Musette Gazette - Arizona Accordion Club

August 2010
Vol. XV No. II
Presents the
Musette Gazette
www.azaccordionclub.com
WHAT‘S HAPPENING MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 20?
OUR SEPTEMBER THEME IS OKTOBERFEST!!!
GUEST ARTIST: Paul Pasquali of Salt Lake City, Utah.
Pre-Meeting Music by Howard Van Orden
If you want to play, call Jack.
Yes! You did read that right! We are celebrating OKTOBERFEST in SEPTEMBER. Why, you ask?
1) The German people always start Oktoberfest in mid-September.
2) Our own players will not be tired of Oktoberfest songs as they usually would be
by the 3rd week in October
3) Our meeting is a GREAT place to practice new Oktoberfest tunes and get in the
groove for one of the year‘s very best commercial opportunities for an accordion
player in America.
So, put on your Lederhosen, hunting caps, and Dirndls.
Bring your largest beer mugs, alpine horns, and shoes
for waltzes and polkas.
See page 5 for a full interview with our guest artist, the
truly great impresario of the Far West, Paul Pasqual!
September 20th meeting
ALL COUNTRY MUSIC !
Here‘s the challenge, folks. Find some favorite country sounds of your life and practice them for the crowd at our September meeting. Extra points if
you bring along sidemen – a guitar? A fiddle? A stand-up bass? Double points if you sing, or especially if you get the audience to sing along.
Before rock and roll drowned out most other genres on radio stations in the mid-fifties, there was a whole lot of country music, and country bands that
had an accordion in the group. Before Myron Floren was discovered by Lawrence Welk in the early fifties, he was playing with the Buckeye Four.
Even today, the group Riders in the Sky features accordionist Joey Misculin.
The accordion is a great instrument for sing-along's at campfires.
And behind fiddles and guitars, it provides soothing harmony, rhythm, as well as country-defining intros and fillers.
If you come to ensemble rehearsals the two Thursdays before the meeting, you will get a chance to get some feedback on your arrangements.
Page 2
The Arizona Accordion Club
MENU FOR SEPTEMBER 20TH MEETING: Hamburger, dress your own, with ranch beans and chips
AUGUST 16TH MEETING - MUSIC OF THE FIFTIES NIGHT by Raye Donatella
First, I'm sure you will notice a different look to the newsletter this month, and for a very good reason. The printer that we
have used for the last nine or ten years has closed its doors and gone out of business due to the economy. The owner of the
business was a friend of my kids who went from sixth grade through high school together, so gave us very special treatment,
including the color pages at a very nominal charge. (I sincerely hope that didn't contribute to his going out of business.) In
looking for a new printer, we have found that color is no longer an option, money-wise, so back to just black and white. So
there you have it.
Now to Fifties Night!! Pre-meeting music was played by Leigh Dechaine on accordion and vocals, Jay Stevens on bass and vocals, Carl Nyberg on guitar and
vocals, Jim Winning on drums, and (gasp!) Elvis! What a variety of songs they
played and sang - everything from ―Amore‖ to “The Waltz You Saved For Me”
and everything in between! Really great, you guys! Elvis, you did good!
Our President, Jack Dermody, introduced
a couple of his students who just happen to
be Steve Durkitʼs (the nice gentlemen
who oversees everything for our meetings)
beautiful little granddaughters - Julia
Seiser, an accordion player, and her younger sister, Drew, who sings along with her.
They did “Get Set,” then “Batter Up” accompanied by Jack, and ended with
“Sailing.” That was swell, girls.
Next up was Rosemary Smith
with Jim Winning on drums. She
did her usual excellent job of playing with “All I Have To Do Is Dream,” “Que Sera, Sera,” and
“Chattanooga Shoeshine Boy.” Thanks, you two. Very pretty.
Now a special treat - John Trippon playing his button box. He
played “Rock Around the
Clock,” “Clarinet Polka,” (I
heard Elmer Faser say he had
never heard the Clarinet Polka
played on a button box before neither have I, but it sure sounded neat) and “Trumpet Echoes.” That was sure a
nice job, John. Play for us again soon.
