Jonathan Xavier Weinert 2008

Those that know me know that I love music: listening, playing, and singing.

Along the likes of Kid Rock and Eminem, my solo performance career also has its roots in Detroit. It all began with my 9th grade piano recital (1993) at Domincan High School (talk about a rough neighborhood!). A few years later, I stepped things up a few notches and began gigging at the local nursing home in East Detroit. Those old folks were totally hot for Gershwin, so I gave them a little "They can't take that Away from Me", and a little "Our Love is Here to Stay" (needless to say, I barely made it out of that home each Sunday morning with my clothes in one piece, hahah j/k). Once I got to college, I ventured into a few Ann Arbor piano bars to try my luck with that crowd. By then, I had a some Billy Joel, Simon & Garf., and Elton John under my belt. (favorite: "Your Song", "Bridge Over Troubled Waters", and "Always a Woman")

I started learning the guitar when I got to Davis, and played a couple open mic nights at some really classy cafes (wink wink, for any of you who've ever set foot in the Davis' Roma Cafe). My sets (simply titled, "Songs I Love") are listed below (along with a pic from one of these sets). Now you can have a listen to some of these songs (hope I didn't butcher them too bad), live from the "recording studio" in my Shanghai Tongji University dorm room. Click on live links below...

Set 1:
Jack Johnson, Flake
Sweet Caroline, Neil Diamond
Paul Simon, You Can Call me Al

Set 2:
Feeling Good Again, Robert Earl Keen
Such Great Heights, Postal Service (right click on the link and choose "save linked file")
Story of my Life, Social Distortion

In My Life: Beatles As Good as it Gets: The Shins
Don't Dream its Over, Crowded House

On Piano:
My absolute favorite to play is George Gershwin. My ultimate goal (which I probably won't have time for until I'm 60) is to learn Rhapsody in Blue.   I mostly play classical (Beethoven, Chopin, Rach.) some showtunes, and popular songs I like.