MASSACHUSETTS ACCORDION Volume 7, Issue 9 ASSOCIATION November 2013
The MAAA is a group of accordion enthusiasts that MIDI: “Even the chairs will dance” welcomes players of all skill levels and accordion types, as well as interested non-players.
Join us! Open to the public! 4th Sunday of every month 1:30-4:00 p.m. Ciociaro Social Club 144 Bridge Street Newton, Massachusetts
Next meeting November 17, 2013 Italo DeMasi presenting on “The Power of Midi” at MAAA’s November 2013 Mark your calendar meeting. (Photo: Carol Avedisian) December 15, 2013 October’s MAAA meeting featured Occasionally reaching out to a special presentation by Italo touch the sound module, Italo Stay connected DeMasi titled “The power of played songs ranging from “Over www.MAAccordion.org the MIDI.” Using his own MIDI the Rainbow” to a Puccini aria, system and sound module, he demonstrating how the MIDI demonstrated its power. allows him to be a “one-man Like orchestra.” “I can program the most played Share rhythms--up to 24 of them--on “What a fun instrument!” Lillian Post the white keys without going to Monte exclaimed during the brief www.facebook.com/ the sound module. Everything pause between a cha-cha and a MAAccordion is set up--the speed and the Continued on page 2... rhythm. The sound module does This issue... all the work for you. There are Please email your news and October open mike 2 many different accordion sounds items of interest to Catherine Annual meeting 2013 3 available. And the Latin rythms-- Coleman, newsletter editor: Thank you, Carol 3 [email protected] even the chairs will dance!” Paul Monte in November 4 Patty Simmons concurred, saying Oktoberfest with NHAA 5 afterwards, “It was hard to stay NE Squeeze-In 2013 6 in my seat during Italo’s session Ladies Orchestra 7 because I wanted to get up and Calendar 8 dance!” MASSACHUSETTS ACCORDION ASSOCIATION 2
...continued from page 1 Stevie Wonder tune. Open Mike October 2013 The October 27 Open Mike floor several times before Lorenz The presentation was interesting opened up with Patty Simmons Hart came up with the set of lyrics both to MIDI afficionados and to playing “12th Street Rag” on her that went on to be featured in those who knew little about it. “I new birthday Borsini accordion. numerous films and recorded by admire and enjoy listening to folks (Congratulations on your birthday everyone from Billie Holiday to who create music using modern and your beautiful new accordion, Rod Stewart. technology,” Patty commented. Patty!) She provided a bit of “I enjoyed Italo’s presentation background on the history of A video of excerpts from the because of the music he created rags, and, coincidentally, a little October 27 meeting can be for us! He artistically wove the later Kim Galle performed “The viewed online. melodies and improvisation into Entertainer,” one of Scott Joplin’s an intricate electronic blend most well-known rags. Thank you to Carol Avedisian that he had designed with his for providing the meeting More history followed, with Coach Midi system. You have to have video and for capturing these Dave sharing the story of “Blue a very good sense of rhythm highlights of the Open Mike. and melodic flow to do that Moon,” a well-known classic that sort of playing and you have to survived Hollywood’s cutting room understand how the technology can work for you.”