Pete Donatella and Brad Bauder came up next, with Jay Stevens
on bass and Bob Johnston on drums. The minute that Pete put on
his accordion and Brad put his sax to his lips, Jay picked up his
bass and Bob lifted his drumsticks.....it was magic!! They played a
beautiful set, starting with “Satin Doll,” then “Misty” and “The
Lady Is a Tramp.” Pete and Brad haven't had a chance to play together for a while, but boy, you'd sure never know it when they
started playing! That group sounded like they've been playing together for years! No music in front of them, just a nod at each other
-and the music just poured out - it was poetry in motion. What a
treat! Uh, do I sound a bit partial??
The Arizona Accordion Club
Table of Contents
Featured Guest
Cover
President‘s Message
Page 3
Our Meeting !
Pages 2 , 11
Youth Program, Night Out, Teachers
Page 4
Donations and Obits
Page 5
Accordion Instructors, repairs
Page 5
Upcoming Events
Page 6
Come Hear Us Play
Page 7
Classifieds
Page 8
Some Sponsors
Page 9
More on the Youth Program
Page 10
Meeting location Map
Back Cover
Membership Form
Back Cover
Meeting Place
St. Stephen’s Hall
8141 North 16th Street
Phoenix, AZ 85020
(602) 997-4563
Third Monday of the Month
Meeting Begins at 6:30 PM
Meeting Ends at 9:00
Officers
President Jack Dermody
(602) 237-5627
Vice President Jerry Szymanski
( 480) 488-0949
Secretary Leigh Dechaine
(623) 582-3746
Treasurer Pete Donatella
(623) 877-1846
Board Of Directors
Jerry Szymanski
( 480) 488-0949
Paul Betken
(480) 755-3539
Cindy Geremia
( 602) 692-8121
Chuck Voinovich
(480) 451-4416
Dionne Hauke
(602) 266 9622
Ted Lee
(623) 444-5106
Jay Stevens
(602) 819-5505
Elmer Faser
Scholarship Chairman
Bulletin Staff
Dionne Hauke Editor
Florella Genco Distribution
Zophie Still Photos
http://www.azaccordionclub.com
Sal Genco Video Camera
Page 3
President’s Message
It‘s been several months since we‘ve
welcomed a big star from out of the
state. We are very honored to welcome
to our September 20 meeting the everenthusiastic Paul Pasquali of Salt Lake
City, Utah.
If you have been lucky enough to attend
his annual International Accordion
Festival in Las Vegas, you have seen
and heard some of the greatest accordion
performers and musicians in the world. The 2010 edition will be no less
disappointing November 1 to 4. Great stars like our own Anthony Rolando, Dick Contino, and Frank Marocco will headline. Participants can
join Joan Cochran’s orchestra. Workshops and performances abound.
There is no possibility of being disappointed by this rich array of talent and
fun. In addition, the room rates in the Gold Coast hotel are beyond belief.
$29/night! Really now, When was the last time That happened? In the 60s?
The last few months, we have surprised ourselves with new avenues that
our own resident members are willing to explore. The last meeting with a
50s theme engaged the audience with plenty of toe-tapping. And, boy, was
it ever a joy to play behind big-band-era saxist Brad Bauder . Some of the
audience members commented that the accordions playing the chords beneath his melodies created a ―Glenn Miller‖ flavor that they had never
heard before from the accordions. It really did sound like a wonderful orchestral section of reed players.
In September, the theme is Oktoberfest. Howard Van Orden is already
hard at work putting together a full hour of Oktoberfest-oriented premeeting music. If you show up at 5:30, you will be truly entertained by
Bishop Van Orden.
You can‘t help but notice that more young players are showing up at our
club to play for us. The latest, my student Julia Seiser, demonstrated hard
work and a true love for music – so enthusiastic that her younger sister
Drew can‘t help but want to sing along. I have it on good authority that
Drew also serves at home as a live metronome. I call her Miss Metro
Gnome!
We now have started the regular school year at New World Educational
Center (NWEC) in downtown Phoenix – with about 45 kids in both the
fourth and fifth grades. They are all eager and full of joy. New straps have
been put on the accordions. Their first concert is schedule for December
10, probably around 9:30 in the morning.
We are arranging to set up private lessons for those students who want
lessons – setting up a referral service to our teachers and accordion dealers,
all of whom are agreeing to charge only minimal prices to help these
students. And for those students who work hard and show promise, we are
open to receiving applications for scholarship money from our scholarship fund. See you on the 20th ~Jack
Page 4
The Arizona Accordion Club
The Arizona Accordion Festival
October 16th Noon to 10 PM
AT
ST. Luke‘s Catholic Church
19644 North 7th Avenue
Phoenix, Arizona 85027-4748
THE ARIZONA ACCORDION CLUB
YOUTH PROGRAM
Dance Floor, Food, Beverages, and a carnival
Bring the Family ! The Kids love this !
