Accordion Noir radio playlist 2020-02-26: Holding Our Breath

AccNoir 2020-02-26

There are many threads weaving together this week’s episode of Accordion Noir radio: Guy Klucevsek’s birthday, current events in Canada and upcoming accordion concerts in our home base of Vancouver specifically. All this amounts to: the usual mix, if you will. If your Apple or Android podcast subscription didn’t already serve it up to you, you can listen to it as digital audio over here. And now: its playlist!

AccNoir-2020-02-26, Holding our Breath

• Guy Klucevsek – Return Of The Microids: The Tortoise Knows How To Make Love To His Wife – Heart Of The Andes (2002) – Staton Island, NY, USA – http://www.guyklucevsek.com/
• Geoff Berner – Why Don’t We Just Take The Billionaire’s Money Away – Grand Hotel Cosmopolis (2019) – Vancouver, BC, Canada – http://www.geoffberner.com/
• Esmerelda Strange – The Moon and the Sea – Introducing Esmerelda Strange (2005) – Bay Area, California, USA (Now in Denver) – http://www.esmereldastrange.com
• Random Order – Fraction – Not A Perfect World (1995) – Toronto, Ontario, Canada –
• Jack Garton – The Frontline Is Everywhere (in support of Unist’ot’en land defenders) – (premier fundraising single) (2020) – Galiano Island, British Columbia, Canada – All proceeds to Native land defenders) Download and listen at http://jackgartonmusic.bandcamp.com, or donate directly at UNISTOTEN.CAMP
• Tex Williams & His Western Caravan – Artistry In Western Swing – Joaquin Murphy Compilation (1948) – – http://westernswing78.blogspot.com/2009/09/joaquin-murphey.html Quotes at 1:17? “Feelings,” Suzanne Vega’s “Tom’s Diner.” Weird. Joaquin Murphey, steel guitar / Pedro De Paul, acc.
• Anne Niepold – Convoitise – Vita Brevis (2018) – Belgium – http://www.anneniepold.be
• Ellery Eskelin With Andrea Parkins & Jim Black – Visionary Of The Week – Kulak, 29 & 30 (0) – USA – http://www.elleryeskelin.com/
• Acclarion – Adagion & Tarantella by E. Ca – Shattered Expectations (2015) – Toronto, Ontario, Canada – http://www.acclarion.ca
• Sharon Shannon – Butterflies – Out The Gap (1995) – County Clare, Ireland – http://sharonshannon.com/
• Guy Klucevsek – Burt Bacharach: One Less Bell to Answer – Free Range Accordion (2000) – Staton Island, NY, USA – http://www.guyklucevsek.com/
• Geoff Berner – The Traveller’s Curse (swearing) – Whiskey Rabbi (2005) – Vancouver, BC, Canada – http://www.geoffberner.com
• Deux Accords Diront – L’autre – Gardadvergur (2006) – Belgium – http://www.anneniepold.be/ Anne Niepold & Aline Pohl

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 (one week away!) Cheers & squeeze on!

Accordion Noir radio playlist 2010-02-19: Pee-Wee King Day!

From ten years ago, here’s episode 167 of Accordion Noir radio, wherein it seems Bruce had been made privy to a secret stash of accordion-filled Western Swing music.  He took the opportunity to celebrate the birthday of accordion-slinging bandleader Pee-Wee King,  At its original online home, it achieved a total of some 13352 tracked listens, and we know this trend will only continue at its new online home over at the Internet Archive, where you can listen to it any time!  Here’s its playlist:

AccNoir-2010-02-19, Pee Wee King Day! The grand-master of Country and Western Swing Accordion!

