Lee Allen is a solo pianist providing the sound of a professional jazz ensemble playing background music for receptions, dinners and quieter parties.
Lee Allen’s music style is unique -- popular music influenced by jazz and classical/romantic harmony and structure. Lee Allen's real experience in bands enables him to deliver a trio sound that is as authentic as the sound of three persons.
Lee Allen is a Preferred Vendor of the Los Altos Golf and Country Club, the Palo Alto Hills Golf and Country Club, the San Jose Country Club, the Hillsborough Racquet Club and the Saratoga Country Club. Lee Allen has more than a dozen references from a variety of settings available on request.
36 reviews
Jane S.
November 21, 2025This is the third time we have had the pleasure of having Lee Allen play the piano for our annual party. He knows how to be in the background so people can talk but his talent and repertoire are outstanding. He is super nice and everyone likes him.
Hired as: Jazz Pianist
Lisa B.
August 22, 2022Lee Allen is a wonderful pianist with a great repertoire, just a beautiful chordal sense.
It's a thoroughly elegant sound.
He used our old baby grand to play the great 40s standards we requested for our mom's birthday celebration. He's a complete pro - prompt, prepared, adaptable, genial. Would highly recommend for your gathering.
Hired as: Pianist
Lee Allen - Pianist
Thank you so much Lisa - It was a pleasure to be of service. :-)
Valerie E.
December 13, 2021Lee Allen provided the tasteful, swinging, welcoming background piano music for the 90th birthday party I hosted aboard the Delta King riverboat hotel in Sacramento for the matriarch of my husband's family. As a professional musician myself, I know talent when I hear it, and I am very pleased to report that Mr. Allen was every inch the consummate, talented professional musician that anyone would hope to find. His unique "one-man-combo" style that utilizes keyboard, percussion and bass effectively filled up the space with gentle rhythmic effects and pleasing tonalities that went far beyond the sounds of a solo piano. Mr. Allen was a genuine pleasure to work with. He was responsive to all communications, showed up promptly at the appointed time, and had excellent stage appeal. His musical repertoire was perfect for my event, during which he played a nice mix of jazz standards and holiday tunes, all while adding his own imaginative riffs and subtle improvisations. His sense of timing during the party was impeccable, and he skillfully blended a mix of tunes to create a lovely, up-beat mood while maintaining enough variety to keep our ears awake and interested. I highly recommend Mr. Allen without reservation, and I would definitely hire him again in the future should the opportunity arise.
Hired as: Pianist
Valerie E.
December 13, 2021Lee Allen provided the tasteful, swinging, welcoming background piano music for the 90th birthday party I hosted aboard the Delta King riverboat hotel in Sacramento for the matriarch of my husband's family. As a professional musician myself, I know talent when I hear it, and I am very pleased to report that Mr. Allen was every inch the consummate, talented professional musician that anyone would hope to find. His unique "one-man-combo" style that utilizes keyboard, percussion and bass effectively filled up the space with gentle rhythmic effects and pleasing tonalities that went far beyond the sounds of a solo piano. Mr. Allen was a genuine pleasure to work with. He was responsive to all communications, showed up promptly at the appointed time, and had excellent stage appeal. His musical repertoire was perfect for my event, during which he played a nice mix of jazz standards and holiday tunes, all while adding his own imaginative riffs and subtle improvisations. His sense of timing during the party was impeccable, and he skillfully blended a mix of tunes to create a lovely, up-beat mood while maintaining enough variety to keep our ears awake and interested. I highly recommend Mr. Allen without reservation, and I would definitely hire him again in the future should the opportunity arise.
Hired as: Pianist
Lee Allen - Pianist
Thank you so much Valerie! It was my pleasure. :-)
Jane S.
December 10, 2021We had a very small cocktail party in our condo and Lee was the perfect talent to make the party festive and fun. He arrived on time, got acquainted with our piano and played for several hours straight. His background jazz of familiar songs was just what our party needed. A good time was had by all.
Hired as: Jazz Pianist
Price range: Typically $175 - 500 depending on details
Languages: English
Gig length: 30 - 300 minutes
Unions: None
Total relaxation and rejuvenation as one listens to the sound of a jazz combo, playing standards, jazz and pop as instrumental background music.
Or... nothing, it's background music and designed to not get too much in the way.
Memphis, Tennessee. MIT. Carolina Piedmont. Silicon Valley. Blues in Mississippi. Taiko in Kyoto. Lee is on a quest, and it shows in his music.
The quest? To go beyond diversity and variety. Learning how we each are different is just a start; Lee is exploring how we are the same. And it shows in his music.
