"Sing us a song, you're the piano man / Sing us a song tonight / We're all in the mood for a melody / And you've got us feeling all right." -- from "The Piano Man," by Billy Joel

Unlike the setting for Billy Joel's "The Piano Man," it's not "nine o'clock on a Saturday" and there's no "old man ... making love to his tonic and gin." But piano man Jonathan Turner plays for a mixed crowd that includes business people on their lunch hour, and he's making them feel all right -- or at least providing a welcome mid-day respite.

"Mojo's is a nice place. You're really up close to the audience," Mr. Turner said. "I appreciate the RME for giving these opportunities to local musicians."

Pop and jazz standards, popular show tunes and the like -- the kind of songs the 43-year-old "grew up with in the '70s" -- make up his repertoire. That includes James Taylor, Elton John and Paul Simon, as well as George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Rodgers and Hammerstein, and Stephen Sondheim.

Mr. Turner performed at the RME's "open mic" competition, along with singer Susan McPeters, winning a shot to perform in the RME's Redstone Room. He plays weekly at Rock Island Kiwanis lunches and also has played at Davenport's LeClaire Park summer music series and entertained the late-dinner crowd at Portabella's Italian Bistro in Moline.

In addition, he served as the music director (and sang a duet) for the Playcrafters Barn Theatre's Harold Arlen revue in 2003, and also directed the music and served as accompanist for New Ground Theatre's "Journey for a Reason" in 2006. He regularly plays at Zion Lutheran Church in Davenport, as well as doing the occasional wedding or club event.

When listening to music, his favorites include Diana Krall, Alison Krauss, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Eva Cassidy and Shawn Colvin.

He developed his appreciation for music at a young age while growing up in Milwaukee. "My parents were big supporters of music. They were symphony subscribers. So, I started playing the piano at age six and (ended up) taking lessons at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music."

Despite earning his B.A. and Masters in music and knowing that he wanted it to be part of his life, he "lacked the temperament and personality to be a teacher" -- pursuing journalism as a career after writing for his college newspapers and working as an intern for a Connecticut paper.

Mr. Turner is a reporter for The Dispatch, Rock Island Argus and Q-C Leader -- that is, when he's not playing the piano man.

If you go

What: Live Lunch with Jonathan Turner

When: Tuesdays from noon to 1 p.m. through November

Where: Mojo's, River Music Experience, 2nd and Main Street, Davenport

Tickets: No admission charge but donations are encouraged

More information: (563) 326-1333