*Artist – Song – Album (year) – Contact info if we’ve got it.
* Andy Fielding – Accordion Noir theme (2010) – Vancouver, BC, Canada – recorded special just for our show!
* Pee Wee King (Frank Julius Anthony Kuczynski) – Dragnet – Blue Suede Shoes: Gonna Shake This Shack Tonight (1955) – Milwaukee, Wisconsin / Nashville, Tennessee, USA – http://www.bear-family.de
* Pee Wee King and his Golden West Cowboys – Hoot Scoot – Blue Suede Shoes:Gonna Shake This Shack Tonight (1956)
* Spade Cooley – Three Way Boogie – Swingbillies, (Disc 2) (1946) – http://westernswing78.blogspot.com/
* Pee Wee King (Frank Julius Anthony Kuczynski) – You Can’t Hardly Get Them No More – Blue Suede Shoes:Gonna Shake This Shack Tonight (1955)
* Jewel Cowboys – My Untrue Cowgirl (1939) – The Western Swing: Doughboys, Playboys, & Cowboys – Tobacco State Swing [Disc 3] (1939) – Proper Records box-set, http://www.venerablemusic.com/catalog/TitleDetails.asp?TitleID=1573
* Bill Haley – Behind The Eight Ball – From Western Swing To R-O-C-K (1949) – Bill was from Michigan and grew up in Delaware (Johnny Grande was from South Philadelphia) – http://www.properuk.com
* Pee Wee King & His Golden West Cowboys – The Waltz Of Regret – Scratchy 45 (1949) – USA – http://devildick.blogspot.com/2009/02/pee-wee-king-and-his-golden-west.html
* Jeff Durham & His Rhythm Playboys – Tennessee Boogie – Hillbilly Boogie – CD1 – Travelling Boogie, Proper Box 50 – http://www.properuk.com/artists.php?action=alview&alid=2037 (I’d love to get this record)
* Pee Wee King (Frank Julius Anthony Kuczynski) – Why Don’t Y’all Go Home? – Blue Suede Shoes:Gonna Shake This Shack Tonight (1954)
* Pee Wee King (Frank Julius Anthony Kuczynski) – Woodchopper’s Ball – Blue Suede Shoes:Gonna Shake This Shack Tonight (1955)
* Bill Haley – Yodel Your Blues Away – From Western Swing To R-O-C-K (1949)
* Pee Wee King (Frank Julius Anthony Kuczynski) – Bull Fiddle Boogie – Blue Suede Shoes:Gonna Shake This Shack Tonight (1948) – sounds like rock around the clock, don’t it?
* Joaquin Murphy with The Plainsmen – Along The Rio Grand (Isn’t that a weird song? These were not hillbillies, they were jazzers.) – Joaquin Murphey, steel guitar – http://westernswing78.blogspot.com/2009/09/joaquin-murphey.html
* Judy Hayden – Feudin’ Fussin’ and Fightin’ (Dinner Bell Round-Up) – Women Of Western Swing (1948) – http://westernswing78.blogspot.com/2008/04/women-of-western-swing.html
* Jimmy Wakely – Caravan – Western Swing and Pretty Things (1946) – From our friend Alan Zisman, who maintains the http://www.SqueezeboxCircle.org website
* Pee Wee King (Frank Julius Anthony Kuczynski) – Flower Of Texas – Pee Wee King’s Country Hoedown (1952) – Milwaukee, Wisconsin / Nashville, Tennessee, USA – This is from “transcription disks” of pre-recorded radio-shows sent to subscribing stations so the band didn’t have to be there. Weird. – http://www.bloodshotrecords.com/album/pee-wee-king-country-hoedown
* Andy Fielding – Accordion Noir theme (short version, 1:06) – Accordion Noir (2010) – Vancouver, BC, Canada – recorded special just for our show!
* Jeff Andrews (in the background, you can’t really hear them) – The Madhouse Keeper – Vagabonds & Wastrels (2008) – Victoria, BC, Canada – Larissa Ardis, Acc. – http://www.jeffandrew.ca

And also: Barbara Adler live from the Airport! “The only thing louder than a talking audience is an accordion.” – http://www.badler.ca/

This episode’s cover is… Pee Wee King’s accordion in the Country Music Hall of Fame. Wow! http://www.flickr.com/photos/jgmundie/882311834/
Thank you Pee Wee!

