Apparently no one in America is blogging about Canadian folk singer/accordionist Maria Dunn, so we’ll just have to do it ourselves. Born in Scotland and raised in Ontario and Alberta, Dunn brings characters to life in original music that pays homage to her Celtic roots and Canadian upbringing.
Her most recent album, We Were Good People, is practically a Ken Burns documentary of turn-of-the-century Alberta, painting vivid pictures of farmers, soldiers, and day laborers struggling to get by. But it’s no dry history lesson; Dunn’s sharp, inspiring lyrics are backed by eclectic instrumentation that toes the line between Celtic and bluegrass beautifully.
This track, “Can You Blame the Poor Miner?”, pays tribute to beleaguered Crow’s Nest Pass miners during Prohibition:
A true accordion prodigy, Joey Miskulin first picked up an accordion at age four and made his first record at twelve. When he was thirteen, Miskulin’s career took off and he became a featured accordionist in his idol Frankie Yankovic’s band. It was a partnership that lasted for over thirty-five years, as Miskulin frequently joined Yankovic both in the studio and on the road, and even produced Yankovic’s Grammy-winning album, 70 Years of Hits.
In 1987, Miskulin moved to Nashville and hooked up with Western music and comedy group Riders in the Sky, known for paying homage (and poking fun) at the classic cowboy songs of yesteryear. Today, he still plays accordion, writes, and produces albums for the group, including their work for the Pixar movies Toy Story 2, Monsters Inc., and Cars. Here’s a Riders in the Sky clip with Miskulin singing Webb Pierce’s “Texas Sand”:
Ivan Milev Band (Tuesday in New York, NY) Bulgarian accordion legend Ivan Milev plays rousing Balkan folk music with virtuoso technique. Watch this clip and try to keep up with his fingers.
Rice and Gravy Cook-Off (Saturday in Lafayette, LA) Mmm… the Louisiana Beef Council’s Rice and Gravy Cook-Off promises free rice and gravy samples, plus zydeco music from Kevin Naquin and the Ossun Playboys, Terry and the Zydeco Bad Boys, Donnie Broussard and Louisiana Stars, and more. First 500 people get a 1 lb. bag of rice!
Jason Webley (various dates) The charismatic, tomato-lovin’ singer/songwriter/accordionist continues his East Coast tour this week with dates in New York and Massachusetts.
In other news, our calendar is no longer limited to North America — we now list events in the United Kingdom and (soon) the rest of Europe. So if you have an accordion event coming up soon, even if it’s across the sea, let us know.
Best known as a member of both DeVotchKa and the Denver Gentlemen, accordionist/violinist Tom Hagerman recently released his first solo album, The Breakfast Playground. Named for a children’s playground at a Denver mall, the album showcases Hagerman’s diverse talents through original instrumentals performed almost entirely on his own.
Like the music of DeVotchKa, Hagerman’s songs have a dramatic, cinematic quality, inviting listeners on a journey. The train noises that open “So Tired” lead into a Eastern European melody that makes you think you’ve just stepped off the train in Budapest. The swirling mix of accordion, violin, and piano on songs like “Twice Told Tale”, “Home Again”, and “Charlotte Mittnacht” (which DeVotchKa fans may recognize from their 2004 album, How It Ends) call to mind Yann Tiersen’s Amelie soundtrack.
The Breakfast Playground draws you into a world where toy pianos and children’s voices mingle with soaring violin figures and accordion rhythms. Definitely a world worth escaping (and listening) to.
Yesterday’s Monty comic is probably a good indication of how my neighbors feel. I almost always warm up by playing “Beer Barrel Polka”; maybe it’s time to mix up my practice repertoire… just for my own safety.
I’m not sure we can fit another accordion in our house, but I’d make room for this gorgeous acoustic wood accordion built by Victoria Accordions in Castelfidardo, Italy. Victoria was founded by Dario Dari and Adriano Picchietti in 1919 and continues to produce high-quality accordions today for artists like Richard Galliano, Coba (Yasuhiro Kobayashi), and Bjarke Mogensen. They also make wood diatonic accordions and bandoneons that are equally stunning.
(I found this photo over at Squeezytunes, which is one of our favorite accordion sites. If you enjoy pictures of strange and beautiful keyboard instruments — and who doesn’t? — check it out.)