The goal? Bring out the best of every music. "The most important quality of a good arranger is insight", says Allen. "You've got to size up the song as though it were a person - it actually is somebody's baby, you know." Bring out the key strengths of the song, apply insight, look at the song a new way - the result is an arrangement that speaks directly to the listener's heart.
Insight, in this case, has been gained from a varied playing history that started when Lee began playing Memphis nightclubs at the age of 14 (don't tell!) in the late 60's. Lee later helped introduce a gospel choir to the MIT campus (and also held the pianist slot in the university's A-list jazz band for four years), arranged for pop and contemporary Christian singers during the '70's and '80's, and organized music programs in Cambridge, Massachusetts and Silicon Valley, California.
One summer job during college consisted of organizing friends into a band and touring Mississippi with soul legends Ollie Nightingale and an artist known only as "Big Daddy". Twenty days after the end of the tour, Lee was back in Boston, playing under the direction of Herb Pomeroy of the Berklee School of Music.
Lee does not use any high-minded labels for his work. "It's just pop," Lee says. "But I believe that pop music is very important because it is the prime indicator of where the general population stands musically at any given time."
"Music is a language of feelings and emotions. So, when I arrange or compose, I imagine "the listener" saying 'I am opening a door to my feelings, don't abuse my trust'. I understand that everybody likes a wild ride now and then, but I leave that music for others to make."
Lee seeks the themes that unify us and inspire us, that build us up. And it shows in his music.
I will plan to arrive 30-60 minutes prior to event start for setup.
Minimum setup area is 8' wide by 6' front-to-rear.
I require only one outlet and my equipment draws less current than a steam iron.
For outside events, my equipment requires a rigid surface (such as concrete, stone, blacktop, wood decking) and a grounded outlet with GFCI.
Corporate events: I have W9 available in PDF format.
Thursday
Cocktail Party
6:00pm - 9:30pm
•
San Francisco, CA
Friday
Wedding Cocktail Hour
5:30pm - 8:00pm
•
Millbrae, CA
Wednesday
Corporate Event
11:30am - 1:30pm
•
Mountain View, CA
Saturday
Christmas Party
4:30pm - 7:30pm
•
Oakland, CA
Saturday
Birthday Party
4:00pm - 7:00pm
•
Berkeley, CA
Thursday
Funeral/Memorial Service
11:00am - 12:00pm
•
Palo Alto, CA
Sunday
Birthday Party
11:00am - 2:00pm
•
Sacramento, CA
Thursday
Cocktail Party
6:00pm - 8:00pm
•
San Francisco, CA
Tuesday
Anniversary Party
12:00pm - 1:00pm
•
Burlingame, CA
Thursday
Corporate Event
7:00pm - 10:30pm
•
San Francisco, CA
Friday
Cocktail Party
5:00pm - 8:00pm
•
Belvedere Tiburon, CA
Saturday
Graduation
12:30pm - 2:30pm
•
Sacramento, CA
Saturday
Wedding Cocktail Hour
3:30pm - 5:30pm
•
Berkeley, CA
Saturday
Christmas Party
11:00am - 1:00pm
•
San Mateo, CA
Wednesday
Christmas Party
6:00pm - 9:30pm
•
Burlingame, CA
Saturday
Birthday (Adult)
2:00pm - 6:00pm
•
Oakland, CA
Thursday
Product Promotion
6:00pm - 9:00pm
•
Santa Clara, CA
Wednesday
Cocktail Party
6:00pm - 9:00pm
•
San Francisco, CA
Saturday
Surprise
12:00pm - 1:00pm
•
Santa Clara, CA
Tuesday
Concert
3:00pm - 4:00pm
•
Palo Alto, CA
Saturday
Cocktail Party
6:30pm - 10:30pm
•
Los Gatos, CA
Saturday
Corporate Event
6:30pm - 8:00pm
•
Pleasanton, CA
Monday
Cocktail Party
8:30pm - 10:30pm
•
San Francisco, CA
Saturday
Wedding Engagement
12:00pm - 5:00pm
•
Pleasanton, CA
Friday
House Party
5:30pm - 7:00pm
•
Palo Alto, CA
Saturday
Cocktail Party
8:00pm - 10:30pm
•
San Mateo, CA
Saturday
Cocktail Party
4:30pm - 7:00pm
•
San Francisco, CA
Thursday
Cocktail Party
5:00pm - 8:00pm
•
Oakland, CA
Saturday
Cocktail Party
8:00pm - 10:00pm
•
San Mateo, CA
Saturday
Corporate Event
6:00pm - 8:00pm
•
Danville, CA
Saturday
Birthday Party
4:00pm - 9:00pm
•
Santa Cruz, CA
Set list varies by engagement, and is subject to revision in real time depending on the situation.