——- Check http://www.SqueezeboxCircle.org for Vancouver shows and squeezing! ——-

Support Accordion Noir, we love our supporters, and our supporters’ supporters – even our detractors love our supporters.

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 2020-02-19: Politicackling

AccNoir 2020-02-19

On this week’s episode of Accordion Noir radio, Bruce held forth on two matters near and dear to his heart: promoting accordion-playing women, and opposing fossil fuel pipeline projects. If you’re not subscribed to our podcast via your Apple or Android device, you can enjoy listening to the program courtesy of the Internet Archive. Here’s its playlist:

AccNoir-2020-02-19, Politicackling

• Penny Sanborn Trio – Mirror Suite – Mirror Suite (2018) – Calgary, Alberta Canada – http://www.PennySanborn.com
• Debra Peters & the Love Saints – One Step Ahead of the Law – Accordion Babes 2020 Pin-up Calendar CD (2020) – Austin, Texas, USA – http://accordionpinupcalendar.com/ http://www.DebraPetersMusic.com
• Vishtèn – Belle Vue – Vishtèn Live (2009) – Acadia; Prince Edward Island; Quebec, Canada – http://www.vishten.net
• Maria Dunn – William McIlroy’s – The Peddler (2008) – Alberta, Canada – http://www.mariadunn.com
• Leah Abramson – Skana – Songs For A Lost Pod (2017) – Vancouver, BC, Canada – http://www.leahabramson.com
• Maria Kalaniemi – Samuel Dikströmin Polska – Maria Kalaniemi (1992) – Finland – http://www.mariakalaniemi.com/
• Daniel Kahn – Prayer of Francois Villon – Bulat Blues (Featuring Vanya Zhuk) (2019) – Michigan, USA / Berlin, Germany / Russia – http://www.DanielKahn.org
• Play, Bayan! – Literature – EP “Di-ska-punk” (2002) – Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation – ripped by ivk E-Mail: info@diy.spb.ru
  Postal: Russia, 198332, St.-Petersburg, PO Box 17, Izmailov Romanhttp://www.diy.spb.ru/english/play_bayan_history_eng.shtml
• Miss Murgatroid – Nature’s Law – Through Alien Empires (1997) – Portland, Oregon, USA – http://www.missmurgatroid.com/ recorded 1995
• Karen Street – For The Children – The Giulietti Sound (Book and CD) (2008) – UK – http://henrydoktorski.com/store/Giulietti_Book.html http://www.KarenStreet.com
• Sharon Shannon – Bungee Jumpers – Out The Gap (1995) – County Clare, Ireland – http://sharonshannon.com/
• Juliette Daum – Sonata Typica – Mallorca Dulce y Picante: Picante (2007) – France/Wisconsin – http://www.juliettedaum.com/ Wheatstone Treble Concertina

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!

Star Trek Squeezeboxes and the Planet of Irish Clichés

Inter-planetary accordions keep showing up on Star Trek. I appear to have joined twitter in 2013 just in time to share this discovery.

Star Trek the Next Generation’s second-season episode “Up the Long Ladder” is not a high-point of the series. [Spoilers if you care] The plot is that after the first half of the show unfolds, it seems to be forgotten until it is presented as a surprise solution to the second half. There is no explanation for this.

There is, however, a space chicken. So that’s something.
(from Memory Alpha)

In the (really it is quite memorable) first half, the crew of the Enterprise encounters a dying planet of stage-Irish stereotypes. These caricatures pass around jugs of whisky, broadly play out an inter-generational battle of the sexes, and then celebrate by playing concertina (the soundtrack though features accordion.) Who knew the prejudices of the 1800s would survive all the way to the 24th Century?

