• Kimmo Pohjonen: Accordionist Extraordinaire
  All About Jazz has an excellent interview with Finnish avant-garde accordionist Kimmo Pohjonen. “With the aid of added microphones, digital relays and delays, he has dragged the accordion wheezing, shrieking and wailing into the new century.”
• Acco Duo
  Ivana Levak Vaupotić and Miran Vaupotić are a young Croatian duo (she’s 28, he’s 23) who play classical accordion and bandoneón. Not only are they incredible performers, but their goal is to start a Croatian accordion school.
• Barry Manilow on Jimmy Kimmel Live
  Everyone played the accordion when they were a kid — even Barry Manilow. In this clip from Jimmy Kimmel Live (jump to the half-way point), Barry complains about the instrument and even plays a few bars of “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?” and “Like a Virgin” on the accordion. (Thanks Zevy!)

• Give Me a Squeeze
  Interesting Sydney Morning Herald piece on collecting concertinas. “The humble concertina (often called a squeeze box) was the home-entertainment system of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.”
• Music Review: Dropkick Murphys – The Meanest of Times
  Review of the new Dropkick Murphys album, out yesterday. For an example of their punk-meets-accordion-and-banjo style, check out the video for “I’m Shipping Up to Boston”, which was used in Martin Scorcese’s The Departed.
• The Eddie Van Halen of the Accordion
  The Muskegon Chronicle promotes the David Munnelly Band before their performance last Sunday at the Michigan Irish Music Festival. “He’s the buzz in Celtic music right now.”

• YouTube: World Accordion Orchestra
  A great Coupe Mondiale clip of the World Accordion Orchestra performing Leonard Stack’s commissioned piece, “Lest We Forget.” Directed by Joan Sommers, the orchestra included 166 players from 13 nations and 20 states.
• Le festival des Nuits de Nacre 2007 (site in French)
  The ‘Nuits de Nacre’ accordion festival is taking place this weekend in Tulle, France, with more than 40 different accordionists performing. Artists include Marcel Azzola, Jerome Richard, and Kimmo Pohjonen.
• Corn Mo: Monsters of Accordion: Jason’s Place
  Corn Mo has been posting day-by-day recaps of last month’s Monsters of Accordion tour. In this episode, the Monsters hang out at Jason Webley’s floating riverside home.

• Chango Spasiuk On Tour
  Whoa! Argentinian accordion virtuoso Chango Spasiuk is touring the United States later this month and into October. The dates include performances at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and the International Accordion Festival in San Antonio. Definitely a must-see if he’s in your area.
• YouTube: Alexander Sevastian at Coupe Mondiale
  Great clip of Coupe Mondiale winner Alexander Sevastian performing Fantasy, Op. 67 by Karen Fremar. When he’s not busy winning accordion competitions, Alexander performs with Quartetto Gelato.
• Jason Webley and Amanda Palmer: Elephant, Elephant
  Another collaborative project from Jason Webley, this time with Amanda Palmer of The Dresden Dolls. From the description: it “sounds like something the Andrews Sisters might have recorded if they had grown up in the circus listening to new wave music.”

• Houston Chronicle: Music is His Main Squeeze
  Profile of Ed Poullard, Creole accordion maker from Beaumont, Texas. Includes a brief video plus audio clips of his band, Les Amis Creole.
• Frankie Yankovic Square Dedicated in Cleveland
  Photos from Tuesday’s dedication of Frankie Yankovic Square in Frankie’s old neighborhood (corner of East 152nd St. and Waterloo) in Cleveland.
• Flickr: Monsters of Accordion
  Nice Flickr photoset of Monday’s Monsters of Accordion show at Fremont Abbey in Seattle. Looking forward to tomorrow night in San Francisco!

• Seacoast Online: Gary Sredzienski is Not Just the Polka Guy
  Candid interview with Gary Sredzienski, the “accordion warrior” who hosts the eclectic, long-running “Polka Party” radio show in New Hampshire. On his show: “This is about everyone, everyone taking an interest in their roots… their musical, the deep, rich history. It’s not about Polish culture, but about all and open-mindedness.”
• Kennedy Center Millennium Stage Concerts Online
  Watch and listen to this week’s Coupe Mondiale concerts from the Kennedy Center live online. The concerts start at 6pm Eastern, but will also be archived on the site for later viewing.
• Those Darn Accordions Album Pre-Release
  Place your order now for the new Those Darn Accordions album, Squeeze Machine, which comes out on September 18.

• Victoria Times Colonist: Squeezed by Stereotype
  Learn how the Victoria Accordion Club fights accordion stereotypes (and the ghost of Lawrence Welk) as they prepare for their Accordions by the Sea festival this weekend.
• Santa Barbara Independent: Squeezing Out Swinging Sparks
  “Jazz fans who reflexively smirk at the phrase ‘jazz accordion’ are actually blessed: They may be in for an awakening. Accordion jazz, while still a subcultural niche within jazz, can be uniquely exciting.” The Independent praises jazz accordion in advance of Frank Marocco’s gig on Monday.

Today’s links share a Cajun theme…

• Big Bayou Bandits: Fille De Houma
  Video clip of the Big Bayou Bandits, a fun Cajun band from Belgium (!) that melds Cajun, bluegrass, and rockabilly. (Found via Mister Anchovy)
• Cajun/Creole Accordion Builders
  A project from the creator of the Cajun Squeezebox Blog — a list of Cajun accordion builders both past and present, with contact information.
• Zydeco Vets Host Grammy Awards 101
  The Memphis chapter of the Recording Academy (including Terrance and Cynthia Simien) is holding a presentation in Vermilionville, LA for artists interested in joining the Academy and participating in the Grammy voting process. The event isn’t limited to Cajun/Zydeco, but I imagine anyone interested in the new Cajun/Zydeco Grammy category will want to attend.

• Historic Accordion Recordings on CD
  Remastered versions of classic accordion records on CD — including albums by Anthony Galla-Rini, Palmer & Hughes, Jo Basile, Charles Magnante, and Myron Floren. Must-haves for any accordionist’s music library.
• AAA Concert Series Schedule
  Eclectic list of performers at this weekend’s American Accordion Association event in New York City, including William Schimmel, Will Holshouser, Benjamin Ickies, Walter Kuhr (of Main Squeeze fame) and Lenny Feldmann (playing selections from Dark Side of the Moon!).