Accordion Noir radio playlist 2019-02-13: Valentine’s Day, Switched-on Pop Romantic Rebuttal
All day long we fact-check egregious myths about accordions on Twitter:
- The accordion was invented in Italy (false)
- All you need to set off a party is an accordion (true)
- Pirates played accordions between raids (false)
- The accordion is the biggest instrument in the world (true, depending on bellows size)
- There’s a cheat code to allow Link to play Kass’ accordion in Breath of the Wild (alas, false)
- My wife left me for an accordion player (true)
- I won her back after buying one at a garage sale and learning to play better than the other guy (also true)
… but sometimes you come across a claim so outlandish you don’t even know where to begin dismantling it:
The Switched-on Pop podcast, in their recent 104th episode (ah, so young!), were recently caught telling the outrageously uninformed lie, in a Valentine’s Day-themed program, that accordions… I don’t even know how to say this… were not a very romantic or sexy instrument. I know, right? Saying something like that is like defying Grace Jones to personally step out of the “I’ve Seen That Face Before” music video and strangle you to death. But fortunately for the hosts, we caught up with them instead of Grace.
Very quickly, as you can see from the quoted Tweet, the landslide of rebuttals from #AccordionTwitter indicated to them that they had adopted an untenable position that needed a rethink, and as part of their contrition tour their rounds brought host Charlie Harding to phone in to last night’s episode of our long-running weekly Accordion Noir radio program for a mandatory remedial class in free-reed eros-phones. May you all benefit from his timely re-education! You can find last night’s episode hosted on the Internet Archive as digital audio, and the playlist follows:
AccNoir-2019-02-13, Valentine’s Day, Switched-on Pop Romantic Rebuttal
* Eva Ybarra Y Su Conjunto – Romance Inolvidable (Bolero-Tango) – Romance Inolvidable – San Antonio, Texas, USA – https://www.facebook.com/thequeenoftheaccordion/
* Charlie Harding from Switched On Pop – inspired by their Valentines Day Special “What Makes a Song Sexy” staring the lovely Nate Sloan, Charlie, and Courtney Smith. http://www.switchedonpop.com/104-valentines-day-special-what-makes-a-song-sexy/
* Ksenija Sidorova – Waltz Margo – Ad libitum… – Latvia, London, England – http://www.ksenijasidorova.com/
* Aldo Granato – 5:00 Am – La Noche (2006) – Belgium
* David Lange – Las Tres Hermanas – Almost Home (2007) – Edgewood (near Seattle), Washington, USA – http://www.davidlangestudios.com
* Las Fenix – Un Traguito de Tequila – (2019) – Houston, Texas, USA – http://www.LasFenix.com
* Hossam Ramzy – Habibi Baladi, We Zay El Amar (My beloved is Baladi, and is as beautiful as a full moon – El Amar (The Moon) (2000) – Egypt, Africa – Belly Dance, Mohsen Allaam, acc.
* Denis Plante, Noémie Racine, Nathalie Bonin, Annabelle Marcotte, Élisabeth Dubé – Noche DE TANGO-Puerto Fortuna (Port Fortune) – Cantos De Bandonéon (2004) – Montreal, Quebec, Canada – https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/plantedenis
* Fernest Arceneaux – Sweet Little Angel – MusicGallery – Cajun/Zydeco (0) – Lafayette, Louisiana, USA – http://www.bluesworld.com/Fernest.html
* Amelia Curran – Love’s Lost Regard – Hunter, Hunter (2009) – St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada – http://www.ameliacurran.com/ Geoff Panting, acc.
Thanks for reading us here (and hopefully listening to us, there), but if you find you want more, you can always keep up with us on Twitter (@AccordionNoir and @AccordionBruce), Instagram (@AccordionNoirFest), and Facebook at Accordion Noir fans, the Accordion Noir Festival, and the Vancouver Squeezebox Circle. Cheers & squeeze on!