One band I missed in my SXSW accordion recap was Shawn Sahm and the Tex Mex Experience. As you might have guessed, Shawn is the son of the late Doug Sahm, founder of the Sir Douglas Quintet and Texas Tornados.
The Tex Mex Experience is quickly making a name for themselves with their high-energy, accordion-fueled Texas rock, and have opened shows for Los Lonely Boys, Robert Cray, and Susan Tedeschi. And this review of their SXSW showcase suggests they’re ready to break out:
“The fusion of all-out rock, hot-licks accordion and guitar, spot-on vocals and catchy, hook-laden songs is irresistible. If the business types from the music industry are worried about marketing a rock band with an accordion, they need to get over it, strap on their dancing shoes and unleash the Tex-Mex Experience.”
Here’s a live clip of the Tex Mex Experience playing “Why Doncha?”; watch for the accordion solo (by former Texmaniac Michael Guerra) halfway through.
Lenny Gomulka and Chicago Push (Thursday-Sunday in Florida) Lenny and his band leave chilly Chicago for a week of shows in sunny Florida. Think of it as spring training for polka musicians.
T. Broussard and the Zydeco Steppers (Sunday in New York, NY) Laura Selikson and Let’s Zydeco (no relation to Let’s Polka) have been bringing the biggest and best zydeco acts to New York City for years. This week, T. Broussard goes North for a hot show at Connolly’s on 45th.
Remember, if there’s an accordion event in your area and it isn’t on our calendar, tell us about it!
Think you’ve got what it takes to be the next accordion king or queen? If you’re a young (under 28), talented Texan accordion player — or know someone who is — visit the Texas Folklife website to learn more about their upcoming Big Squeeze competition.
The top prize is $1,000 ($500 and $250 to 2nd and 3rd place winners) and famed Texas director Hector Galán will film the competition for a documentary. The top three finalists will also squeeze their stuff in front of thousands at the 18th annual Accordion Kings & Queens concert on June 2nd at Houston’s Miller Outdoor Theatre. If you’re interested, hurry — entries are due by April 16th.
This week, the music industry is focused on Austin, TX, home of the annual South by Southwest (SXSW) music festival. With over a thousand acts performing at more than fifty venues over the course of five days, it’s a music lover’s dream.
Just like last year, we’ve sifted through this year’s schedule and found a few accordion-toting artists worth checking out:
Beirut
I can’t believe I haven’t written about Beirut here before! 20-year-old Zach Condon’s Balkan-inspired album Gulag Orkestar made him one of the indie rock darlings of 2006. After listening to him croon over enchanting accordion lines, it’s easy to see why. Beirut: Elephant Gun
KTU (Pohjonen, Gunn, Mastelotto)
Avant garde Finnish accordionist Kimmo Pohjonen’s mission is to “expand the capabilities, sound, performance, scope and experience of the accordion to levels never before seen or heard.” Joined by guitarist Trey Gunn and percussionist Pat Mastelotto, he’s well on his way. KTU (Pohjonen, Gunn, Mastelotto): Absinth
Pistolera
Based in New York City, Pistolera fuses traditional Mexican music with electric rock rhythms. The band features vocalist and guitarist Sandra Lilia Velásquez along with the driving accordion melodies of Maria Elena. Pistolera: Cazador
Asakusa Jinta
This “hardcore marching brass band” from Asakusa (Tokyo’s old downtown), Japan, plays modern, rollicking rockabilly, armed with accordion, saxophones, trombones, tuba, and stand-up bass. They sound like they’d be one hell of a live band; luckily, they’ll be in San Francisco next week! Asakusa Jinta: Tokyo East End Rockers
The Cassettes
Cajun accordion, theremin, dobro, and tabla all find their way into the music of this Washington DC “rock n’ roll vaudeville western band.” Like so many bands at SXSW, their sound isn’t easily summed up in a sentence; just listen to the MP3: The Cassettes: Lady Faire
Apparently no one in America is blogging about Canadian folk singer/accordionist Maria Dunn, so we’ll just have to do it ourselves. Born in Scotland and raised in Ontario and Alberta, Dunn brings characters to life in original music that pays homage to her Celtic roots and Canadian upbringing.
