Enjoy jazz or showtunes? Check out Daccorduett — a new project from singer Konni Deppe and accordionist Andreas Hermeyer. Together, they give warm treatments to classic melodies like Henry Mancini’s “Crazy World” and “You and Me” (both from Victor/Victoria). They’ve played a handful of shows in Germany so far and are hoping to release a full album sometime this summer.
Daccorduett: Crazy World (MP3 download)
Like a norteño version of the Rolling Stones, Los Tigres del Norte show no signs of slowing down. Even after forty years and selling over 30 million records, the Hernández brothers (and cousin Oscar Lara) still play to packed houses night after night. In the late 60s and early 70s they revolutionized norteño music with electric instruments, pop/rock beats, and corridos about life on the border. Even today, Los Tigres don’t just sing to their audience, they sing about them — telling stories of the joys and heartaches of Mexican immigrants struggling to make it in America.
Last weekend, Los Tigres received glowing write-ups from both the Washington Post and the New York Times. The Washington Post article frames their story in the context of today’s immigration debate — showing how, despite their fame, they manage to stay close to their fans and stand up for them in their music. As bassist Hernán Hernández says, “People don’t just go [to our concerts] to party, they go for a purpose.” Don’t miss the excellent slideshow accompanying the article.
Meanwhile, the New York Times review of their concert at Brooklyn’s Bedford Armory depicts the bouncy, electric atmosphere of a show that lasted until 3am. Sounds like lead singer and accordionist Jorge Hernández had no trouble keeping the crowd going:
“… Adding stabs of accordion chords, he kept working through his battery of gestures of respect or supplication or triumph: doffing his cowboy hat and holding it out with arm fully extended, then putting it back in place, raising his fingers to his lips or his heart, putting forth a fist and shaking it once to signify firmness. He moved entirely in slow motion as the beat pumped behind him, and he was mesmerizing.”
Los Tigres del Norte have a new album due out on March 27 called Detalles y Emociones. The track below is from their most recent album, Historias Que Contar, which won “Best Norteño Album” at last weekend’s Grammys.
Los Tigres del Norte: Señor Locutor (MP3 download)
Lots of accordion happenings on the calendar this week — especially if you’re a fan of Cajun/zydeco music:
I’ve also added some often-requested features to the calendar itself. You can now search for events in your area — just type in your city and state and we’ll show you what we have listed. Also, when you’re looking at an event listing, we’ll show you other upcoming events in the same area. Check it out.
Of course, if you don’t find any events in your area or, worse, you know about an event but don’t see it on our calendar… tell us about it!
The ad wizards at Oscar Meyer recently held a nationwide contest to find a new voice for their “I wish I was an Oscar Mayer wiener…” jingle. After sifting through thousands of entries and public voting on twenty finalists, they finally have five winners — one of whom is eight-year-old zydeco accordion prodigy, Guyland Leday. We should see a TV commercial with Guyland and his accordion sometime later this year. In the meantime, you can watch Guyland’s winning performance on the Oscar Meyer website.
“We don’t need no education… we don’t need no thought control…” But what we do need are more bands like Polka Floyd, which plays — you guessed it — polka-style covers of Pink Floyd songs. There’s a rough clip of “Another Brick in the Wall” up on their MySpace page and it’s actually not half-bad. Polka fans might recognize two of the band’s members (accordionist Eric Hite and drummer Frank Dramczyk) from Eddie Biegaj’s Crusade.
If you’re in the Toledo area and have always wanted to hear Dark Side of the Moon with a 2/4 beat, you can catch Polka Floyd tonight at Mickey Finn’s Pub.
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A post-Grammy press release from LynnMarie, titled “LynnMarie is Donning Her Party Dress and is Ready to Move On,” suggests that the four-time polka Grammy nominee is branching out beyond her polka roots:
“Polka got me to the party, but now I want to get out there and start making music with and for people who think and create beyond the safety net of pigeonholing… Creatively, this experience is going to be the best thing that ever happened to me, and I’m excited to be moving on to bigger and better things in my career.”
Makes sense to me — Party Dress was closer to country than polka and I think she has the talent and drive to be successful in any genre (okay, opera might be a stretch). As long she keeps playing that button box, we’ll be listening!
Update: LynnMarie has posted a personal letter to her fans and friends in the polka community in which she discusses her future plans.
[Found via TDA’s Wall of Wheeze]
Tune into San Francisco radio station KFOG 104.5 tomorrow morning around 6:50am, and you should hear SF accordionist Tom Torriglia playing some romantic tunes on Dave Morey’s morning show. If you’re outside the Bay Area, you can listen online at KFOG.com.
Tom was also featured recently on a Canadian TV show called Careers TV, where they chronicled his passion for playing and promoting the accordion. (Look for episode #06-808 on their site for more info.) Maybe one of our Canadian readers can upload a clip to YouTube…
What’s happening in the accordion world this week?
Check our calendar for more accordion happenings in your neighborhood. And, as always, let us know if we’re missing any events in your area.
Another year, another “Best Polka Album” award for Jimmy Sturr, who won his 16th Grammy at tonight’s Grammy Awards. Mexican singer/accordionist Julieta Venegas took home “Best Latin Album” for Limon y Sal.
Other accordion-toting artists claiming Grammys tonight include the Klezmatics (“Best Contemporary World Music Album”), Los Tigres del Norte (“Best Norteño Album”), Chente Barrera y Taconazo (“Best Tejano Album”), and Bruce Springsteen (“Best Traditional Folk Album” for We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions, which featured Charles Giordano on accordion). Check the full list of winners and let us know if we missed anyone.
It’s probably because I watched The Sting too many times while growing up, but Scott Joplin’s ragtime classic “The Entertainer” was the song that inspired me to learn to play the piano. (Years later, it’s still the only song, besides “Chopsticks”, that I can play from memory.) I fumble around with accordion renditions occasionally, but none quite like these two I found on YouTube.
The first is an all-accordion orchestra from the Netherlands called Accordeonola. I don’t know about you, but there’s something about ten or more accordionists playing together that restores my faith in humanity.
And for something completely different, the second clip is a 30-second commercial for a Japanese pachinko chain. It features one-man band Mark Di Giuseppe (“The Straniero”) playing the Stranierofono, a combination accordion/bass clarinet that he invented.