Accordion Noir radio playlist 2009-01-30: No Movies for YOU
Ten years (and a bit – we’ve fallen slightly out of step) ago, Rowan had planned to air a special episode of Accordion Noir, featuring on the instrument’s use in movie soundtracks and scores. But I was overwhelmed (gasp, it me) with a surprising overabundance of material to work with and consequently when the intended air date arrived, this perfectionist hadn’t quite finished curating it down to its strongest 57 minutes. So in its place we got a taste of a couple of accordionic film tunes rescued from the cutting-room floor, and a promise to deliver the complete package in the near future. So here’s Accordion Noir episode number 113, having achieved some 10058 listens at its original online host despite its failure to deliver the specifically promised goods. You can now enjoy it as digital audio courtesy of the Internet Archive! Here is its playlist:
Artist — Song – Album – Place of Origin – Contact/Distribution (if we know)
Tosca Tango Orchestra – Ballade 4, Pt. 2 – the Waking Life soundtrack (2001) – Austin, Texas, USA – http://www.toscastrings.com/tosca_tango.htm
Marlene Dietrich – I May Never Go Home Anymore – from Billy Wilder’s “Witness for the Prosecution” (1957) – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-uwWdYL-IU
Hot Panda – Chinatown Bun – Volcano, Bloody Volcano (2009) – Edmonton, Alberta Canada – http://www.HotPanda.com
Rachelle Garniez & The Fortunate Few – Mister Lady – Crazy Blood (2001) – New York, NY, USA
Iva Nova – The Ivy – St. Petersburg, Russia – http://www.morezvukov.nl/ivanova.html
Chervona – Reality Show – Portland, Oregon, USA – http://www.myspace.com/chervona
Rufus Wainwright – Everybody Knows (by Leonard Cohen) – http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=zUTBESqnnkg
Joanna Chapman-Smith – Urbanity – Contraries (2009) – Vancouver, BC, Canada – http://www.joannacs.com/
Vagabond Opera – Otchi Chornyia – Vagabond Opera (2006) – Portland, Oregon, USA
Edmund & James and their clearly self-important band – Bluebird – If We Ever Get Out of Here: a Prince George tribute to Band on the Run (2008) – Prince George, BC, Canada – CFRU radio, promo?
American Sinners – Wayfaring Stranger – Washington DC USA – http://www.americansinner.com/This episode’s cover is Marlene about to be torn from the stage…
And thank you to Lucas for helping us out in the booth!
—-This is where we get to say, “Please support ethical and unusual media by becoming a member of Co-op Radio,” because we love you. HO HO HO!
Thanks for reading us here (and hopefully listening to us, there), but if you find you want more, you can always keep up with us on Twitter (@AccordionNoir and @AccordionBruce), Instagram (@AccordionNoirFest), and Facebook at Accordion Noir fans, the Accordion Noir Festival, and the Vancouver Squeezebox Circle. Cheers & squeeze on!
In 2010, Accordion Noir radio co-host Rowan made good on an invitation to appear at the Cotati Accordion Festival with a virtuous rump of his band the Creaking Planks. Despondent backstage, they somehow ended up poaching nearly the entire band of polkameister Alex Meixner, who were still milling around backstage after wrapping their own most triumphant set, and together gave up an unforgettable gestalt performance. (As pictured below.) You couldn’t ask for a nicer accordion pal, and surely he’s the hardest working man in the polka business.
Since then, we have watched in awe as Alex’s star ascended, first as the nationwide one-man-band spokesperson for Hormel’s Pepperoni snacks, then supporting Jack Black in the Netflix movie The Polka King.
Now his fame is firmly assured for the ages, landing another exclusive interview with Accordion Noir radio to complement the one we stole with him backstage at Cotati nine years ago. Bruce had so much fun chatting with him that there simply wasn’t enough time to air it all, so you get a good dose of it here… and will hear the remainder of their conversation down the line. You can hear last night’s episode available as digital audio courtesy of the Internet Archive, and here’s its playlist:
AccNoir-2019-02-06, Alex Meixner and Co. Episode 1!
* The Alex Meixner Band – Road Dawgz Polka – Make Some Noise (2018) – Palm City, Florida, USA – http://alexmeixner.com/
* The Alex Meixner Band – Ramo Ramo – Make Some Noise (2018) – Palm City, Florida, USA – http://alexmeixner.com/
* Alex Meixner – Happiness Is A Choice – Happiness Is A Choice (2014) – Palm City, Florida, USA – http://alexmeixner.com
* Alex Meixner – Crazy Train (etc) – Youtubes Y’all
* Polka Time! – Turbo Island Polka (Live @ Practice) – (2018) – Vancouver, BC, Canada – Visit http://polkatime.bandcamp.com
* The Alex Meixner Band – Hoe Down – Make Some Noise (2018) – Palm City, Florida, USA – http://alexmeixner.com/ (A little bit of dueling accordions/fiddles/banjos.)
