Beginner looking for your favourite accordionists?

[Chickers]

Thank you all for these! I'm currently enjoying some Daniel Colin tunes as I read manuscripts at work



This is so beautiful, I know of some Mexican accordion traditions but I had never heard Brazilian ones before. I appreciate the recommendation!


I'm originally from a place very near you! Close to Cleveland. It's an underrated part of the world!

Yes, Seven Hills is one of the burbs south 15 miles south of Cleveland. I'm sorry we lost you to New York, I guess we don't have the glitz, and glamor

 

[SteveBox]

If you like polka music, then we can't forget the "Happy Norwegian" from South Dakota, Myron Floren. Of course, he played for decades with Lawrence Welk. I grew up listening to him almost every week, because my parents almost never missed that television show. He was a great accordionist, despite having to play some schmaltzy arrangements. He went on to continue his career after the show ended. Here he is in his later years playing with the Jimmy Sturr Orchestra. I ask you, can anyone possibly look happier than he does in this video?

 

[losthobos]

Leon Sash
Marcel Azzola
Richard Galliano
Harry Hussey

 

[aaetha]

Do you like classical? How about a bit of Bach?

BTW, I love listening to many styles but as a rank beginner I can play nothing, zilch, zip, nada…

I do like classical, though I feel like I'm a bit overexposed to it as I played classical/orchestral flute for many years (though rather poorly) and so I've heard most of these pieces in some form or another—but it's very cool to hear them arranged for accordion! I too am struggling with the fact that my eyes are a bit bigger than my stomach (ears bigger than my hands, perhaps?) when it comes to which pieces I can play, and I have to force myself to look for simpler and simpler pieces...

Yes, Seven Hills is one of the burbs south 15 miles south of Cleveland. I'm sorry we lost you to New York, I guess we don't have the glitz, and glamor

My industry (book publishing) pretty much only operates in New York, unfortunately, though I'm actually not a huge fan of the city! My fiancée recently got an apprenticeship in accordion repair, though, so we'll be moving again once she starts there.

If you like polka music, then we can't forget the "Happy Norwegian" from South Dakota, Myron Floren. Of course, he played for decades with Lawrence Welk. I grew up listening to him almost every week, because my parents almost never missed that television show. He was a great accordionist, despite having to play some schmaltzy arrangements. He went on to continue his career after the show ended. Here he is in his later years playing with the Jimmy Sturr Orchestra. I ask you, can anyone possibly look happier than he does in this video?

This is so wonderful, thank you for sharing it! I would love to learn to play polka someday but right now it seems pretty inaccessible due to the speed. But I can always listen and aspire!

I really appreciate all of these recommendations, thanks everybody!

 

[SteveBox]

I would love to learn to play polka someday but right now it seems pretty inaccessible due to the speed.

Every great accordionist was once a beginner. No problem starting out more slowly. It will take years to reach full speed, so you have to persevere to reach that level. However, playing music slowing is also a joy.

In the last half of that video, Myron was playing a medley of well-known folk tunes, to a very fast polka beat. These tunes are usually played more slowly.

 

[Tom]

This is so wonderful, thank you for sharing it! I would love to learn to play polka someday but right now it seems pretty inaccessible due to the speed. But I can always listen and aspire!

I really appreciate all of these recommendations, thanks everybody!

You don’t have to play polkas at blinding speed! Remember, polkas are essentially dance music. The people only want to dance so fast….. I have no problem playing them at dance speed.

I understand what you’re saying about being all over the board. It’s so tempting to “try everything.” I spent too many years not understanding this, so hopefully my experience will help you. Eventually I found it useful to write a list of the tunes I could actually play, start to finish with minimal mistakes. It was less than you would think. Then I accepted it, and started adding only one at a time, while maintaining the ones I know (and ditching songs that no longer meet my desire). This technique helped tremendously to get my repertoire under control, and to a point where I could legitimately increase it. …..Your results will vary . Good luck!

 

[Perogie]

@aaetha

Anything by Beirut (not every song has accordion) is probably my absolute favorite, which I'm sure you're already familiar with... but one album or another by him is pretty much a daily on my turntable.

