Archive for July, 2009

The Conductor of the Muses

Netflix gave me a short biography of Igor Stravinsky. Which is appropriate because Stravinsky stood 5’2″. When it was over I fired up the iTunes and found Stravinsky’s ballet Apollon Musagéte (Apollo, Conductor of the Muses.) Just gorgeous music, neo-classical and modern. Listen: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuDR0nTeDsU]

Be-Bop Accordion

bebop: a style of jazz playing, fast eighth-note lines weaving through rapidly changing chord progressions, popular in the mid-late 40′s. Think Charlie Parker. Exciting, intellectual, difficult. Be-Bop Buffet is a tremendous accordion duet of mostly bebop tunes. Simone Zanchini (Italy) on the left channel and Frank Marocco(America) on the right. Comping and playing time forRead more..

I am composing for Cirque Ular

What if you ran away with the circus . . . and regretted it? A mix of death-defying circus performances, live music, and original story, Cirque-ular tells the story of a bitter ringmaster whose career comes full circle when he meets an optimistic young juggler who dreams of joining his circus. The 2009 Fringe FestRead more..

Watch Argentinian Musicians Avoid Swine Flu

I came across this interesting upcoming web concert. Apparently Argentina’s public performances have been shut down by Swine Flu. But singer Gicela Méndez Ribiero has come up with an online web concert to bring musicans and audience together. Thanks to the Brazilian website Chamamé: Due to the crisis in the music of Argentina, according toRead more..

Jean-Louis Matinier

Fantastic, I can’t get enough of listening to it. The debut album, Confluences, by French accordionist Jean-Louis Matinier. Fast-moving melodic lines and ostinato figures, shining melodies, brilliant ensemble work and some very nice improvising. You can listen to a bit of it here. Held together by a lacework of body-moving rhythms and made creative byRead more..

Some of My Favorite Accordion Related Youtube Videos

With so much amazing stuff out there on Youtube, I decided to select a few of my favorites. Bandoneonist/Composer player Dino Saluzzi in his kitchen. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQnAtfaqlOQ] Brief French promotional film for Richard Galliano’s Love Day recording. Shows Galliano, Rubalcaba and Haden in the studio. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxiOGkQOp_0] How do you make an exciting video of two menRead more..