* The Argyle Embargo – Last Call – What Could Go Wrong? (2018) – Vancouver, BC, Canada – https://theargyleembargo.comHoorah for Alex Meixner! Get his new album Make Some Noise!And please do come down to Lana Lou’s where Rowan and I will be Friday night for the Wet’suwet’en fundraiser:
- February 8, 7 pm – A musical evening in support of Wet’suwet’en w. Argyle Embargo, Rowan Lipkovits and more. Lana Lou’s, 362 Powell, $10
Thanks for reading us here (and hopefully listening to us, there), but if you find you want more, you can always keep up with us on Twitter (@AccordionNoir and @AccordionBruce), Instagram (@AccordionNoirFest), and Facebook at Accordion Noir fans, the Accordion Noir Festival, and the Vancouver Squeezebox Circle. Cheers & squeeze on!
Accordion Noir radio playlist 2009-01-23: with the Gram Partisans
Ten years ago, for episode number 112 of the Accordion Noir radio program, we aired this episode, a visit by the local band The Gram Partisans, featuring Vancouver longtime Squeezebox Circle host (and squeezeboxcircle.org webmaster) Alan Zisman! Ten years along Bob Rosen is no longer with us, but the ensemble continues to fill quiet places with the music they need, so don’t hesitate to check them out! At its original online home, this episode achieved a high-water mark of 10878 loosely-tracked listens, and we’ll see if given another ten years we can’t surpass that total at its new online home courtesy of the Internet Archive. Here’s the episode’s playlist:
Accordion Noir: Playlist: January 23rd, 2009, With The Gram Partisans!
Artist — Song – Album – Place of Origin – Contact/Distribution (if we know)
Gram Partisans – Glendale Train –
Mingo Saldivar y Sus Tremendo Cuatro Espadas – Rueda De Fuego (by Johnny Cash!) – The Rough Guide to Tex-Mex (1999)
Gram Partisans – Freight Train (by Fred Eaglesmith) – http://www.fredeaglesmith.com/
Gram Partisans – A Hold On Me –
Los Lobos – Anselma – El Cancionero: Mas y Mas (The Los Lobos Box 1977-1987)
Gram Partisans – Make Me a Pallet on your Floor
Gram Partisans – Loves a Word
New Orleans Klezmer Allstars – Boozoo’s Breakdown – Boozoo Hoodoo! The Songs of Boozoo Chavis (2003)
Richard Galliano, New York Trio – Teulada – Ruby, My Dear (2005)
Gram Partisans – Leaving LouisianaThe Gram Partisans are:
Bill Hood and Bob Rosen, both play guitar and sing.
Steve Quattrocchi, mandolin.
David Anderson, stand-up electric fancy-bass.
And
Alan Zisman, accordion!Your Partisan source: http://www.zisman.ca/partisans.html
This episode’s cover is The Partisan’s accordionist Alan Zisman, by one of his grade five (10 years old) students.
And thank you to Jeff and Lucas for helping me out in the booth!
—-
And the name of the vital Cajun movie I couldn’t remember is of course: J’ai été au bal (I want to dance): roots of Cajun and Zydeco music, by Les Blank, Chris Strachwitz & Maureen Gosling. (2002). Get it! http://www.savoymusiccenter.com/
—-Apologies for the sound in the first half of this show. I’m just happy we figured it out for the end. We aren’t set up for live playing, so it’s precarious. Mostly, there’s no way to sound-check except live-on-the-air! So certainly don’t hold it against the musicians. And if you want to make a donation to the Co-op Radio tech fund (which I just named), please get ahold of us!
—-
This is where we get to say, “Please support ethical and unusual media by becoming a member of Co-op Radio,” because we love you. HO HO HO!
Thanks for reading us here (and hopefully listening to us, there), but if you find you want more, you can always keep up with us on Twitter (@AccordionNoir and @AccordionBruce), Instagram (@AccordionNoirFest), and Facebook at Accordion Noir fans, the Accordion Noir Festival, and the Vancouver Squeezebox Circle. Cheers & squeeze on!
Accordion Noir radio playlist 2019-01-30: Janu-barely there
Last night on Accordion Noir radio we were joined by our online listener and social media colleague Julien Lallevé, our man in the video game trenches, visiting from Out East. Though not without precedent, touching base with our audiences out there when they pass through town is a regrettably rare occasion, and we’d be thrilled to pick up the pace a little! The visit was a bit of an impromptu one, so his company didn’t change the planned program (spoiler warning: the usual mix) a great deal, but Bruce got to enjoy some great conversation with the mics silenced while the tunes were airing. You can’t be a fly on that wall, but you can at least enjoy the tunes, provided as digital audio courtesy of the Internet Archive! And here’s the playlist:
AccNoir-2019-01-30, Janu-barely There
with special guest Julien Lallevé from France via Montreal
@jlalleve on Twitter* Les Tireux d’Roches – La Gatineau – XO 15 Ans D’âge (2013) – Quebec, Canada – http://www.TireuxDeRoches.com (quotes James Bond theme?)