6—10 PM Our Special Guests
Joey Avilla and Los Valley Boys !
The Arizona Accordion Club Ensemble
Come early—Stay Late
NOON
12:15
12:30
12:45
1:00
1:15
1:30
1:45
2:00
2:15
2:30
3:00
4:00
4:30
5:30
6:00
7:00
7:30
8:30
9:00
Salvatore Genco
Elmer Faser
George Tissen
Jerry Szymanski
Chuck Voinovich
Paul Betkin
Rose Mary Smith
Lester Rossner
Jack Dermody
Zlatan Mameda
Ted Lee
Hurricajuns
Dennis Humlice
Frank Schweller
Pete Donatella
Az Dance Studio
Los Valley Boys
Tejano/Cojunto
Az accordion ensemble
Los Valley Boys
Joey Avila
Az accordion ensemble
Los Valley Boys
Joey Avila
It is Year 2 of the Arizona Accordion Club‘s
Youth Program. The Kids are Back !
The number has doubled as we now are teaching
4th and 5th graders !
So keep those donated accordions and funds rolling in !
Music, the greatest good that mortals know,
And all of heaven we have below. ~Joseph Addison
Music isn't just learning notes and playing them,
You learn notes to play to the music of your soul.
~Katie Greenwood
October 16th
Noon to 10 PM
Page 5
The Arizona Accordion Club
Our September guest artist Paul Pasquali
gave me a generous interview in advance of
this month‘s issue of the Musette Gazette.
The statements here are more paraphrases
than direct quotes, but I believe they reflect
Paul‘s actual thoughts.
Exclusive Interview with Paul Pasquali,
Our Guest Artist in September
Your AAC Night Out For September is
The 9th or 29th 7-9 P.M. at
Bayrischer Hof
12535 W. Bell Road Surprise, AZ
RESERVATIONS: 623-583-1203
www.BayrischerHof.biz
Jack: What‘s most on your mind these
days?
Paul: Well, inviting people to the International Accordion Festival in Las Vegas, of
course.
BEERTASTING with
club Prez Jack Dermody
Jack: I see that takes place November 1st
through the 4th. What‘s new this year?
What are you most excited about?
WHAT TO EXPECT: Stories, jokes, and
four beers to taste.
$19.95 includes the four beers,
Laugenbrezel, Nuernberge Bratwurst,
Mashed Potatoes, and Sauerkraut.
Paul:. I am particularly excited about the
young 29-year-old accordion sensation
Lidia Kaminska. She is the only person in
this country with a PhD in the accordion.
Right now she performs with the Alegria
show presented by Cirque de Soleil in Las
Vegas. Cirque de Soleil, as you may know,
is very accordion friendly and includes
them in many of their live performances.
Music and fun by Jack Dermody.
Bring your accordion and sit in with Jack.
This is a truly FUN activity, guys. Bring
your friends !
Jack: Any other new faces?
Paul: World champion Alex Sebastian – he
is Russian, now living in Canada. He plays
with the Quartet de Gelato. Also you‘ll get
to meet 17-year-old Michael Bridge who
just this year played with the Boston Pops.
Jack: And surely you will present a cast of
greats and legends again, right?
Paul: We have a very big array of major
accordion stars. Of course you know that
Arizona‘s own Anthony Rolando is a very
big star at our event, featured alongside the
legendary Dick Contino, Corki Bennett
(Dick‘s musical director and magician on
the keyboard), Frank Marocco (about to
turn 80 – can you believe it?), Pete Barbutti
(hilarious comedian), Carl Fortina (former
studio great and our honored guest this
year), Sylvia Marie (a bundle of joy, from
Redding, CA), and the genius Peter Soave.
Jack: Your store at the convention is always
exciting. The last time I went, I bought a
ton of stuff I knew I couldn‘t find anywhere
else. Anything special to look for this year?
Paul: Yes, indeed. One of our new vendors
is Saltarella, an accordion manufacturer
from France. They are known for their
smaller accordions with a wonderful light
wood finish.