Louis Howe (above) masterfully Above, Patty Simmons plays Twelfth David Rukhelman’s accordion (above) delivered the Trieste Overture while Street Rag on her new birthday Borsini sounded like a duet between a Carmen D’Angelo (below) took us accordion. Dave Magliozzi (below) harpsichord and a cuckoo bird. Below, from Funiculee Funicula to high played El Choclo (it means corn cob). Bill LaPolla traveled all the way from opera. Cape Cod to play. MASSACHUSETTS ACCORDION ASSOCIATION 3 MAAA Annual Meeting The October 27 meeting of Bylaw changes Article IV, Section 5,which the Massachusetts Accordion The following bylaw changes were previously stated that a Director Association included several approved: or Officer may be removed from important annual business office with or without cause, was activities, including the election Article IV, Section was3 changed revised so that “or without” was of a new Board of Directors, to read, “Directors and Officers removed, as the Board felt that it approval of bylaw changes, and a serve for two-year terms” in order is unfair to remove someone from treasurer’s report. to allow continuity of governance office without cause. (previously it stated that they may New Board be re-elected for one consecutive The MAAA Board of Directors two-year term). meets bi-monthly and as needed to oversee the Association’s legal and musical responsibilities. Raising a cup of thanks to Carol Congratulations to the new MAAA Board of Directors, and thank When we walk into an MAAA Thank you for your commitment and meeting, two powerful, you Carol, significant contributions to our pleasurable sensations greet us for all musical community. right away: the sound of many you do to accordions being played and the support the The new Officers of the MAAA smell of fresh coffee. Board are: Association. Tony Marini, President We can see who’s warming up Jim Avedisian, Vice-President their instruments, but we may This also includes recording Patty Simmons, Treasurer and not be as aware of the person to meeting activities with videos clerk whom we should give thanks for and photographs. THANKS!!! the hot coffee and bottled spring Elected board members are: water that are always available to Al Bacchiocchi us during our meetings. Jan Borelli Carmen D’Angelo For the past two years, Carol Volunteer needed Lewis Howes Avedisian has ensured that MAAA seeks a new volunteer attendees at MAAA meetings have Gary Morin to provide beverages at Ed Wawrzynowicz plenty of hot and cold drinks each month. monthly meetings. Please Treasurer’s report contact one of the MAAA Patty Simmons presented the Board members if you are treasurer’s report, copies of which willing to help. are available upon request. If you would like to raise your She noted that there are currently own MAAA cup, visit our 57 members--35 individual and website where you will also 11 dual membership. Five new find clothing, carriers, and members joined MAAA in the many other items with the past year. MAAA logo. Thank you, Carol Avedisian!!! MASSACHUSETTS ACCORDION ASSOCIATION 4 Paul Monte performing at MAAA meeting on 11/17 MAAA members will have a special opportunity to hear the accordion played by a true master when Paul Monte, one of New England’s leading accordion professionals, performs with bassist Tal Shalom-Kobi at the MAAA meeting on November 17. Paul’s passion for music spans many decades. By the time he was 14, he knew he wanted to master the accordion and was relentless in perfecting the discipline of his instrument. Formal training in music and creative improvisational technique informed Paul’s style, which is known for its European harmonics and rhythms. Paul held multi-year engagements with two of Boston’s most prestigious hotels—the Statler Paul Monte and Tal Shalom-Kobi and the Copley Plaza—where people here are or have been Orchestra in “La Vie en Rose” at he performed with their house my students!” Paul encourages Boston Symphony Hall. beginners to perform for others bands. During the summers he In 2010, Paul recorded a CD with in order to develop their skills and provided music for the Nantucket Tal Shalom-Kobi, a bass player confidence. Yacht Club. who became one of his accordion Paul’s accordion performances In 1963, Paul became the students. The CD, which will be created a demand for his first instructor to teach the available for sale at the meeting, instruction from aspiring accordion in the Popular Music features a variety of styles and musicians. In 1952 he founded Department at the New England selections that have marked Paul’s his first studio in Copley Square, Conservatory of Music in Boston. illustrious career. He is one of the founders of the Boston. His teaching practice A native of Israel, Tal has been a Accordion Teachers Association thrived, and he opened additional bass player and music educator of Massachusetts (ATAM), for studios where he offered guitar, for more than 20 years. She holds which he has served as President, piano, and drum lessons as a degree in Music Education from Treasurer, and as member of the well. He continues to teach and Berklee College of Music, and a Board of Directors. operates the Paul Monte Music Masters in Jazz Performance from Studio in Wellesley Hills, MA, just One of the highlights of his career New England Conservatory. She outside of Boston. was when he accompanied has performed in Jazz Festivals Looking around the room at Grammy Award-winning overseas and locally in venues like a recent MAAA meeting, he singer and songwriter, Melissa Berklee Performance Center, Ryles observed that, “Many of the Manchester and the Boston Pops Jazz Club, and Jordan Hall. MASSACHUSETTS ACCORDION ASSOCIATION 5