* Nathan & The Zydeco Cha Chas – I Don’t Know Why I’m So Crazy About You – Steady Rock (1989) – Louisiana, USA –
* AmberRev – Bring it Right Down – Premonition and Ruin (2018) – Cambridge, UK – https://emberrev.bandcamp.com Chris Peckham, acc.
* Argyle Embargo – Argyle Embargo Stinger – (0) – Victoria, BC, Canada –
* The Argyle Embargo – Beyond – What Could Go Wrong? (2018) – Vancouver, BC, Canada – https://theargyleembargo.com
* Vishtèn – L’Autre Femme – Horizons (2018) – Acadia; Prince Edward Island; and Quebec, Canada – http://www.vishten.net/
* Pony Up! – Fort (Made Of Bedsheets) – Stay Gold (2009) – Montreal, Quebec, Canada – https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/ponyup1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pony_Up
* Emile Carrara – Les Pepees De Paris – Paris-La Ville Musette (0) – France – https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Émile_Carrara
* Emma Cloney – House Of The Rising Sun – Stars For Streetlights (2013) – Winnipeg, Canada – http://www.emmacloney.com Jeremy Rusu, acc.
* Zulu Minstrel – U Dear Mntakwetu – Squashbox: Zulu, Sotho, Xhosa Concertina, 1930-1965 (1930) – South Africa – David Murray sent us this. Thankyou David! dave@spectacularopticals.com
* Rattletrap Ruckus – Newelnik – Redlight Rag (2013) – Bellingham, WA, USA – http://www.RattletrapRuckus.com Lucas Hicks, acc.
* Bennie Moten’s Kansas City Orchestra – Oh! Eddie – Band Box Shuffle (1930) – St. Louis, MO, USA – (HEP Records UK)
* Vagabond Opera – Mon Ami Gibberesh – The Zeitgeist Beckons (2009) – Portland, Oregon, USA – http://www.vagabondopera.com/
Thanks for reading us here (and hopefully listening to us, there), but if you find you want more, you can always keep up with us on Twitter (@AccordionNoir and @AccordionBruce), Instagram (@AccordionNoirFest), and Facebook at Accordion Noir fans, the Accordion Noir Festival, and the Vancouver Squeezebox Circle. Cheers & squeeze on!
Accordion Noir radio playlist 2009-01-16: Lars Hollmer tribute
From sliiiightly over ten years ago, here’s episode 111 of Accordion Noir radio, a tribute to the life of Swedish musician (and Accordion Tribe member) Lars Hollmer. At its original online home it racked up some 11357 listens, presumably mostly by distraught Swedes, and you can enjoy it going forward as digital audio hosted at the Internet Archive. Here’s its playlist:
Accordion Noir: Playlist: January 16th, 2009, Lars Hollmer Tribute
Artist — Song – Album (Year) – Place of Origin – Contact/Distribution (also see below)
Lars Hollmer – Endlich Ein Zamba – XII Sibiriska Cyklar (1981)
Lars Hollmer – Augustins Tema – Utsikter (2001)
Lars Hollmer and Fanfare Pourpour – Pompen – Lars et Pourpour 1 (2007) – Sweden, Canada – http://www.fanfarepourpour.com/liens.php http://www.actuellecd.com/en/bio/fanfarepourpour_/discog/
Lars Hollmer – Denglad – Utsikter (2001)
Lars Hollmer and Fanfare Pourpour – Circus I-II – Lars et Pourpour 1 (2007) – Sweden, Canada
Sola – Växeltango – Lars Hollmer’s Global Home Project (2002)
Lars Hollmer – Franska Valsen – Vandelmässa (1995)
Lars Hollmer – Sometime – Vandelmässa (1995)
Accordion Tribe – Boeves Psalm – Accordion Tribe (1998) – Slovenia, Sweden, Finland, USA, Austria – http://hoedown.com/main.site?action=siteupdate/view&id=5
Lars Hollmer – Videpiano – Andetag (1997)
Accordion Tribe – Utflykt M. Damcykel – Accordion Tribe (1998)
Sola – Arioso Nearaway – Lars Hollmer’s Global Home Project (2002)
Accordion Tribe – Inte Quanta – Accordion Tribe (1998)
Sola – Yrsa requem – Lars Hollmer’s Global Home Project (2002)This episode’s cover is Lars (I wish I had a picture of him and that dog there.)