The ARIZONA ACCORDION CLUB
ON THE TOWN
Ago, today it‘s more like only 10%. With video games and
all sorts of electronic options, kids are distracted away
from music. However, some trends are exciting in the
accordion world.
First of all, the big marketing efforts of the Roland Corporation have increased attention to electronic accordions of
all brands. When I come to your meeting on September 20,
I‘ll surprise you with news that involves both acoustic
reeds and electronics. Also there seems to be a trend for
young people in their 20s to take up the accordion because
it is the ―hip thing to
Jack: So are you having fun with the accordion yourself
these days?
Paul: Yes. For the first time in years, I‘m performing in the
region. I just got back from Oregon and Northern California, and am high on the idea of doing more – including my
visit to Arizona. ~ interview by Jack Dermody.
Paul Pasquali email: [email protected]
Accordions International
1760 South 450 West
Salt Lake City, UT 84115
1-801-485-5840
1-800-935-0013
Fax: 801-487-7707
AccordionInfo.com
“On the Town”
is our club’s monthly gathering point to
support our member-players and the
organizations that hire them .
Donations
Helping to build a better club
The Arizona Accordion Club isn‘t just a organization. It is a group full of people who make it special.
Joan Monti ~ Music Stand
Bob Lewry ~ 2 12-bass accordions,
3 Music Stands
Jack: Tell me about the accordion world as
you see it. What do you think about the
present and future of the industry?
Paul: The downside has nothing to do with
the accordion and everything to do with the
state of musical instruments in general.
Whereas 50-70% of kids were taking lessons on traditional instruments 50 years
Newsletter Inputs ? Please send them care of Jack at [email protected]
Page 6
The Arizona Accordion Club
Lessons and Repairs
Piano Accordion Instructors:
Pete Donatella 623 877-1846
Anthony Rolando 216-470-8463 and
Piano,/Organ
Dr. Van Orden 623 203 7909 and
Chromatic B System
Jack Dermody 602 237 5627
Joanne Drum 480 994-4698
Tony Putrino 480 483-3943
Bonnie Bingener 602-279-0378 and
Piano
Joan Monti 602-923-3856
Why Dues ?
Estimates always free
Ziggie’s Music 602 266 9622
3309 North 3rd Street
Phoenix, AZ 85012-2301
www.ziggiesmusic.com
Mondays thru Saturdays 10-7
The AAC needs your support
financially to accomplish its goals.
Button Accordion Instructor
Tony Longoria ( Él habla español )
602 718-4058 Also Bass Guitar, Bajo
Sexto y Bajo Quinto
Your Accordion Club uses dues as
the backbone for its many
endeavors: monthly meetings, great
performers, newsletter publishing,
website maintenance, and
educational programs.
Coolidge
Timothy Gomez 1 520 510 9317
If you have not yet paid your dues
for 2010, please do so today.
Thanks!
Honorary Members
Art Van Damme * Dick Contino *Dr. John Van Such * Art Metzler * Lenny Simmons
Frank Yankovic * John Cesinger *Joe Kino * Helen Criscio * Flaco Jimenez
Tony Lovello * Frank Marocco * Anthony Galla-Rini * Myron Floren * Al Monti
The Arizona Accordion Club
Page 7
Come Hear Us Play
Bill Regina :
Midi Accordion / Keyboard
Polkas / Waltzes / Old Standards
(602) 938-3679
[email protected]
Elmer Faser and Duane Tendick :
Haus Murphy’s
Jack Dermody and
Jim Winning or Bob Johnston
Featuring Saxist Brad Bauder on Fri, 9/24:
Bayrischer Hof – New German Cuisine
12535 W. Bell Rd., Surprise, AZ
http://bayrischerhof.biz
623-583-1203
9/3-4, Fri/Sat, 5-8pm
9/9, Thurs, Beer tasting, 7-9pm
9/10-11, Fri/Sat, 5-8pm
9/15, Wed, 5-8pm
9/17-18 Fri/Sat, 5-8pm
9/24 Fri, 5-8pm, featuring Saxist Brad Bauder
9/29 Wed, Beer tasting, 7-9pm
5739 West Glendale Avenue
Glendale Arizona 85301
623 939-2480
Every Friday and Saturday 6:00 to 8:00
John Smoltz :
480-575-0534 480-575-6996
http://www.johnsmoltz.com/index.html
Augie Figurelli:
(www.augieperforms.com)
Vincitorio's Restaurant (480.820.2786)
1835 E. Elliot Road, C-109 - Tempe, AZ
Call for dates and times
(www.vincitoriosrestaurant.com
Paddy’s Peg Leg
DR. HOWARD D. VAN ORDEN
Bayrischer Hof
Every Saturday 12:30 t0 3:30 PM at
12535 W. Bell Rd. Surprise, AZ
12th 4:30-8:00
19th 4:30-8:00
16100 North Arrowhead Fountain Center Dr
Peoria, AZ 85382. 623.979.0730
http://lisdoonvarnapub.com
http://www.myspace.com/paddyspegleg
Bob Doszak :
Music for all Occasions
*** Single **Duo ** Trio
Bookings, Info 480-982-0252
[email protected]
Lis Doon Varna Pub
O’Connor’s Pub
2601 W. Dunlap Ave
Phoenix, AZ 85021
Sept 3rd and 4th 9:00 PM to 1:00 AM
Page 8
The Arizona Accordion Club
Musical Items For Sale:
I‘m looking for a copy of „Brazilian
Samba”. If you can accommodate me, I
shall be in your debt forevermore.
