I came across this article on the newswire tonight.
Sincerely SORRY if it has been posted by someone else elsewhere already. I don't mean to "SPAM."
The squeezebox is square no more
By Joann Loviglio
Associated Press Writer
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Rock 'n' roll and a square reputation
nearly squeezed all the life out of the accordion - but the
instrument that launched a thousand Lawrence Welk shows is
back.
Forget earsplitting renditions of "Lady of Spain" and the
accordion's dorky novelty in the hands of weirdos from singer
"Weird Al" Yankovic to TV's Steve Urkel. Younger musicians are
proudly playing the squeezebox, according to accordionists who
gathered Thursday for their annual convention.
"It's fun, it's very social, and there's a real camaraderie
in our community," said Frank Busso of the American
Accordionists Association, which is celebrating its 65th
anniversary at this year's festival. More than 500 people will
attend seminars, perform in competitions and celebrate their
instrument.
There will be polka concerts, of course - plus jazz, pop,
world music and classical.
"There's a new age of accordion players now," said Alexander
Gikas, 27, of New York City, who learned accordion as a child
but started playing again recently. "It used to be mainly
traditional German and Polish stuff, but people have really
started doing more rock 'n' roll and swing."
The instruments have appeared in recent recordings from acts
like Grammy Award-winner Norah Jones and the Talking Heads, as
well as a solo instrument with the Philadelphia Orchestra, the
New York Philharmonic and London's Royal Philharmonic
Orchestra. Modern classical composers from Lukas Foss to Ole
Schmidt have written pieces for accordion.
"Accordions are very versatile," said musician and teacher
Michael Falcetti, 35, of Springfield, Mass. "You can play
everything on them, and I think people are finally starting to
realize that. We have kids who at one time would have chosen to
play keyboard ... but who are choosing to play accordion."
That's a marked change from the instrument's dark days,
which began in the early 1960s, enthusiasts say.
"There's still some of that negative thing but it's much
less than it used to be," said Falcetti, who is bringing about
eight accordion players, ranging in age from 12 to their
mid-20s, to the festival. "Adults are loving it, kids are into
it, it's great."
Accordions come in dozens of sizes and degrees of
complexity, and can cost from a few hundred to many thousand
dollars. An average accordion weighs 20 to 30 pounds and is
played by pushing and pulling the bellows to force air through
the reeds, which are opened by pressing keys and buttons.
Gikas, who plays with a traditional German group at
festivals in New York and elsewhere, said the accordion allows
him to do two of his favorite things.
"I love to drink and I love to dance," Gikas said. "And the
music just makes people want to drink and dance."
On the Net: American Accordionists' Association:
http://www.ameraccord.com