Irish actors in the early 1900s loudly protested against this kind of (“green face”?) prejudice. Earlier, however, Irish Americans were among the first to perform in America’s racist blackface minstrel shows. These minstrel troupes were extremely popular and influential when they toured Ireland in the 1840s. In addition, they were the first place many audiences ever saw accordions – still a novelty mostly reserved for the wealthy. Surely there are higher-quality Star Trek allegories in there somewhere?

I cover some of this history in the Irish chapter of my Accordion Revolution book, and whole-heartedly recommend:

Robert Nowatzki’s “Paddy Jumps Jim Crow: Irish-Americans and Blackface Minstrelsy”, Éire-Ireland – Volume 41:3&4, Fómhar/Geimhreadh / Fall/Winter 2006, pp. 162-184.

Mick Moloney’s “Irish Ethnic Recordings and the Irish-American Imagination”, in Ethnic Recordings in America, a Neglected Heritage, American Folklife Center, (US) Library of Congress, 1982, pg 85-102.

(Let me know if you can’t find copies.)

Carl Fortina: Accordionist of the Stars (bonus points)

Another Star Trek squeezebox connection I noted is that along with hundreds of other TV shows, Carl Fortina played Star Trek accordion over the years. I wrote about him and The First Appearance of an Accordion in a Motion Picture. That post grew into the “Squeezebox at the Movies” section of my book.

I don’t know if there’s a way to find out exactly which episodes Fortina (or others) played on the various iterations of the shows’ soundtrack? Cross your geek streams with some Trek/Accordion research and add your comments below.

Accordion Noir radio playlist 2010-02-12: Nolympics

From ten years ago, here’s episode 166 of Accordion Noir radio, in which we really look rather dimly at the Winter Olympics mania sweeping our home base of Vancouver, Canada at that time.  At its original online home it nonetheless garnered some 10361 listens, and for a little anti-Olympic nostalgia, you can revisit it today at the Internet Archive.  Here’s its playlist:

AccNoir-2010-02-12, Sunshine-Olympics rant episode. (Sometimes accordions have to take a stand).

*Artist – Song – Album (year) – Contact info if we’ve got it.

* Andy Fielding – Accordion Noir theme (short version, 1:06) – Accordion Noir (2010) – Vancouver, BC, Canada – recorded special just for our show!
* BU☆LI – 霧と煙 (Fog and Smoke) – Chitty Chitty (2005) – Sapporo City, Japan – http://www.myspace.com/buli1993
* La Strada – Sun Song – La Strada (2009) – Brooklyn, New York (USA) – ernestjennings.com
* Dsd (Derrick Stacey Denholm) – Sunlit Clearing – Norsk Drag (2006) – Prince George, BC, Canada – good luck finding his stuff, we don’t even have it.
* Gordon Fleming – Sunnyside Beach – According To Gordie (2004) – Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada – http://famgroup.ca/gordiefleming/navigation/gordie.htm
* They Might Be Giants – The Sun is a Mass of Incandescent Gas – (0) – Brooklyn, New York, USA – http://www.tmbg.com/
* Jack Velker – Bad Weather – Mojo Zydeco – Live (2006) – Vancouver, BC, Canada – http://www.exposureentertainment.com/mojozyd.html
* Amede Ardoin & Denus McGhee – Sunset – “Cajun: Rare & Authentic: 1929 – 1934” (this track, 1934) – http://www.jsprecords.com/
* Orchestre Tropicana à la Bananeraie – Mano RCI Ka Sonjé – Haiti – http://squeezyboy.blogs.com/squeezytunes/
* Kenosha Kid – Weather Conditions – 10/4/07 “Steamboat Bill Jr.” Cine – Athens, GA (2007) – Athens, Georgia, USA – http://www.southernshelter.com http://www.kenoshakid.com/
* The Captain & Me – See the Sun (radio edit) – Leave Your Friends And Family (2009) – Oslo, Norway – http://www.thecaptainandme.com/
* Paul Reddick – Climbing Up The Hill – Sugarbird (2008) – Toronto, Ontario, Canada – http://www.paulreddick.ca w. Garth Hudson, acc.
* Speedy West – Sunset – Steel Guitar (1960) – with Billy Leibert on piano accordion
* UpSouth Twisters – Where’s My Money? – The UpSouth Twisters (2008) – Palisades, New York, USA – http://www.myspace.com/lucky7zydeco
* Bruce Triggs – Harriet’s Accordion PRA
* Geoff Berner And Associates – That’s What Keeps The Rent Down, Baby – Live In Oslo (2004) – Canada – http://www.geoffberner.com

