This is huge news; until now, Cajun/Zydeco artists have been lumped into the folk category, competing with Dylan and Springsteen. Even then, four Cajun/Zydeco musicians have won Grammys: Queen Ida in 1982, Clifton Chenier in 1983, Rockin’ Sidney in 1985 and BeauSoleil in 1997. With the recent influx of young, talented Cajun musicians, this should be a great showcase for Cajun/Zydeco music (and a competitive category) for years to come.
The beauty of online music services like iTunes is that they offer instant access to hard-to-find music. No waiting, no standing in line, no condescending looks from record store clerks when you’re picking up the latest polka CD (ahem)… just instant gratification for music lovers. But even iTunes’ vast catalog has some holes — particularly when it comes to solo and ensemble accordion music.
Accordionist Lenny Feldmann (the “Cordeen Man”) is trying to fill those holes, though, with his own all-accordion online music service. Just like iTunes, you can listen to samples, buy entire albums or mix and match tracks at 99 cents a pop. There are currently over 200 tracks available, including selections by Frank Marocco, Zevy Zions, and the Accordion Pops Orchestra. It’s definitely worth checking out and, hopefully, the selection will continue to grow over time.
Remember Liam O’Connor, the Irish button accordionist who set the Guinness record for “Fastest Fingers in the World” last year? I’d like to see him go up against Alexander Dmitriev, shown here performing Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Flight of the Bumblebee” on the bayan (a Russian chromatic accordion). My fingers got tangled up just watching it.
“Blast from the Bayou” Cajun/Zydeco Festival (Thu-Sun in Preston, CT) I don’t normally think of Connecticut as a zydeco hotspot, but this weekend’s Cajun/Zydeco festival in Strawberry Park brings Louisiana’s best to the Nutmeg State. Featuring Geno Delafose, Steve Riley, Chris Ardoin, Corey Ledet, the Pine Leaf Boys, the Savoy-Doucet Cajun Band, and many more.
Syracuse Polish Festival (Fri-Sun in Syracuse, NY) The 53rd Syracuse Polish Festival raises money for the Polish Scholarship Fund and features a slew of polka bands, including Lenny Gomulka and Chicago Push, Stephanie and her Honky Band, and Fritz’s Polka Band.
Registration Open for Camp AccordionLand 2007 You can now register online for Camp AccordionLand, which takes place August 10-12 in Tilden Park in Berkeley, CA. Check the site for full class descriptions and instructor bios.
Accordion player casts a spell in Music in Time Rave review of Guy Klucevsek’s performance at the Spoleto Festival in Charleston, SC last night. Klucevsek “demonstrated the almost mystical power of his instrument, the accordion.”
It’s time to haul those big accordions out of the closet, dust ’em off, and give ’em a squeeze. And for the non-players out there, support your local accordionist! Check out our calendar for accordion-related events near you!
The accordion blog scene keeps growing! The latest addition is the Cajun Squeezebox Blog. Written by a native of Lafayette, Louisiana, it focuses on Cajun accordion news and events, as well as occasional tablatures (notes and lyrics) so you can play along at home. Last week, they featured the “The Convict Waltz” (or “La Valse de Quatre-Vingt Dix-Neuf Ans”) which was popularized by the late Cajun accordion legend, Iry LeJeune.
Pepe Maldonado – Tejano Music Forum Pepe Maldonado is a semi-retired Tejano musician who dedicates his spare time to keeping traditional conjunto music alive. He hosts weekly Sunday night dances at La Lomita Park in McAllen, TX; this week, Los Fantasmas del Valle are playing.
Hiram College T-Shirt Deal The Hiram College Library is trying to increase its collection of local music in all styles, including polka. Northeast Ohio musicians are invited to swap a CD for a Hiram College t-shirt. It’s a win-win: get a shirt and a chance to tap a new audience.
NPR : Denver Band DeVotchKa Channels Russian Chanson An interview with DeVotchKa frontman Nick Urata before their recent performance of Russian chanson in LA. He talks a bit about growing up around “accordion music and immigrants dancing holding hands,” a feeling DeVotchKa tries to capture in its music.
We’ve mentioned jazz accordion here before, but never jazz ukulele, and certainly never the two together. However, this clip of swingin’ Japanese ukulele duo TTCafe (with guests) covers it all. A fairly straightforward rendition of the Stevie Wonder classic “Sir Duke” morphs into a spirited give-and-take between Kunitaka Watanabe on accordion and Takashi Nakamura on ukulele.
For over fifty years, the Hohner Gola has been the top model in Hohner’s accordion line. The instrument is named for master accordion builder Giovanni Gola, who worked for Hohner from 1952 to 1972. You can’t just walk into a music store and buy a Gola, though — each instrument is hand-built and made to the specifications of its future owner.
If you can’t wait for Hohner to make you one, though, check out this auction for a one-of-a-kind “sub-octave” Hohner Gola prototype dating from 1953 (three years before the line was introduced). It comes with a letter of authenticity from the Hohner factory in Trossingen, Germany, as well as a handwritten note from Giovanni Gola himself describing the instrument. The asking price is a mere €50,000, or approximately $67,000. Cheap!
The beauty of online music services like iTunes is that they offer instant access to hard-to-find music. No waiting, no standing in line, no condescending looks from record store clerks when you’re picking up the latest polka CD (ahem)… just instant gratification for music lovers. But even iTunes’ vast catalog has some holes — particularly when it comes to solo and ensemble accordion music.
The accordion blog scene keeps growing! The latest addition is the 