 

[JerryPH]

Another wonderful, creative piano accordionist is Karen Tweed. Here she is with a musical medley starting out with the musette waltz "Indifference":

It's beautiful of course, but I have heard nicer renditions... what I noticed is that she literally used the entire keyboard on that song and even manages to run out of notes up top, nicely hidden with a register change instead. That song may be a good example of why NOT to have a keyboard with fewer notes.

 

[OuijaBoard]

You've lost me there, I'm afraid. She's got plenty of notes for both those pieces and you hear middle-reed tremolo throughout. If she's throwing an H reed in there somewhere, cheers to her--I'd call that a great trade-off for getting to move light and lithe with the instrument and not being chained up to a refrigerator. One could actually arrange both pieces quite nicely on a 30-key or even a 26 for that matter.

Interesting . . . Per YT comments, she's doing "Indifference," then "Maria - Rue de l'Oiseau" by Frederic Paris, then "Robin's Waltz," by Jon Swayne. Edited to add: Apparently "Rue de L'Oiseau" is the title of an album by Frederic Paris -- the title of its first track is "Maria - Rue de L'Oiseau." Frederic Paris is a lovely bisonoric button accordionist and tunesmith in the French balfolk tradition, who I just learned about thanks to this thread!

Re the specs of Karen Tweed's PA accordion's range, this is from one commenter at the YT clip:

[[[As for 72 bass, Karen doesn’t chose more than she needs. I asked her once why she was playing an 80 bass accordian with only 5 rows. She said that if she wanted a diminished chord, she just used her right hand. Point made.[[[

 

[Ffingers]

Here a few of my favourites which have not yet been mentioned, all piano accordionists, not Chromatic Button nor diatonic button

https://www.youtube.com/@jobrunenberg-accordion

https://www.youtube.com/@squeezydoesit

https://www.youtube.com/@sergiozampolli2023

https://www.youtube.com/@accomartin

https://www.youtube.com/@nickariondo1

https://www.youtube.com/@KsenijaSidorova

All so highly accomplished

IHTH

 

[Thomas N]

Here a few of my favourites which have not yet been mentioned, all piano accordionists, not Chromatic Button nor diatonic button

https://www.youtube.com/@jobrunenberg-accordion

https://www.youtube.com/@squeezydoesit

https://www.youtube.com/@sergiozampolli2023

https://www.youtube.com/@accomartin

https://www.youtube.com/@nickariondo1

https://www.youtube.com/@KsenijaSidorova

All so highly accomplished

IHTH

I always liked Ksenija's playing. The videos kind of bummed me out. They are obviously dubbed from her playing in the studio and whoever tried to stylize them did a poor job in my opinion. Fantastic accordionist, however.

 

[JeffJetton]

If you like polka music, then we can't forget the "Happy Norwegian" from South Dakota, Myron Floren. [...] I ask you, can anyone possibly look happier than he does in this video?

Myron Floren was a fantastic player, and by all accounts a genuinely nice guy. But I've also always admired that stage presence of his. He was the master of looking relaxed, smiling, and engaging with the audience, all while nonchalantly playing the heck out of the accordion.

 

[wirralaccordion]

It's got to be David Vernon for me but maybe that's a lot to do with the fact that he plays the same accordion as me and that gives me something to aspire to!!


I also like Basil Bunelik, as has already been mentioned, as he includes many simpler tunes which he plays really well. I don't like virtuosity playing if the melody is "lost".

 

[JKJ]

…Who are your favourite artists? I'm interested in any style/type of music, especially those that feature interesting or unique ways of playing. …

aaerha,

I didn’t see if this was mentioned but if you haven’t done so you might scroll back through some of the many threads in the ”I like that!” sub-forum here:

I Like That!

Music you like and want to share - post the links here.

www.accordionists.info

There are lots of posts of music and players that people, well, like! A huge variety of styles and musicians, often some discussion. Easy to get lost down the rabbit hole! For example, I stumbled on this

On The Keys: Dexterity & Control

I was impressed by this musician's technique, especially on the treble keys. A great use of the surface area of the keys, the hand positioning, the articulation etc. There seems to be an extensive ability to control the variation of tones on the treble keyboard. It almost makes the bass...

www.accordionists.info

then just had to find more that Maria Vlasova played, lots on youtube, including


JKJ

 

[CC_PDX]

Welcome! I got hooked on the accordion when I discovered a bunch of contemporary players/composers primarily in the neotrad world of Europe. They are building on the world of dance/folk/balfolk and are creating and performing wonderful music. If you check out any of them on YouTube, many of the others will be suggested giving many hours down the enjoyment rabbit hole.

