Roxy Bar Presents: Pianist Michael Garin
Roxy Bar2 Avenue of the Americas, New York 10013
Michael Garin plays a solo piano set at Roxy Bar on Christmas Eve, continuing his Tuesday through Saturday residency at the room. The evening is framed as live downtown music alongside cocktails, happy-hour drinks, and oysters. Garin’s Roxy performances blur pianist and DJ: he moves through a free-associative sequence of material that can bring Shaggy, Om Kalthum, Rossini, Jobim, Zappa, and Raymond Scott into the same musical current. Requests are part of the exchange, and his repertoire is presented as a post-work and post-school meeting point for listeners of different ages.
A Drama Desk Award winner, Garin has been a fixture of New York nightlife for decades. His résumé includes Elaine’s, the Monkey Bar, the Rainbow Room, and the VIP Room at Limelight. Beyond the piano, he has hosted midnight burlesque shows, co-created and co-starred in the environmental musical Song of Singapore, and acted with Spike Lee. He is also a songwriter, singer, poet, actor, and song-and-dance performer, with a Facebook following for his daily promotional poems in the style of Ogden Nash. The Roxy describes his approach as a “goofy, stylish, and very smart stream of musical consciousness.”
Roxy Bar offers a stylish setting where live jazz fills the air, accompanied by a menu that caters to diverse tastes including vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options. The room features plush seating and a well-stocked bar, creating a comfortable environment to enjoy performances by resident musicians or special guests. Shows typically run in the evening with sets from 6pm to 10pm, followed by DJs spinning vinyl late into the night. Weekend brunches also feature live music, blending dining and entertainment seamlessly. The venue balances attentive service with a relaxed vibe, making it a place to savor both cocktails and music without distraction. Its location in Tribeca adds a downtown charm, inviting guests to linger over oysters or a crafted cocktail while soaking in the sounds.