Dueling Pianos combines the forces of two of NYC’s most talented improvising pianists and singers: Damon Smith and Ben Easton. Together, they can play hundreds of hits from across the decades, and House Party guests can call for their favorite tunes and sing along. One of our most popular rooms at last year’s House Party, we can’t wait to hear Damon and Ben again.
About Ben Easton:
Ben Easton is a keyboardist, songwriter & producer, living in Brooklyn, NY and working in rock, pop and theatrical circles. Easton plays piano in-residence at Sid Gold’s Request Room (Saturdays) and Good Judy’s The Blue Room (Tuesdays), two of New York City’s flagship modern piano bars. His songbook offers 3,000+ selections for your singing/listening pleasure, running the gamut from ‘00s pop-punk and indie deep cuts to classic pop, rock and Broadway. Easton has served as music director, accompanist and bandleader for numerous cabarets and community productions. His original compositions and arrangements have been featured in two seasons of the musical podcast Live! From Tomorrow, as well as a pair of staged industrial variety shows produced by IBM. Easton is a longtime member of The Academy Blues Project, a rock band based in New York since 2012. He has toured and performed hundreds of live shows with ABP, including at Brooklyn Academy of Music, the Kennedy Center, SteelStacks, and in-residence at Rockwood Music Hall, Groove and Joe’s Pub. Easton co-produced ABP’s latest trio of albums: The Neon Grotto, Once Again… and prodigal sun. For upcoming live dates & more — ben-easton.com.
About Damon Smith:
Damon Smith is a New York City-based pianist, songwriter, and improviser. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he started his career at the School of Rock, performing and touring with artists such as Jon Anderson of Yes, Napoleon Murphy Brock of Frank Zappa’s band, and Andrew W.K. Since then, he’s toured as a pianist with artists such as T.3 and Burlap to Cashmere, played his original music at venues such as the Highline Ballroom, the Joe’s Pub, CBGB’s, and Webster Hall, and performed as a sideman in festivals such as Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits, and Zappanale. His debut solo album, “Intimate Machinery,” came out shortly after Smith Graduated from New England Conservatory in December 2017. His second album “God of the Grid” dropped in March 2019, which prompted NPR’s Here and Now to state: “Excited for what he has next.” He currently has a band with his brother Brendan Jacob Smith called The Brightmares, and their debut album “When The World Gets Fixed” dropped in 2022.