Cocktail Accordion... Lush lounge..??

[losthobos]

So there's a style of Piano playing sonetimes called Cocktail or Lounge Piano... Ad libbed and tempo drift relaxed.. Rootless chords and a heavy reliance on ornamentation... Does anyone know of any examples of this style of smooth jazz on accordion please...

 

[Eddy Yates]

Yeah. They call it “bad accordion playing.”
Oh, no! Did I say that? Losthobos, do you have a piano recording in mind that shows what you mean?

 

[losthobos]

Haha eddy... You said it good...
For me one of the great accordion players was Joe Mooney, he had a great trio and then went onto the Hammond organ as time drifted forward...
Here's a tutor I've been looking at for a while, well worth a watch if even just for his wit...
Best wishes and keep me posted with ideas..
Terry (a quite good bad accordion player ?)

 

[wirralaccordion]

Yeah. They call it “bad accordion playing.”
Oh, no! Did I say that? Losthobos, do you have a piano recording in mind that shows what you mean?

Hi Eddy, I would be interested to know your reasoning behind this comment although if Losthobos could give an example that would also be most helpful to this thread. Many Thanks

 

[Eddy Yates]

Wirral,
I meant no offense, but was thinking of the many bad lounge pianists I’ve heard. Maybe that means I’ve been in many bad lounges!
I think I know the genre Losthobos means but would like to hear some names. I would bet there are some accordion records of the style.

 

[losthobos]

 

[Eddy Yates]

Piano Pat is the lounge piano legend where I live:
https://www.cbsnews.com/video/keyboard-virtuoso-piano-pat-rocks-the-sip-n-dip-lounge/

 

[losthobos]

Sorry Eddy... She ain't cutting it....

 

[Eddy Yates]

She's 84, but hers is a different kind of lounge world. With mermaids!

The best lounge pianist I ever saw was in Madrid. He played on the most beat up little piano, came out in a tux, had the place packed, and played everything from Chopin to Cole Porter.

I think the terminology is different in the U.S. Smooth jazz here is not the same as your link. We wouldn't call what he does "jazz". It's just playing the piano with a melody over some chords and a simple bass. No improvisation, or at least not any good improvisation. I looked up "Accordion Lounge Music" and pretty much everything on YouTube had some cheesy (understand?) MIDI track with it. No swing, no improvisation, simple melody and chords....maybe you could do that with accordion and just play with no beat, or "drifting" as you said? You may be the FIRST lounge accordionist!

 

[losthobos]

Eddy heres another link re embelishments... ie... Split the melody between octaves, play in thirds.. Add octaves or chromatic runs...
But the most important caveat in the style seems to be.. Play the chords Rootless.. And spell them 3,5,7,9.... Adusting the 3rds and 7ths accordingly... Gives such a sweet, smooth sound... However tendd to cladh eith the stradella... I think that was what my original question was regarding ... And does anyone know of anyone playing in this manner
Ps... I too am allergic to cheese... playing in this

 

[Glenn]

You’re going to have a problem plying the chords “rootless” on a traditional Stradella bass accordion. Looks like a job for a free bass.

 

[losthobos]

Aaahh... C, mon Glenn.. You play 3x3.. Let's stretcth this idea a bit...
Other than that has any one lonks to any really silky smooth lounge accordion players..
Thanks

 

[wirralaccordion]

I'm wondering if you're thinking of the piano music you are usually forced to listen to when you go for a massage. It can be pretty boring if your massage is a one hour one, almost completely "melodyless".

 

[losthobos]

Most definitely not Wirralman... Hideously soulless does not appeal to me... But i have heard such trite unfortunately... Left scars...

 

[Tom]

Rene Duvall, "Cafe Continental?"

 

[losthobos]

I getting this dreadful realisation that a maty be romanticising about something that doesn't exist yet..... And my skills are nowhere near adequate to do it myself....

 

[JeffJetton]

You want an accordion version of cocktail piano? What about the late, great Art Van Damme?

Okay, so maybe not 100% like solo cocktail piano--more like an accordion version of George Shearing. Still, a lot of his stuff has that great Mid-Century, bachelor pad vibe.

Example:  

 

[losthobos]

Good call on Art there Jeff... Great player... Just shame about those vibes that seemed so prevalent back then.... Think he even did and a mini ep/lp titled cocktail capers...
Always a pleasure to listen too him... But im still hoing to hear someone trying this approach solo...
Thanks for input