Restaurant Piano Music

[Eliminator Jr.]

A few years ago I got offerred a job playing the piano in a restaurant as background music. The restaurant owner hadn't actually heard me play, he just knew that I played the piano and guitar and said I could come in and he'd see if it worked out. I politely declined the offer because I didn't know anywhere near enough songs on the piano, let alone songs that would constitute background music, and I definitely was not/am not skilled enough on the guitar to be paid for playing. Since then I figured it'd be nice to take up that offer (if not at that particular restaurant than perhaps at another), as I enjoy playing piano, but I still only know one or two songs that would be good to play. Does anybody have any suggestions of songs or artists I could take a look at?

So far I'm learning some Gershwin and Kern songs played by this pianist named Erroll Garner that I have on a CD given to me by my uncle, but apart from that I've got nothing. So basically I've been looking at jazz-y sort of stuff, but I'm open to any suitable suggestions (eg. I play Eluvium's piano songs but they wouldn't be suitable for a restaurant).

tl;dr: Anyone have good suggestions for background music for a restaurant played on the piano?

 

[Esper]

There's a restaurant I sometimes go to that always seems to be playing a CD of piano versions of Simon and Garfunkel or Beatles songs.

Maybe you could try actual background music, as in movie themes.

 

[Executive Proton]

If you're feeling ambitious, you could always try some of the hits by master jazz pianist Thelonius Monk. His stuff is usually a crowd pleaser.