1. This past Thursday I was a guest performer at the Acme Accordion School’s awards ceremony/performance. I was asked to perform Shades of Velvet, a composition by the accordion composer John Gart.

The piece has its copyright marked 1942, so I believe it was written on or very shortly before that year. It is a lush legato piece. Which to my ear is evocative of a string section cue for the days of radio (minor and major 6 chords). The piece is very interesting. The form is ABA with a coda. Notably there are some very nice places where interesting diminished or minor chords sweep up or fall down chromatically giving either a washy feeling or a feeling of building anxiety.

Anyway, the reason I performed that piece there was because a very fine accordionist named Zevy Zions was the main guest performer and he requested someone perform Shades of Velvet. He had never heard it performed and was curious what it sounded like.

John Gart’s compositions (especially Scherzo and Vivo) are popular accordion concert pieces. Even Galliano covers Scherzo. But Shades of Velvet is a forgotten one. For good reason. Its a ballad really. Not anywhere near as virtuosic as Vivo or Scherzo. But an interesting piece nonetheless.

So I got to hear Zevy perform his set of American Standards for the Accordion. Which was really great. It was the first time I had heard anyone perform Frosini. Zevy has many recordings out. And he is dedicated to the American performance accordion music of the early-mid 20th century (Frosini, Gart et al). He must have a tremendous ear, because he explained that he transcribes many of these notey pieces by ear!

Also, in the liner notes of his discs Zevy has information about each song, which is great because this info is hard to find, especially amongst my generation.

2. La Gaîté from Amsterdam perform today and next week in SF.

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Another post about Richard Galliano and Kurt Elling

Another post about Newgrass, Bobby McFerrin, Girl-Power

Another post about World Accordion Day

Another post about Recording, Galliano and PT Barnum

Another post about My Accordion has a Mic!

Another post about Bach, Barns and Eruptions

Another post about Recording with Orphan Trains

Another post about Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz

Another post about Art Van Damme 1920-2010

Another post about Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz

Another post about Stephane Delicq

Another post about Accordion Factory Video

Another post about Accordionist Death

Another post about Brad Mehldau at Carnegie Hall

Another post about Richard Galliano in NYC

Another post about Ben Perowski

The duo were backed by a great band led by Elling’s longtime pianist Laurence Hobgood, Keith Ganz guitar, Harish Raghavan bass, James Shipp percussion, and none other than Clarence Penn on drums!

The evening’s selections were themed Passion World, and all of the songs were held together by the strand of love’s joy and sorrow from around the world. Kurt Elling sang in many languages, French, German, Portuguese, Spanish, English. Galliano played beautifully and improvised on just about every tune. It was a thrill to see him perform live.

The only drawback I could say is that I never got to see Galliano’s fire, that unbelievable energy that comes out when he plays fast. And the reason was the program was for love songs. For romance. And thats okay too, but I hope he comes back soon to perform some fast stuff! : )

Oh and what a gorgeous room is the Allen Room. It looks out onto central park and 60th street skyline. The avenue of cars reflects on the huge glass wall behind the performers and makes a pulsing skyscraper of its own. The lighting and sound are terrific as well.

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Another post about Newgrass, Bobby McFerrin, Girl-Power

Another post about World Accordion Day

Another post about Recording, Galliano and PT Barnum

Another post about My Accordion has a Mic!

Another post about Bach, Barns and Eruptions

Another post about Recording with Orphan Trains

Another post about Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz

Another post about Art Van Damme 1920-2010

Another post about Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz

Another post about Stephane Delicq

Another post about Accordion Factory Video

Another post about Accordionist Death

Another post about Brad Mehldau at Carnegie Hall

Another post about Richard Galliano in NYC

Another post about Ben Perowski

1. I will be playing with Mark Cosgrove at the Barrington Theater this Saturday (22nd). Bluegrass/Newgrass.

2. Apparently, Bobby McFerrin lives in (or just outside) Philadelphia and loves it, is the buried lead in this Jazz Times piece.

3. Mexican girl-power accordion style.

4. I received a note yesterday from French accordionist Jacques Pellarin. Check out his recording The Sound of Philadelphia.

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Another post about World Accordion Day

Another post about Recording, Galliano and PT Barnum

Another post about My Accordion has a Mic!

Another post about Bach, Barns and Eruptions

Another post about Recording with Orphan Trains

Another post about Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz

Another post about Art Van Damme 1920-2010

Another post about Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz

Another post about Stephane Delicq

Another post about Accordion Factory Video

Another post about Accordionist Death

Another post about Brad Mehldau at Carnegie Hall

Another post about Richard Galliano in NYC

Another post about Ben Perowski

Another post about Edith Piaf

Another post about Musette Master Daniel Colin

Another post about Contemporary Accordion Classical Music

Another post about Communist Fighting Accordionist

2. Europeans award pork spending to accordionists.

3. Behind the Bellows documentary showing, plus the band of my new Facebook friend Skyler Fell The Hobo Goblins in Oakland, CA this Saturday, May 8th. Info is here.