Some of my absolute faves:

Anne Niepold (Belgium)

Naragonia /Novar / Naragonia Quartet (Belgium) Toon VanMeerlo and Pascale Reubens

Hartwin Dhoore (Belgium)

Eva Parmenter (Portugal)

Duo Nello (France) Gabrel Chiapello

Andy Cutting (England)
https://youtu.be/UEYR5F_j7sU?si=W6uA9aT9al8bxbjF

Nicolas Campin (France)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-G_R5bi1c0

Les Zeoles (France) Amélie Denarié and Anne Guinot

Archie Churchill-Moss (England)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaOXe1LKVSY


Aurelien Claranbaux (France)

 

[saundersbp]

Welcome! I got hooked on the accordion when I discovered a bunch of contemporary players/composers primarily in the neotrad world of Europe

A great selection. I went down your rabbit hole, really different and interesting!

 

[OuijaBoard]

Welcome! I got hooked on the accordion when I discovered a bunch of contemporary players/composers primarily in the neotrad world of Europe. They are building on the world of dance/folk/balfolk and are creating and performing wonderful music. If you check out any of them on YouTube, many of the others will be suggested giving many hours down the enjoyment rabbit hole.

Great material and players! I think we've discussed the late Stephane Delicq here in the past, another player/composer who put some beautiful stuff into the balfolk tune treasury.

The trad group I play with has added "Da Lounge Bar" to our performing roster, a lovely composition by Scandinavian diato player Annlaug Borsheim, titled in honor of a trad music pub in the Shetland Islands:

 

[Newbie]

If you like polka music, then we can't forget the "Happy Norwegian" from South Dakota, Myron Floren. Of course, he played for decades with Lawrence Welk. I grew up listening to him almost every week, because my parents almost never missed that television show. He was a great accordionist, despite having to play some schmaltzy arrangements. He went on to continue his career after the show ended. Here he is in his later years playing with the Jimmy Sturr Orchestra. I ask you, can anyone possibly look happier than he does in this video?

I believe that Jo Ann Castle never gets mentioned as the Welk show used her as their "honky tonk" piano player and she was great. She was great on the accordion as well, going toe to toe with Myron Floren when they played duets. I don't think Lawrence Welk played the bass side when he played duets with Myron. She had a couple of records of accordion music and took her stage name of Castle from the accordion brand. She had troubles in her life but, I think she is still with us.

 

[Thomas N]

I believe that Jo Ann Castle never gets mentioned as the Welk show used her as their "honky tonk" piano player and she was great. She was great on the accordion as well, going toe to toe with Myron Floren when they played duets. I don't think Lawrence Welk played the bass side when he played duets with Myron. She had a couple of records of accordion music and took her stage name of Castle from the accordion brand. She had troubles in her life but, I think she is still with us.

You're correct.

Jo Ann Castle was every bit the accordionist that Myron Floren was. She had the same affable manner, engaging the audience and always smiling while playing technical passages with ease. She also was an attractive blonde woman which just made everything even better.

I read some article or book about her at one point and I believe that Lawrence Welk felt there wasn't room for two accordionists on the show so he moved her into that honky tonk role. What a waste of talent in my opinion.

And yes, boy did she have issues with her life from there. There are a few videos on YouTube of her on the show playing accordion and she was, as Mr. Welk would say, just marvelous.

 

[Newbie]

You're correct.

Jo Ann Castle was every bit the accordionist that Myron Floren was. She had the same affable manner, engaging the audience and always smiling while playing technical passages with ease. She also was an attractive blonde woman which just made everything even better.

I read some article or book about her at one point and I believe that Lawrence Welk felt there wasn't room for two accordionists on the show so he moved her into that honky tonk role. What a waste of talent in my opinion.

And yes, boy did she have issues with her life from there. There are a few videos on YouTube of her on the show playing accordion and she was, as Mr. Welk would say, just marvelous.

They had great stage performance talent. Them along with Frankie Yankovich made accordion playing appear to be fun and easy. That may be why accordion was so popular in the states during the late 50's and early 60's. I remember as a kid (I'm 68) going to see Myron Floren with my parents. I really enjoy this forum and I am learning so much.