Joanne Drum 480 994 4698
Silvio Soprani 120-bass accordion,
Model 8748. 7 /3 Switches. Great condition. Pearl keys. Treble switches: Picollo, violin, clarinet, master, organ,
banoon, bassoon. 3 bass switches. Call
Daniel Van Such. 928-607-3242
96 Bass Excelsior Midi Accordion.
Only 15 years old. (Just a teenager)
Excellent reeds and musette sound.
Lite weight at only 21 lbs. $2300.00
Excellent condition 620-923-3856 or
[email protected]
837-7587 [email protected]
PETOSA 120 bass chamber tone accordion
with Musette. 11 / 7 switches. Amplified.
$2400.00 plus shipping. 623-566-1555
Petosa 800 Midi, $2700
480 836 1604 or mobile 480 250 1399.
Gale Evans [email protected]
Excelsior New York Model 5 accordion.
V.G. condition$350.00. 480 895-8161
RICHILIEU - Mint Rubell 4 String Plectrum Banjo, included Stand, Case, Extra
String Set. $500.00. John 602-539-3475.
Wanted :Looking for a Petosa. An S-2000
model P-800 which had 4/4 sets of reeds or
a model AM1100 an S-2000 Midi.
Have one for sale? Contact Norbert
Ludewig. 908-889-8476, 973-792-4661. 2
Ridge Way, Fanwood, NJ 07023
Solton MS-4 sound module by Ketron.
It has 256 orchestral sounds, 128 user
voices, and 192 percussion sounds.
Can use drum sounds with or without
midi as straight drum machine with an
acoustic accordion. Excellent condition. Looking for Chromatic accordion, Csystem, 17lbs or less. Want it for strolling.
$450.00 obo. [email protected]
Steve Weninger at 651-702-0719.
602-923-3856.
[email protected]
Petosa Accordion/Organ Series II
Chamber 3/4 Handmade reeds. Black
Cordovox, recently tuned.
with engraving, complete with tone gen- GC 2 row Accordion $250.00.
erator, has MIDI capacity. 1500.00
Ed Mikulich 623 362 1525
J. Drum 480 994 4698
Hohner Ventura IV Musette
41/120 4/5 13/7 24 lbs $4000
Hohner Atlantic IV Deluxe
41/120 4/5 11+PM/3 22 lbs $750
480 830 8766 Glenn Tompkins
Yorkville Mixer Amp - 50 watts. Two
lines in with separate jacks for microphone, Cd/line, FX-send, FX-RTN, and
earphone. Ten inch speaker with small
horn. Priced new at $400.00 - will sell
for $175.00. Excellent condition, great
sound, and portable to carry. Contact
Elmer Faser at 623-584-9801
Petosa AM 1100 MIDI. $8,000
American Musette tuning. Very little
use. Accordion is like new. (Bad back
caused me go reedless.) This is a steal !
As a new Non-MIDI AM1100 is over
$15,000 ! John K 608-258-3641 or 608
Guerrini Polka Box Rhinestones - $2100
Korg rotating sound machine - $250
Crate Amp - 15" speaker - $300
Selmer Model 80 Tenor Sax - $2900
Noblette Clarinet - $350
Mikes, Stands, Fronts, etc.