4. Found a new accordion blog: This Accordion Life which is where I heard about item number 3 (above). Thanks Julie the Bruce.

5. To learn more about World Accordion Day read: Efforts to Celebrate World Accordion Day

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Another post about World Accordion Day

Another post about Recording, Galliano and PT Barnum

Another post about My Accordion has a Mic!

Another post about Bach, Barns and Eruptions

Another post about Recording with Orphan Trains

Another post about Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz

Another post about Art Van Damme 1920-2010

Another post about Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz

Another post about Stephane Delicq

Another post about Accordion Factory Video

Another post about Accordionist Death

Another post about Brad Mehldau at Carnegie Hall

Another post about Richard Galliano in NYC

Another post about Ben Perowski

Another post about Edith Piaf

Another post about Musette Master Daniel Colin

Another post about Contemporary Accordion Classical Music

Another post about Communist Fighting Accordionist

Another post about World Accordion Trio

Another post about Bluegrass Accordion

If World Accordion Day is May 6th, why is it being celebrated in: Austria on May 2nd, 7th and 6th, Canada May 16th, Finland May 8th, 5th and 6th. Lithuania on the 3rd, 5th and 6th, Ireland on the 8th, US 2nd, 5th, 6th, 8th, and 23rd?!?!?!

The implacable 6th of May was chosen by the CIA (Confédération Internationale des Accordéonistes), which honors the date the accordion was patented in Germany by Cyrill Demien.

I find it, due to its position this year (Thursday) and last year (Wednesday), difficult to celebrate with a performance. Which is why so many performances around the world are peppered throughout the month. Nevertheless, I will find some way to celebrate it on its proper date, as well as probably the following weekend (the 8th and or 9th.)

In addition to this participation, I will also be celebrating the anniversary of the American patent of the Accordion which occurred in a city close to my heart, Philadelphia, PA on June 13th, 1854. This date falls on a Sunday this year and is thus easier to celebrate for the public.

Additionally, there is the National Accordion Month, since 1989. Founded by a gentleman-artist called Tom Torriglia (proprietor of LadyofSpain.com). I don’t have information on the celebrations planned this year.

And finally there is, accordion to NPR, a National Accordion Day. November 2nd.

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Another post about Recording, Galliano and PT Barnum

Another post about My Accordion has a Mic!

Another post about Bach, Barns and Eruptions

Another post about Recording with Orphan Trains

Another post about Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz

Another post about Art Van Damme 1920-2010

Another post about Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz

Another post about Stephane Delicq

Another post about Accordion Factory Video

Another post about Accordionist Death

Another post about Brad Mehldau at Carnegie Hall

Another post about Richard Galliano in NYC

Another post about Ben Perowski

Another post about Edith Piaf

Another post about Musette Master Daniel Colin

Another post about Contemporary Accordion Classical Music

Another post about Communist Fighting Accordionist

Another post about World Accordion Trio

Another post about Bluegrass Accordion

2. Thanks to everyone I saw at John Murdoch’s studio this weekend.

3. Advice to the artist and the entrepreneur from PT Barnum on the Ballycast.

4. Accordion drama over Galliano’s Bach recording. Not favorable review here is challenged by our friends at l’autre bistro here and here.

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Another post about My Accordion has a Mic!

Another post about Bach, Barns and Eruptions

Another post about Recording with Orphan Trains

Another post about Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz

Another post about Art Van Damme 1920-2010

Another post about Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz

Another post about Stephane Delicq

Another post about Accordion Factory Video

Another post about Accordionist Death

Another post about Brad Mehldau at Carnegie Hall

Another post about Richard Galliano in NYC

Another post about Ben Perowski

Another post about Edith Piaf

Another post about Musette Master Daniel Colin

Another post about Contemporary Accordion Classical Music

Another post about Communist Fighting Accordionist

Another post about World Accordion Trio

Another post about Bluegrass Accordion

2. I will be playing this Today, 24th and Tomorrow 25th, at John Murdoch’s studio. Solo accordion from 12-4. Should be good accoustics and good art.
You need tickets, $10 per group of people.
5113 Anderson Road (rear barn), Holicong, PA, 18928

3. I picked up two recordings this week and I love them.

Daniel Colin Passion Gitane and Ricccardo Tesi Accordeon Diatonique

Another post about Musette Master Daniel Colin

Another post about Contemporary Accordion Classical Music

Another post about Communist Fighting Accordionist

Another post about World Accordion Trio

Another post about Bluegrass Accordion

Another post about my latest project

Another post about Guido Deiro

Another post about Richard Galliano’s recording Paris Concert

Another post about Accordionist Richard Galliano

Another post about Accordionist Maria Kalaniemi