very fast stride style.
Any tune played in a very fast stride style...
Fast boogie woogie.
Solfeggietto - CPE Bach
Chopin Etudes
Rachmaninoff

In an easier jazz style, tunes that common folks might recognize, maybe:

Take 5
Georgia
As Time Goes By
Our Love Is Here To Stay

Common folks never recognize Stella By Starlight and usually consider it dreary sounding.