• An Ode to the Squeezebox – The New York Sun
  “Forget the iPhone, China, and independents running for president. The next big thing is something else entirely: accordions.” In advance of this weekend’s Main Squeeze Accordion Festival, the New York Sun pays tribute to our favorite instrument.
• Local musician dies, leaves legacy – The Monitor
  Pedro Ayala Jr. — son of conjunto pioneer Pedro Ayala and accordionist in Los Hermanos Ayala — died unexpectedly of a heart attack last weekend. He was 62.

As the dog days of summer take hold, who can resist the siren call of the ice cream truck? I sure can’t; the stacks of Choco Tacos in my freezer are proof.

Gothamist today has a fun interview with Michael Hearst, who loves ice cream but grew tired of hearing trucks play the same old songs summer after summer. So he sat down and created an entire album of new music for ice cream trucks, appropriately titled Songs for Ice Cream Trucks, with song titles like “The Popsicle Parade”, “Tones for Cones”, and my favorite, “Chocolate, Vanilla or Swirl?”

As with his work in One Ring Zero, Hearst uses a variety of eclectic instruments — including accordion, melodica, claviola, glockenspiel, and theremin — to evoke memories of childhood summers, but without the tinny, repetitive renditions of “Pop Goes the Weasel.” The album was featured on a Today Show segment and more than fifty trucks nationwide are now playing his music. The track linked below is one of the album’s more melancholy tunes: a rumination on where ice cream trucks go during the winter.

Buy Songs for Ice Cream Trucks by Michael Hearst (Amazon)

Michael Hearst: Where Do Ice Cream Trucks Go In the Winter? (MP3 download)

That’s right — we’ve finally given in to the peer pressure and created a Let’s Polka profile over on MySpace. So if MySpace is your thing, add us as a friend and let the world know that you’ve sided with truth, justice, and the accordion way. If you’re a squeezebox-totin’ band or artist, adding us as a friend means that we’ll keep an extra-close eye on your gigs when we’re updating our accordion calendar (hint: free promotion!).

Crustacean Accordion Orchestra, uploaded by sameffron

It’s not everyday that you see a group of marching, accordion-playing shrimp, but then again, Coney Island’s Mermaid Parade isn’t an everyday event. This shot catches the ladies of the Main Squeeze Accordion Orchestra squeezing their way through last month’s parade and sporting some truly fantastic shrimp hats. (Check out their costumes from last year’s parade, too.)

Update: For more accordion shrimp, check out this excellent photoset from one of the Main Squeezers.

What happens in Vegas doesn’t always stay in Vegas. I found this video of 15-year-old Gary Blair Jr. performing Monti’s Czardas at the Las Vegas International Accordion Convention last week. The accordion is in Gary’s blood — his father is a former UK accordion champion and his grandfather ran the Jimmy Blair Accordion School in Glasgow, Scotland. As you can see from the video, Gary Jr. isn’t half bad himself…

Bobby Jones — leader and accordion player for the Bobby Jones Czech Band in Wharton, Texas — has been missing for the past four days. Jones was last seen on Friday evening and didn’t turn up for his Saturday morning polka radio show at KULP (1390 AM) in El Campo, Texas.

The Bobby Jones Polka Band has been a mainstay of the Southeast Texas polka circuit for nearly 26 years and has even made appearances on RFD-TV’s Big Joe Polka Show. Jones also hosts a popular radio show seven days a week, playing a mix of polka and western swing.

If you have any information about Bobby’s whereabouts, get in touch with the Wharton Country Sheriff’s Department.

• SPIN.com: Great Lakes Myth Society
  SPIN’s Artist of the Day, Great Lakes Myth Society plays “Northern Rock” — smart folk-rock with hints of accordion, fiddle, and banjo. Their new record, “Compass Rose Bouquet”, comes out on July 10th.
• The Buffalo News: Ruda’s Records is Closing
  After 57 years in business, Ruda’s Records in Buffalo is closing this Saturday. Ruda’s specialized in polka records and unique Polish items.
• Polka band records live album – mlive.com
  “Cheap Trick made a live album at Budokan. The Doors did theirs at the Hollywood Bowl… Jeff Mleczko and DynaBrass, however, figured there was only one place to record a polka-music album live: the St. Stan’s Polish Festival in Bay City.”

Summer is officially here and the accordion calendar is heating up…

• Polka Fireworks Festival (Fri-Tue in Champion, PA)
  More than 25 of the nation’s top polka bands will be at Seven Springs Resort this week for six days of nonstop polka fireworks. The festival includes after hours jam sessions, as well as polka music and dance lessons.
• Sunny Sauceda Accordion Clinic (Saturday in Lubbock, TX)
  Hohner and Tarpley Music are sponsoring a series of accordion clinics led by two-time Grammy winner Sunny Sauceda (formerly of Grupo Vida). I’m guessing he could teach you a thing or two.
• Tex-Mex Polka Dance Party (Saturday in Austin, TX)
  Is it just me or does the Austin Moose Lodge #1735 have the best parties ever? I mean, what other Moose Lodge has a membership dance (open to the public!) with Brave Combo and Los Idolos del Barrio? I still don’t know what a Moose is, but I don’t care. Sign me up!

Is there something squeeze-worthy going on in your neighborhood? Let us know and we’ll get it on the calendar.

A few months ago, I wrote about a vintage Galanti accordion ad promoting their Super Dominator line of accordions. Recently, an Italian reader sent me a Galanti brochure from the same period (around 1950), as well as a photo of his own Super Dominator. According to the brochure:

“This sensitive musical instrument will outperform any other comparable accordion. It is the supreme achievement of the Galanti artisans… the culmination of a half-century of musical craftsmanship.”

The ads don’t lie — this was an excellent accordion and one of the world’s best during its time. (Thanks Alberto!)