This episode’s cover is… Fraea Morgana, the Gumshoe Banshee, one of several accordionists who showed their discontent with the six billion dollars spent on the olympics, while arts, social services and school sports (!) programs get cut. British Columbia – the Canadian province with the highest childhood poverty rate in Canada – could have done better, so accordionists had to speak out.
Photo: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=4074668&id=593341636
Fraea: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=754510520

We got to meet another accordionist (who’d never heard of us) at the women’s march remembering hundreds of mostly impoverished, Native, or sex-trade workers who were murdered in BC. Their cases have been ignored by law-enforcement for years; hundreds of women’s families still wait to find out what happened to them.
http://womensmemorialmarch.wordpress.com/donate/

More Olympics and BC poverty info (it’s strange to see some of these issues upstaged in the media by speed-skating or whatever):
Poverty Olympics (Bruce walked on stilts and got on Russian TV): http://ccapvancouver.wordpress.com/
Red Tents homeless visibility project: http://www.redtents.org/

——-

Support Accordion Noir, we love our supporters, and our supporters’ supporters – even our detractors love our supporters.

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 2020-02-12: Waters of Just About Time

AccNoir 2020-02-12

Vancouver and indeed all of Canada are captivated this week by protests by Wet’suwet’en hereditary chief land and water defenders making a stand against the incursion of fossil fuel infrastructure on their traditional territories. Naturally Bruce did his best to program an hour of accordion music thematically linked to the current events… a stiff proposition! But if anyone could pull it off, it’s Bruce… and even if he fails, it’s still an hour of quality alt-accordoin music, so it’s a low-stakes proposition for listeners. You be the judge! If you’re not podcast subscribers on your Apple or Android devices, you can go check it out over here. Here’s its playlist:

AccNoir-2020-02-12, Waters of Just About Time

Wet’suwet’en land-rights issues and updates
http://unistoten.camp
https://www.facebook.com/unistoten
https://twitter.com/unistotencamp

• Geoff Berner – Super Subtle Folk Song – (video version) (2016) – Vancouver, BC, Canada – http://www.geoffberner.com/ https://youtu.be/zneicDPdicg
• Kim Stockwood – Thank God We’re Surrounded By Water – Back To The Water (2011) – St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada – http://kimstockwood.com/
• Spiro – Underland – Lightbox (2011) – United Kingdom – http://www.spiromusic.com
• Kroke – Water – The Sounds Of The Vanishing World (2000) – Poland – http://www.kroke.krakow.pl/html_en/main_en.html
• father daughter Johnny and Eleena Qiyuktak (Eleena was 12 yrs old) – This Land is Your Land – Pangnirtung Music Festival 1999 disk 1 (1999) – Nunavut, Canada – (I got this from David Idoris Boileau who made the recordings). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pangnirtung,_Nunavut
• Clay Rendering – Waters Above The Firmament – Waters Above The Firmament (2014) – Michigan, USA – http://www.ClayRendering.com
• Renee De La Prade – Bear Island – Notes From Underground (2011) – San Francisco, California, USA –
• Los Gringos Salvajes – Underwater – Smithers, British Columbia, Canada – https://www.facebook.com/bitterbobrecords/
• The Decemberists – Down By The Water – The King Is Dead (2011) – Portland, Oregon, USA – http://www.decemberists.com/
• Adham Shaikh – Water Prayer (Featuring Jornick) (Rastaman Vibration, Rasta Dub Mix) – Universal Frequencies (2010) – Nelson, British Columbia, Canada – http://www.sonicturtle.com
• Seemeonie Keenainak and Zeebeedee Nungak (noon-gak) – accordion duo – Pangnirtung Music Festival 1999 disk 1 (1999) – Nunavut, Canada
• Jody Kruskal & Friends – Midnight On The Water – Poor Little Liza Jane (2006) – Brooklyn, New York (USA) – http://www.jodykruskal.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 2010-02-05: Happy Valentines Day