Oktoberfest with NHAA Squeezing out a big by Jim Avedisian Next came refreshments and win in Boston socialization. When I went to The Octoberfest meeting of put my accordion back in the gig the New Hampshire Accordion bag before refreshments, I got Association took place October a big surprise: a huge, mean- 19 at the Accordion Connection looking brown spider in there who on Route 106 in Gilmanton, NH, evidently thought it would make a beautiful piece of countryside. a good home. After that, I kept The MAAA was represented by the gig bag zipped up when the me and my wife, Carol, and Patty accordion was not in it! and Jeff Simmons. After refreshments, everyone who Donna Maria Regis, who, along wanted to participate played in Accordionist Tim Brennan of the with Sue Welch, runs the the play-along session. The first Dropkick Murphy’s accompanied meetings, started by looking for songs were taken from one of four of his bandmates in a volunteer to start the Open Mic the October MAAA play-alongs, performing the Star Spangled portion. Patty volunteered and consisting of Hof Brau Haus Banner before Game 6 of the played the “12th Street Rag,” Waltz, Anneliese Polka, and Wien World Series on October 30 at doing a fine job and helping to Bleibt March, followed by a waltz Fenway Park. USA Today observed, break the ice by volunteering first. medley and a polka medley, and “It was so Boston it hurt.” After the I volunteered next and played ending with Lili Marlene. national anthem, they launched “Here’s That Rainy Day.” There into another Fenway standard, We then turned to the NHAA “Shipping Up to Boston.” The were numerous other Open Mic play-along music, a variety of players, all doing a really good Red Sox then beat the St. Louis songs arranged for 1st and 2nd Cardinals and won the 2013 World job. Just as in the MAAA, every accordion and bass accordion. performance was applauded Series. Strange but true: The Sox The final piece was Repasz Band, have won every game since 2004 in a truly non-threatening an arrangement for 6 accordions. environment which encourages at which the Dropick Murphys participation. It was a very interesting and have played! enjoyable time for all. Accordionist Tim Brennan joined the Dropkicks in 2003, playing accordion, mandolin, and guitar. He struggled for years to hear his instrument over the band’s guitars and drums, then discovered the FR-3 V-Accordion which offered a digital sound source that gives him perfect accordion sound at volumes that can compete with his band mates.
Listen to the Dropkick Murphys at Fenway. Interstate ensemble at the NHAA Oktoberfest meeting MASSACHUSETTS ACCORDION ASSOCIATION 6
New England Squeeze-In 2013 The annual New England Squeeze-In was held from September 27-29 in the western Massachustts town of Becket, which is located in the Berkshire Hills. Each year, free reed players from eastern US and Canada gather for a weekend of playing, dancing, sharing, learning, and enjoying music and each other.
“On Friday night, we met up in the Library and played tunes with several others,” reports Dave Magliozzi, who has attended for the past two years. “Saturday was a full day of workshops ranging from old French and Scottish music to beginner Melodeon playing, to a Latin workshop, to Morris and English dance tunes.”
NESI takes place at the Chimney Corners, a beautiful and comfortable year-round camp and conference center about a two-hour drive from Boston.
Dave and MAAA member James Gerke performed at a Saturday night concert, which was followed by line dancing until the wee hours of the New England Squeeze-In 2014 morning. is tenatively scheduled for September 12-14. Mark your “NESI was eye and ear opening,” he concludes. “Throughout the calendars! Find more updates weekend, I was exposed to new music and wonderful people who play and dance to it. It’s open to the public and is a warm, welcoming and info at: experience for all skill levels. I highly recommend it!” http://www.squeeze-in.org/
Dave Magliozzi at NESI 2013 James Gerke MASSACHUSETTS ACCORDION ASSOCIATION 7
The Ladies Accordion Orchestra: A musical tradition The musical tradition of women’s accordion orchestras began in the herself by making it to the finish 1920s when Hoehner, one of the main manufacturers of the instrument, line with her regulation size began publishing transcriptions of classical sheet music and formed an squeezebox, but sitting down at accordion orchestra that toured and gave performances. Many members the finish line felt sublime. Jooyeon of the original Hoehner accordion ochestras were female, and other Koo and Ollie Luey, the younger accordion orchestras for women soon began forming. generation of players, never missed a beat or stopped smiling. MAAA members are helping to keep the tradition alive--they comprised half of a Ladies Accordion Orchestra that performed in September’s The parading bands were mostly annual HONK! parade along with dozens of other bands from across the brass and percussion--thus it was country and around the world. hard for the Ladies as well as bystanders to hear all-accordion The group was organized by Sari Kalin, who leads Porch-i-oke, a “groovy reditions of “Bella Ciao,” “I Walk live-music sing-along where the front porch meets the karaoke lounge.” the Line,” and a medly of nursery You may have sung along with Porch-i-oke at the 2013 Somerville rhymes. Nevertheless, the reaction Squeezebox Slam. Lady Kielbasa, the self-described “Accordion Playing, of the crowd to the simple sight of Lunch Lady Drag Queen” who was the MC of the Squeezebox Slam also so many accordions ranged from performed with the Ladies Accordion Orchestra. delight to ecstasy.
