Challenge: songwriting

[dan]

Although I love so much to play the one tune I wrote, and play it every event.

Have you recorded it? I’d like to hear it!

 

[Walker]

I'm trying to transition from "Polka King" to "Jazz and More" with a more "refined" venue...

Tom, do what you got to do... but in my humble opinion don't drop the polka. Embrace the polka, whether it's cool or uncool it doesn't matter, I think it's ace. Jazz is supposed to be cool and sophisticated but most of it does zilch for me, apart from the older trad stuff etc. 90% of accordion Jazz is 'meh' at best. Polka on the other hand is fun American party/dance music. Go full flavour , extra-mature , King of the Cheeseheads . Don't ditch the music of Cheeseheadland, it's your kingdom Tom. FWIW - Wisconsin farmers markets sound great, do them if you can. The enthusiasm will return, but keep the music agricultural... you know it makes sense.

 

[Tom]

Have you recorded it? I’d like to hear it!

Hmmmm, I thought I had it on youtube in one of the montages, but maybe not. I'll look into it...

 

[Tom]

Tom, do what you got to do... but in my humble opinion don't drop the polka. Embrace the polka, whether it's cool or uncool it doesn't matter, I think it's ace. Jazz is supposed to be cool and sophisticated but most of it does zilch for me, apart from the older trad stuff etc. 90% of accordion Jazz is 'meh' at best. Polka on the other hand is fun American party/dance music. Go full flavour , extra-mature , King of the Cheeseheads . Don't ditch the music of Cheeseheadland, it's your kingdom Tom. FWIW - Wisconsin farmers markets sound great, do them if you can. The enthusiasm will return, but keep the music agricultural... you know it makes sense.

Don't worry, I'll still play Old Time but I don't want to be pegged there. Been there, done that. I need a new persona to get a different kind of playing opportunity. It's a cultural thing here. It's weird, there's not even a good name for "not playing polkas." Instrumental, Continental, Standards? I've come up with "Jazz Accordion and More" to indicate that the accordionist is not playing just polkas or Old Time. In this context "jazz" = "not polka" and "more" = "I can still play the beer barrel if I have to ." I'm curious to know what label others use. ???

 

[losthobos]

I agree with Walker....be yourself first...the rest will follow and blossom naturally.....
Poke that Polka...

 

[Tom]

I agree with Walker....be yourself first...the rest will follow and blossom naturally.....
Poke that Polka...

Thanks Terry. Well, that's just it right there. My choice to play old time, (and to play the accordion at all) was random, informed by the players I met, who all pretty much play the same things. I gravitated to it unconsciously. Not that there's anything wrong with it, and there are some great music and players.

Looking back, though, before I started I couldn't have named 1 polka. My band was playing totally Americana, Bluegrass and Rock. In school I played drums in the jazz band. Fun, but I always was impressed by the students who got up there and played their solo. I'm currently taking an online jazz course and thinking, "wow, a whole new world of harmony, chords, improvisation, exchanging ideas." Not that I'm going to swap polkas for Wayne Shorter free jazz, but the intellectual side of improvised music is intriguing. You know how that goes!

So I need a change to get back to myself. How will it all turn out? Only the shadow knows!

 

[dan]

Too bad there were no takers. Another time, perhaps! I find a prompt and the stradella bass system to be useful aides to songwriting.

 

[dan]

Still, I'm not sorry for issuing this challenge. My experiments turned into this song, which I think is a keeper. Since the last attempt, I transposed it to a better key for my voice, wrote a second verse and bridge, tweaked some lyrics. Just needs a right hand part.

"At Least It's Not the Bagpipes"

 

[Tom]

Good one Dan!!!!! My class is over this week so I'll try to get back on it....