Ellie Aldrin - 602-996-8197
Excelsior Midi with Xetron X4 module.
Eduardo. 480 661-7750.
[email protected]
New, custom made PIGINI AlpinKing
41/120, 440Hz tuned Top Pigini Hand
Made Reeds Treble reeds 4 sets - LMMM
( 440-Cassotto / 438/ 440 - Cassotto /
443) very powerful. Double Tone Chamber (Cassotto) - Bassoon (L) and Clarinet
(M) 4 sets of Bass Helikon reeds. 41
keys, 19.25 keyboard Perl keys, soft as
possible (springs), depth as small as possible,15 registers 120 Helikon bass. 20 lb
Sasha Luminsky (416) 722-3002
www.luminsky.com
Excelsior 19 1/4‖ Keyboard,120 bass
10/6 switches, slide mute, tone chamber,
deluxe straps, heavy duty case, 27 lbs.
$1,700.00. Harry 602 568 3931.
New ORLAVOX MIDI 14 lbs. Reedless
accordion. 100‘s of sounds. Straps, Case.
1 year warranty parts/labor. $3,650.
PETOSA AM 1300 EM Symphony 4/5
Reeds with MIDI. Accordion has 45 keys,
not 41. Keyboard range is from F to C#.
14 Treble registers plus Side Master and 9
Bass Registers. Excellent condition. Over
$13,000 new, only $5,300. With Straps,
carry case, Midi Wires, Audio stereo
wire. 6 months warranty labor/parts.
John Gaunt’s Accordions and Keyboards 1248 S. Highland Ave., Clearwater, FL 33756 (727) 443-4113 Email
[email protected]
-----------------------------------------------------DVD’s of Club Meetings are available.
―All Arizona Accordion Club Meetings and sponsored
events are copyrighted by the Board of the Arizona Accordion Club and are for the private use of our audience. Any
other use of these programs or of any pictures, descriptions
or accounts of the Arizona Accordion Club meetings,
events and it‘s performers, without a written approval of
consent by the Arizona Accordion Club Board, is Prohibited‖
WOULD YOU LIKE TO DONATE?
Arizona Accordion Club is in need of 12
-bass accordions, music, and music stands
for beginners. Tax deductible receipt.
Proteus/1 XR Module, model 9011, $75
Carl Nyberg 480 982-1479
120 bass Excelsior A.C. Great Musette
$3,000.00 OBO Bob Dura 602-841-0487
Ad Policy For Display ads, Arizona Accordion club members pay the lower price:
Business card Size $5.00 or $8.00 Quarter page $10.00 or $16.00 Half page $20.00 or $32.00 Full page 40.00 or $64.00
Page 9
The Arizona Accordion Club
Roland Distributer
Best Prices on All Roland Products
313 N.E. 45th St.
Seattle, WA 98105 (206)-632-2700
Visit Our Web Site www.petosa.com
“Quality is remembered long after price is forgotten”
Catch us on the World Wide Web http://www.azaccordionclub.com or My Space at http://www.azaccordionclub.com
Find Updates and features on upcoming meetings and highlights of our great guest performers. The Club Performers link offers Photos and
bios of some of our regular players. Arizona Accordion Club members are encouraged to send their info to [email protected]
Check the slide show for photos from recent Arizona Accordion Club meetings.
Page 10
The Arizona Accordion Club
Mad About Accordions
Mad Men on HBO
Silent Reeds
Esteban 'Steve' Jordan, virtuoso accordionist, dies at 71
Joan plays accordion on Mad Men
In the 3rd episode of season 3,
―My Old Kentucky Home‖
Office manager Joan Holloway hosts a tense dinner
party where, after prodding from her husband, she reluctantly pulls out her accordion and sings
―C‘est Magnifique.‖ (And does it quite well.)
It turns out that Christina
Hendricks, the actress who
plays Joan, is no newcomer to the accordion;
she‘s been playing for a
few years.
―I started taking lessons
four or five years ago. It is
such a rich instrument for
one person. You can get so
much out of it, like a oneman band. I also think it‘s
a very romantic
instrument, and it
channels all the
things I love French
culture, Tom Waits
and all the things I
try to make my
house look like. It‘s
something I‘ve always been interested
in.‖ ~Article LA
Times Magazine
The innovative Tejano accordionist who broadened the range
and repertoire of conjunto music and influenced such performers as Los Lobos and Brave Combo, died August 13 in San Antonio. He had liver cancer.
