My father playing the CBA at 70

[MZ1]

Hello accordion friends.

I've recently been able to access and upload a video of my father playing the accordion at a senior center to youtube. This was the soundtrack of many a gathering for me growing up.

I hope you will enjoy his playing.



Marc

 

[Dingo40]

Thanks for sharing!

 

[Bierkeller]

hi Marc nice music he played well at 70

 

[Tom]

Hi Marc. This is a great tribute to your father and his playing. Especially since it was from 30 years ago. Are you now playing his accordion?

 

[MZ1]

Hi Marc. This is a great tribute to your father and his playing. Especially since it was from 30 years ago. Are you now playing his accordion?

Hi Tom,
Thanks for the kind words regarding his playing.
Yes and no regarding the accordion. The accordion he is playing in the video is a 1950s Maugein that he replaced with one that he ordered from the factory and traveled from the US to France twice to collaborate on. He had the edge of the keyboard on the treble side extended along with a hinged panel on the bass side. He wanted to maximize his physical contact with the accordion.
The short answer is yes I have and play his accordion. The older one that I grew up with isn’t really playable but is on my todo list to restore. Photos of the custom job attached.

 

[MZ1]

PS for the techies 3x3 French stradella.

 

[Tom]

Now that’s really different! I suspect Angel was a curious and independent spirit, judging by his “invention” on the treble side, and with creating his own compositions. Not to mention the fancy script of his name. This is a true family heirloom. And…..finally, let me just say that for some people, performing with your accordion for fun STARTS at 70. Just sayin’. Have a lot of fun with these accordion’s and Thank You.

 

[MZ1]

Now that’s really different! I suspect Angel was a curious and independent spirit, judging by his “invention” on the treble side, and with creating his own compositions. Not to mention the fancy script of his name. This is a true family heirloom. And…..finally, let me just say that for some people, performing with your accordion for fun STARTS at 70. Just sayin’. Have a lot of fun with these accordion’s and Thank You.

" Curious and Independent" with an emphasis on independent for sure ;-)...

 

[JerryPH]

What a lovely video to have of your dad and he certainly played to a nice standard even at 70, I hope to be as good in 5 years as he was.

(initially it slightly made me mad that I heard no real applause after his hard work, then I noticed that he was in a seniors home, which is often normal to have minimal interaction from the audience ).

Marc, do your dad justice and play his accordion, what a lovely family heirloom!!

 

[MZ1]

What a lovely video to have of your dad and he certainly played to a nice standard even at 70, I hope to be as good in 5 years as he was.

(initially it slightly made me mad that I heard no real applause after his hard work, then I noticed that he was in a seniors home, which is often normal to have minimal interaction from the audience ).

Marc, do your dad justice and play his accordion, what a lovely family heirloom!!

Thanks for the kind words and encouragement Jerry.
I had a similar response to the lack of applause or attention to what was being offered and came to the same conclusion regarding context.
To be fair Angel's music was from a different culture and may not have been "popular" enough for people to resonate with it. Also, it was meal and socialising time!
I find it is similar in a way to "sessions" in pubs or restaurants here in the UK where the music is often just background music that may or may not be appreciated or being attended to by patrons of establishments.
I see you're based in Quebec, I'd love to be able to play music from your part of the world.

 

[JerryPH]

To be fair Angel's music was from a different culture and may not have been "popular" enough for people to resonate with it. Also, it was meal and socialising time!

Maybe its me, but different culture or popularity is not a reason to not show appreciation... but the specific location and indeed "solcializing time" are fair enough reasons.

I find it is similar in a way to "sessions" in pubs or restaurants here in the UK where the music is often just background music that may or may not be appreciated or being attended to by patrons of establishments.

I've done my share of senior's homes, each time is different, and in some rare instances, it's just super challenging to entertain at.

I see you're based in Quebec, I'd love to be able to play music from your part of the world.

I may live here, but my heart is European... lol I am more in to the Czech, German, Italian, France and classical music than anything made here in Quebec.

 

[Dingo40]

https://www.accordionists.info/attachments/img_7546-jpeg.16726/

BYW, If you're able to remove the bass strap, you can have it restitched (cheaply) by your local cobbler or saddler.

 

[dak]

What a lovely video to have of your dad and he certainly played to a nice standard even at 70, I hope to be as good in 5 years as he was.

(initially it slightly made me mad that I heard no real applause after his hard work, then I noticed that he was in a seniors home, which is often normal to have minimal interaction from the audience ).

One interaction I can remember in a senior home where I was participating with a men's show choir at a cultural afternoon. Someone's mobile phone started ringing while we were in the midst of performing a choreographed song. After a bit of letting it ring, the lady started digging through her possessions and finally answered the phone. She went to talk for several minutes at significant volume, then told her opposite that she had to keep it short since she was in a concert.

You bet.

 

[Tom]

I’m over 70 and still getting out there. Every time I play at a senior event I come home with 2 more accordions….. And every time the people are SO appreciative.

 

[dak]

I’m over 70 and still getting out there. Every time I play at a senior event I come home with 2 more accordions….. And every time the people are SO appreciative.

Because you leave with more accordions than you arrive with?

 

[Tom]

Because you leave with more accordions than you arrive with?

Yup! So many times people have an old accordion around they would like to “go to a good home.”

 

[dak]

Yup! So many times people have an old accordion around they would like to “go to a good home.”

Ah, but do you have what it takes to fill all those bellows?

 

[Tom]

Ah, but do you have what it takes to fill all those bellows?

No I don’t. I’m out of restoration and into playing. Now I will pretty much only take strollers I know I can pass on to a friend with minimal work. Unless a nice cassotto comes along with impeccable tone.