Category Music

Halloween 2010

Despite not being able to find a cone hat to complete my Pierrot costume, it was a very nice Halloween this year. On Friday I performed with sound designer/composer Jeff Lorenz for funny, bizarre, and Japanese, Mad Supper at Ideal Glass in NYC. Improvising a spooky piano/keyboard score with his theramin and extended piano work. They Live Streamed it here. We start our thing around 1 hour and 23 minutes.

The following night, Saturday, I performed with Chris Blasucci (guitar, vocals) as The New Impressionists for their Halloween Madness party. Our horrible glory was the achievement of a dream I’ve held low these many Halloweens…to perform Michael Jackson’s Thriller as a trumpet and accordion duo!

I also included the aftermath of Mischief Night that I ran into on my drive home.

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Music News from Around the Web
  • “You can be quiet and assume (sic), or you can say fuck it and do what you want. I prefer the second way.” Yann Tiersen (composer of Amelie and more) interview here.
  • Looking for new pop music? Try France. Here is a nice rundown of the French pop scene, apparently not known to the English, and I am guessing not to Americans either. From Oxford U’s college paper. ; )
  • Pat Metheny is now performing as a solipsism.
  • Mabon, celtic folk led by an accordionist. Video below.

Mazurka Clandestina, Hanoi Musette, Avant-Piano Teacher
  • Mazurka Clandestina is happening around Italy. In Rome, Milan and other cities people are organizing on Facebook and meeting in square or other beautiful open spot to…dance the Mazurka (the European Tango). From a boombox or a musician, the music and people dancing transform and take over, spontaneous. Sounds cool. Rekindling a very old dance tradition. Thanks to Zen and the Art of Diatonic Accordion for this one.
  • More evidence that Asian countries dig French Jazz: Jazz and French accordionist from Belgium, Thibault Dille is gigging in Hanoi, Vietnam. He is a good player check out his myspace. Also Happy Birthday Hanoi, on October 10th you will be 1,000 years old!!!
  • Revolutionary Piano Lessons – master pedagogue or mountebank?!

Thick Meaty Accordion Links ‘Round the Net
  • Frode Haltli, accordionist from Norway plays refreshing and interesting music with Trygve Seim at Portland, OR jazz fest. Great article from RootsWorld about this. I have Frode’s 2007 solo album Passing Images and really enjoy it. (BTW, The North-West accordion corridor continues to make me jealous.)
  • I saw a great street performer at Musikfest on Monday, her name is Lindsay Benner. She had a great show and a great look. And she could really build a tip. Down below is a video I stole from the Hey Rube Circus blog about how to build a tip. If you don’t know what building a tip is…prepare.
  • Real Book Argentina: compilation of scores and recording of and by Argentine jazz musicians. Free download here.
  • Rocking librarian’s list of awesome Eastern Euro YouTube videos. Premium!!! (Thanks TBD)
  • RIP Steve Jordan: iconoclast and badass.





Accordion Pops Orchestra Concert on June 5th, Philadelphia

I got a call from the ALS Hope Foundation asking me to put up something about their fundraiser for the Accordion Pops Concert coming up. It features The Accordion Pops Orchestra. Everyone should go to this.

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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

Accordion Stuff: Newgrass, Bobby McF, Girl-Power, Jacques Pellarin

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.

___________________________________________________________________________

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

Did a session recently

On Thursday I had the pleasure to put some accordion on the new alternative folk record for The Orphan Trains. The were recording at Rodney Whittenberg‘s studio just outside of Philadelphia, PA. The Orphan Trains have a really sweet and heart felt record coming along. Definitely grooves and makes your heart feel great. Folky and bluesy and earthy. Ill post again when the album comes out in the next couple months.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fs8X0s58uvA&]

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

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

30 Years of Piano Jazz with Marian McPartland

NPR last week put up a tribute to McPartland’s long running show by creating a beautiful interactive grid of interviewees from the show. Its a very cool thing, and they chose a great variety for guests from Chick Corea to Willie Nelson. Click on a music celebrity and you’ll hear a roughly 6 minute piece from McPartland’s interview.

My three favorites are Chick Corea, Dizzy Gillespie and of course Bill Evans.

Enjoy!

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

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

Ben Perowsky Quartet

On Friday 8th, January 2010: Another great show from Ars Nova Workshop in Philadelphia. An exciting show with an extremely musical group. Led by Ben Perowsky on the drums, like a chain-link fence with bass player Trevor Dunn. Ted Reichman on accordion stirring the rhythmic pot and Chris Speed, who I’ve admired since I picked up his Ast recording in the year 2000. They just finished their new recording, I just picked it up on emusic. : )

Ben Perowsky Quartet – listen to their myspace

Chris Speed, tenor saxophone + clarinet

Ted Reichman, accordion

Trevor Dunn, double-bass

Ben Perowsky, drums

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

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