Not as polished a production as I’d like, but I hope the beauty of Lars’ music makes up for my mistakes. Maybe he’d laugh over them?
Very nice career summery if you enter Lars Hollmer on: http://www.allmusic.com/ I couldn’t get on there today, but they connect to a bunch of his records too.
The empty Chicken House: amigo.se/krax/
http://www.myspace.com/larshollmer
Accordion Tribe; http://hoedown.com/main.site?action=siteupdate/view&id=5Good place where I originally got some of these recordings:
http://www.cdroots.com—-
This is where we get to say, “Please support ethical and unusual media by becoming a member of Co-op Radio,” because we love you. HO HO HO!
Thanks for reading us here (and hopefully listening to us, there), but if you find you want more, you can always keep up with us on Twitter (@AccordionNoir and @AccordionBruce), Instagram (@AccordionNoirFest), and Facebook at Accordion Noir fans, the Accordion Noir Festival, and the Vancouver Squeezebox Circle. Cheers & squeeze on!
Accordion Noir radio playlist 2019-01-23: Skidoo
Last night’s episode of Accordion Noir radio is now up online and available as digital audio for your listening enjoyment. I know I always flap my trap about how we survey all the accordion cultures of the world so it’s probably just background noise by this point, but check out the home bases for this week’s performers: Montreal, Los Angeles, Louisiana, Haiti, North Carolina, Bosnia, Sweden, Germany, France, Texas, Newfoundland, Italy. OK, it’s more a survey of accordion cultures of North America and Western Europe, but still that’s a pretty more extensive deep dive into different flavours and varieties than any other hourlong accordion broadcast would ever deliver! But I digress. Go enjoy listening to it! Here’s its playlist:
AccNoir-2019-01-23, Skidoo
* Orkestar Kriminal – Charsi – RyOBRA (2018) – Montreal, Quebec, Canada – http://orkestarkriminal.com
* Los Lobos – Los Ojos De Pancha [Live] – El Cancionero: Mas Y Mas – The Los Lobos Box 1977-1987 [Disc 1] (1984) – East Los Angeles, California, USA – http://www.loslobos.org/
* Lost Bayou Ramblers – Mammoth Waltz – Mammoth Waltz (2012) – Louisiana, USA – http://www.LostBayouRamblers.com
* Lakou Mizik – Peze Kafe – Wa Di Yo (2016) – Haiti – http://www.ArtistsInstitute.org
* Old Crow Medicine Show – Sweet Amarillo – Remedy (2014) – North Carolina, USA – http://www.CrowMedicine.com
* Amira and Merima Kljuco – Jo Hanino Tu Hanina – Zumra (2010) – Bosnia – http://www.amira.com.ba/ acc. Merima Kljuco
* Lars Hollmer and Fanfare Pourpour – Boeves Psalm – Lars et Pourpour 1 (2007) – Sweden / Quebec, Canada – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lars_Hollmer
* Ta Lam Acht – Die Moritat Don Macrie Messer – Moritat (1994) – Germany – w/ Hans Hassler, accordion; http://www.gebhard-ullmann.com
* Hank Penny – Jersey Bounce – from Kevin Coffey’s collection (1950) – Los Angeles, California, USA – (Stan Ellison, acc.)
* Émile Carrara – Le Charmeur De Serpents – Swing Accordion (2003) – France – http://www.hmboutique.com/
* Conjunto Bernal – Pa’ Que Me Hago Ilusiones – Mi Unico Camino (0) – Texas, usa – http://www.arhoolie.com/
* Art Stoyles – The Portuguese Waltzes – All The Best: Folk Music of St. John’s Newfoundland (1988) – Newfoundland, Canada – RIP
* The Lifers – Sister – Honey Suite (2018) – Guelph, Ontario, Canada – http://www.theLifersMusic.com Liv Cazzola, acc.
* Riccardo Tesi – Pan Pentito – Acqua Foco E Vento (2001) – Italy (“New traditional music from Tuscany.) – http://lnx.riccardotesi.com/
Thanks for reading us here (and hopefully listening to us, there), but if you find you want more, you can always keep up with us on Twitter (@AccordionNoir and @AccordionBruce), Instagram (@AccordionNoirFest), and Facebook at Accordion Noir fans, the Accordion Noir Festival, and the Vancouver Squeezebox Circle. Cheers & squeeze on!