--- These are style influences, not in order and not necessarily their tunes ---
Booker T and the MG's
Boston Pops (Arthur Fiedler)
John Williams
Ramsey Lewis
Ahmad Jamal
Herbie Hancock
Bert Kaempfert
Ray Anthony
Billy May
Neal Hefti
Annunzio Paolo Mantovani
Floor Area 8' wide by 6' front-to-rear
One working standard electrical outlet (for outside venues, GFCI outlet)
For outside events, a rigid surface (such as concrete, stone, blacktop, wood decking)
"(Lee) Allen is a wonderful entertainer. His music was very relaxing and mellow at our vineyard blessing. He was great to work with. I would definitely hire him again."
– CR, 10/04/2008, Vineyard Blessing, Morgan Hill, CA
"Lee was on time, had everything set up and ready to go and did a great job of entertaining our guests. We were very pleased with his services and his professional courtesies".
– SB, 12/20/2006, Corporate Function, Sunnyvale, CA
"Excellent"
– EW, 2/15/2006, Corporate Function, Sacramento, CA
"He was great!"
– JA, 7/14/2007, Private Party, Hayward, CA
"Fantastic! I was planning an event from across the country, and Lee was so helpful with everything. His performance was wonderful, and I had people coming up to me throughout the night telling me how much they were enjoying his music. I highly recommend Lee to anyone, and hope that one day in the future I may be able to work with him again!"
– KS, 4/10/2008, Convention, San Francisco, CA
"We were very pleased with Mr. Allen. He arrived early, was well prepared, and entertained our guests for five hours on a very warm day. The Foothill Club was air-conditioned, but the stage, where he performed using the club's Steinway piano, was still quite warm. We received many compliments on his performance, and several people said he was "a real trooper", since they knew he kept playing even though at times it was uncomfortably warm on stage. If the occasion arises, we will certainly ask him to entertain for us again."
– FT, 5/17/2008, Anniversary, Saratoga, CA
"Mr. Lee Allen is a true professional. My Christmas Party was a wonderful success! Everyone of my guests truly enjoyed the musical talents of Mr. Allen. I would recommend him to any of my friends. Thank you very much."
– LR, 12/16/2006, Private Party, San Francisco, CA
"I was extremely pleased with Lee Allen's performance at our company Winter Party. His background music was perfect for our event and I couldn't have asked for anything more. He also accomodated a request for a hand microphone for our door prize give away without blinking an eye. Thank you, Lee!!"
– DE, 1/19/2007, Corporate Function, San Jose, CA
"It was lovely to hear Lee's fine talent on our piano. He provided wonderful light background jazz for our dinner party. Much appreciated."
– MD, 10/6/2007, Private Party, San Rafael, CA
"(Lee Allen) was very professional, got back to me right away via email, the same day... His music at the party was so fantastic and professional, I thought I was at an upscale restaurant and we had the party outdoors in the backyard and his music made my whole party come together...He was great!"
– LG, 10/25/2008, Birthday Party, Belvedere, CA
"Very Professional and offered good suggestions with the (sound) level when it came to the crowd! I appreciated that tremendously."
– TC, 10/28/2008, Bank Grand Opening, Oakland, CA
"Lee was great. I will definitely hire him again, as well as recommend him to friends."
– PS, 8/2/2008, Birthday Party, Los Altos, CA
"it was great, the music was for the background to the dinner and activities and (Lee Allen) was able to do that. thanks."
– TF, 12/1/2007, Corporate Function, Granite Bay, CA
"Lee Allen is a fantastic entertainer. My guests are still talking about how much they enjoyed the background music he performed at my Holiday Dessert Party. Lee arrived well in advance to set up and to make sure he was ready upon the arrival of my first guest. Lee is very talented which was reflected in the variety of music he plays. I highly recommend Lee, I promise you will not be disappointed!"
– LW, 12/29/2007, Private Party, San Leandro, CA
"We extend our appreciation to Lee Allen for an exceptional performance. He performed for both of our parent's 80th milestone birthdays. In both events he arrived on time and accommodated us with appropriate songs of our parent's era. Looking forward to hiring him for more events in the future. Thanks, again...you made our day more memorable."
– R, 9/21/2008, Private Party, San Jose, CA
"I was very satisfied with his overall playing ability as well as he was in character for our party. He played songs in the era which the party was taken place in. He was very professional and really listened to the guests. I strongly recommend Lee for your next event, he was great."
– DD, 12/13/2008, Private Party, San Jose, CA
"Lee Allen arrived early to set up and to make sure that all was ready for the start of my party. He was very professional, kind and extremely talented. By far he is the best performer I have ever hired. I thank him for making my party such a success!"
– IW, 12/6/2008, Christmas Party, Oakland, CA
Jazz Pianist