During pauses, people asked questions and expressed their love of the instrument (and also our hats!). We referred them to the MAAA website for information about instructors and repair services. They sang along. One woman put her hands over her heart and her eyes filled with tears.
The response took me by surprise. Within our accordion community, we share a love for this instrument and joy in its sound. Witnessing the pleasure of so many strangers Five of the ten accordionists of the Ladies Accordion Orchestra are MAAA as the Ladies Accordion Orchestra members. Can you spot Penny Yunuba, Catherine Coleman, Betty Widerski, Jooyeon Koo, and Ollie Luey beneath their festive hats? A unicyclist and two passed by was testimony to the percussionists also paraded with the LAO. universality of its appeal and its magic. Sari provided sheet music and encouragement during two hastily arranged rehearsals, one of which took place on the steps of the The orchestra is tentatively Somerville Public Library until the falling rain threatened the wellbeing scheduled to perform again at a of everyone’s instruments. Parade day was a sunny Sunday, however, holiday solstice concert at Arts and thousands of people gathered along the route from Davis Square in at the Armory in Somerville on Somerville to Harvard Square in Cambridge. December 21, 2013.
MAAA member Penny Yunuba played a Hoehner Piccolette. Betty Widerski played a Moreschi 12-bass. This newsletter’s editor surprised MASSACHUSETTS ACCORDION ASSOCIATION 8
Gigs and shows The Serfs duo has released a new Latin- of his death with arrangements Saturday, November 16, 9 pm flavored CD loosely based on that weave together guitars, The Press Room, Portsmouth, NH bossa nova circa Brasil ‘66 and strings, accordion and other www.garysred.com Astrud Gilberto. keyboards, and light percussion. The Serfs, featuring NH accordionist and radio personality Viriditas Women sing Hildegard Swedish Yuletide Gary Sredzienski, combine & Van Ness Saturday, December 7 traditional world music and Sunday, November 24, 7 pm 10 am-4 pm ‘50s/’60s style instrumental First Church in Cambridge Cyclorama/Boston Center for the rock with the goal of “elevating http://www.nightsong.org Arts, 539 Tremont Street the much maligned image of The women’s schola Viriditas sings [email protected] the piano accordion to that of a works by Hildegard von Bingen The SWEA Fair and Holiday diverse multicultural vocalist.” and local composer Patricia Van Celebration, featuring accordionist Ness, plus contemporary chant by Nils Lundin with Peter Widmark The Mahones Night Song founder/director Daryl and Warren Johnson. Thursday, November 21, 8 pm Bichel. Zoe Christiansen, clarinet Church, 69 Kilmarnock St., Boston & accordion, improvises on chant Newpoli www.ticketfly.com/venue/803- melodies. Sunday, December 8, 7:30 pm church/ YMCA Theatre, Cambridge Pioneers of the Irish punk genre, Nowell Sing We Clear www.brownpapertickets.com with Katie “Kaboom!” McConnell Saturday, November 30, 8 pm Musica di Natale--A traditional (accordion, vocals) First Parish Church of Watertown, Italian Christmas Watertown, MA Gumbo Diablo www.fssgb.org Saturday, November 23, 8 pm Nowell Sing We Clear celebrates Main Streets Market and Cafe, Christmas as it was known for Concord, MA centuries in Britain and North Keep up-to-date with the www.mainstreetsmarketandcafe. America and as it continues in Massachusetts Accordion com many places to the present. While Association by visiting our Zydeco and r&b from Louisiana, much of the singing is done in website for the latest news, cumbia from Colombia, forro unaccompanied style, the pageant updates about meetings, and from Brazil, and modern roots- integrates the energetic dance links to useful resources like influenced rock are fused by band sound of fiddle, button teachers and repair experts. this Boston-based quartet that accordion, electric piano, drums, www.maaccoordion.org features vocals, accordions, and concertina. keyboards, bass, drums, and Follow MAAA on Facebook percussion. Nutopians to get and share tips about Saturday, December 7, 8 pm musical happenings in the area Bird Mancini Shalin Liu Performance Center, 37 and news about the national Saturday, November 23, 9 pm Main Street, Rockport and international accordion In a Pig’s Eye, 148 Derby St., www.rcmf.org community. Salem, MA An award-winning ensemble www.facebook.com/ www.inapigseye.com celebrates the songs of John MAAccordion Boston’s accordion/guitar rock Lennon on the 32nd anniversary