Esteban Jordan was born February 23, 1939 in Elsa, Texas in
the Rio Grande Valley. Blinded in his right eye just after birth
when a midwife rinsed his eyes, Mr. Jordan was 1 of 15 children
born to migrant farm worker parents.
“He was like a rock star,” said fellow accordionist Santiago
Jimenez Jr., noting that only one other conjunto player can
claim such status: His older brother, Grammy-winner Flaco
Jimenez of the Texas Tornados
Mr. Jordan, was often called the Jimi Hendrix of the button
accordion. He experimented by adding guitarist's effects boxes
to his accordion. He went outside the traditional accordion
genre ( best known for polkas, waltzes and boleros ) and
adapted jazz standards such as "Harlem Nocturne" and
"Midnight Sun" and uptown rhythm'n'blues to create a style all
his own.
A charismatic performer known as "El Parche" (the Patch)
because of the snakeskin pirate's patch he wore, often dressed
in purple vests and shiny gold shirts with buccaneer sleeves.
By age seven, he already played harmonica and guitar. Steve
jammed on guitar with the teen-aged accordionist Valerio
Longoria, who later became a star in the tejano genre.
It was Longoria who inspired young Jordan to take up the
squeeze box. Steve’s credits included a stint with as a guitarist
with the Afro-Cuban jazz percussionist Willie Bobo in the early
1960s, a job that opened his ears to the rhythms and harmonies
he later brought to his work as an accordionist.
In the last year, he had just released the self-published CD
"Carta Espiritual." He played all the instrument parts on that
album, the first of a nine-CD project he had been laboring on
for the last decade.
Page 11
The Arizona Accordion Club
By the way, we had several people show up in Fifty's dress, complete with poodle skirts, duck tail hair, t-shirts complete with
rolled up sleeves around cigarette packs, and argyle socks under rolled up jeans! Cute, cute!
Now the Arizona Accordion Club Ensemble took
the stage - tonight it consisted of Ted Lee, Ron
Grabowski, Pete Donatella, Jerry Szymanski,
Jack Dermody and Lester Rossner on accordions,
Jay Stevens on bass, Jim Winning on drums, and
our special guest star, Brad Bauder on saxophone.
What a great sound
that sax adds! Here are
some of the songs they
did: “Around the
World in 80 Days,”
“Getting To Know
You,” “Thatʼs
Amore,” “Que Sera,
Sera,” then Ted Lee
sang “Hey, Look It
“Over,” “Music, Music, Music,” “Little
Flower,” “Wunderbar,” “Rock Around the Clock,”
“Sleep Walk” by Brad Bauder on that wonderful sax, “Splish, Splash” sung by Jack Dermody, “Kansas City” sung by
Jay Stevens, and finishing up with a rollicking rendition of “In The Mood.” What a fun session for all - both the ones playing and the ones listening, judging by the smiles all around! Brad, what a wonderful addition you were to the evening! We
hope to see you again soon. You guys reminded us of why the Fifties remain
special to all of us.
Ted Lee played and sang a nice trio of songs, beginning with “May I Have
This Dance,” “Honeycomb,” and “Where the River Meets the Sea.” You
have a very pretty singing voice, Ted. We don't hear you sing often enough.
To finish out the evening, Leigh Dechaine on accordion and vocals, Jim
Winning on drums, Don Anderson on harmonica, Carl Nyberg on guitar
and Jay Stevens on bass and vocals did another group of fifties tunes beginning with “Pick Me Up On Your Way Down,” “Wooden Heart,” “Rock
Around the Clock,” - then Carl took the lead and played his version of it nice. Next was “Tennessee Waltz,” “That Old Time Rock and Roll,” and
“Faded Love.” Carl picked up his banjo now and the group played “Blue
Skirt Waltz,” “Just Because,” “Red Wing,” and ended with “Rocking Red.” The Fifties sure got a workout tonight! By
gosh, there was some great music back then Thanks everyone,
for that fun filled Fifties evening!
One quick ‗as my
Dad always said‘ - ―A
study of economics
usually reveals that
the best time to buy
anything is last year.‖
See you September
20th.
4416 North 102nd Drive
Phoenix, AZ 85037
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