From ten years ago, here’s the Very Romantic episode 165 of Accordion Noir radio!  At its original online home, it racked up some 8732 listens, and if  you like you can contribute to a new ticker by listening to it at its new online home.  Here’s its playlist.

AccNoir-2010-02-05, Happy Valentines (not olympics) Day!

*Artist – Song – Album (year) – Contact info if we’ve got it.

* The Decemberists – Isn’t It A Lovely Night? – The Hazards Of Love (2009) – Portland, Oregon, USA – http://www.decemberists.com/
* Janet Klein And Her Parlor Boys – Cooking Breakfast for the One I Love (1930) – Paradise Wobble (1930) – Los Angeles, California, USA – http://www.janetklein.com/web/main.htm
* Andy Fielding – Accordion Noir theme (medium version) – Accordion Noir (2010) – Vancouver, BC, Canada – recorded special just for our show!
* Geoff Berner – Beautiful In My Eyes – We Shall Not Flag Or Fail, We Shall Go On To The End (2003) – Canada – http://www.geoffberner.com
* Tex Williams, Joaquin Murphey – Steel Guitar – Careless Love – Tex Williams On The Air 1947-1949 – http://westernswing78.blogspot.com/
* Clifton Chenier and his Red Hot Louisiana Band – Got to Have Your Love – I’m Here! (1982) – Recorded at Studio In The Country, Bogalusa, Louisiana
* Art Van Damme Quintet – Gentle Art Of Love – Swinging The Accordion On MPS – USA – features the full albums Mit Art Van Damme In San Francisco, Ecstasy, Gentle Art Of Art, Lullaby In Rhythm, Art In The Black Forest, On The Road, Art & Four Brothers, Squeezing Art & Tender Flutes, Keep Going, and Blue World (whew) – http://www.promising-music.com/
* Gordon Fleming – Hello Young Lovers – According To Gordie (2004) – Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada – http://famgroup.ca/gordiefleming/navigation/gordie.htm
* Pietro Frosini – I Hate To Love You – Jolly Caballero – http://cylinders.library.ucsb.edu/index.php
* Murder My Sweet – MurderMySweetVeryAttractive – Film Noir (1945)
* The Magnetic Fields – Zebra (Daniel Handler/lemony snicket, acc) – 69 Love Songs, Vol. 3 (2000) – Boston, Massachusetts, USA – http://www.houseoftomorrow.com/
* Harriet Dykstra – Harriet’s Accordion PRA – Bruce Triggs’s Album (2010)
* Terror At The Opera – Lovely Day – Terror At The Opera (2004) – lostfrog.net
* Steve Jordan – You’ve Lost That Love’n Feel’n – Steve Jordan 25 Hits (2000) – Texas, usa – http://www.haciendarecords.com
* The Leon Sash Quintet – Lovely Way to Spend an Evening – Live At The Velvet Heart Club (1962) – http://www.henrydoktorski.com/historicaccordionrecords.html

This episode’s cover is… Rowan’s heart or hearts. (It says, “‘Accordion’ to this, you’re mine.”

——-

Support Accordion Noir, we love our supporters, and our supporters’ supporters – even our detractors love our supporters.

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!