Good old Bal Musette

[maugein96]

Flashback to the days when the accordion was King of the dance halls.The accordionist, Jo Krasker, is partially obscured by the elderly gent practising his bellows shake on the derriere of the attractive girl in the foreground. She was probably a hostess employed by the bal, who received payment for allowing would be accordionists to practice their squeeze technique.
With regard to the onlooking rather bemused bespectacled lady, Dont fancy yours much, as they say!

 

[cat]

Ah the days...

So much can be said and from such a small implement.. (where is the 'heart' smiley/icon? :?: )

Yay accordian!

 

[Geoff de Limousin]

Looks like they are dancing a Java , " les mains sur les fesses" makes it a popular number for the men!

Accordeonist playing standing up, looks to be not playing the basses so there will be other musicians hidden by the crowd. Great picture!!

 

[JeffJetton]

Accordeonist playing standing up, looks to be not playing the basses so there will be other musicians hidden by the crowd.

Or maybe he just got done playing and is closing the bellows--note the hand up by the air button area.

Although wouldnt it have been unusual for the musicians to play right there on the floor, so close to the dancing? I had always heard that the clubs would put them up on platforms (sometimes stranding them there until someone came by with the ladder).

The expression on the face of the hostess should appear next to the dictionary definition of ennui.

 

[acordiansam]

His look says, Oh S... I'm Busted!

 

[Fratelli Crosio 60]

Hey ! You want to know more about this interesting photograph ? I am Eric, the son of accordionist Jo Krasker who is partially hidden on the document. In fact, this photo was taken on Saturday 27 September 1952 at the very famous (at the time) Bal des Apaches at Saint Germain des Prés in Paris. The person who is dancing with this (beautiful) lady is not just anybody, hes the famous academician and novelist Francis Carco ! Carco is, among several other things, the author of the novel Jésus la Caille which was turned into a theater play in early 1952 by author Frédéric Dard. For the needs of the play, an accordionist had to be appointed, and so my father Jo Krasker started the job in June 1952, standing in for the first accordionist who gave up after only four months of engagement. It should be pointed out that my father stayed in the company until January 1953 after the play had been also performed throughout France and even in Morocco (Marrakech...) in December 1952.
Now, lets go back to the photo : Before or after (it is not specified) one of the performances of Jésus la Caille in théâtre Gramont, Mr Francis Carco wanted to go to the Bal des Apaches and so the complete company, including people like actress Lila Kedrova, came along with him just for fun (several photos of this event, plus the one on which you can clearly see my father, are now circulating on the web).The event was so funny and unexpected that it made the headline of newspaper France Soir on 29 September 1952 which said : Francis Carco a chaloupé au bal des Apaches (Francis Carco has danced at the Bal des Apaches).
So, you better understand now why my father (who is still wearing his typical stage clothing and cap) is not playing his accordion at all here (neither the basses or the main notes), because hes only a member of the audience, considering that the real orchestra playing the music is hidden by the dancers.
If you want to know more about my fathers career and see some photos of the Jésus la Caille play and company as well as some original posters (sorry, its in French language), please click on the following link here : http://lafranceetlesbeatles.blogspot.fr/p/blog-page_10.html
Moreover, within a few weeks, the several recordings my father made between 1957 and 1962 will be reissued on CD (including this beautiful waltz of Italian composer Joseph Colombo, Riva Bella, one of my fathers favourites). He has also recorded for belgian label Kraftone the Beethoven track Für Elise with friend accordionist Raymond Siozade that you can hear here on Youtube (sorry for the sound quality) and which will be also included on the CD too :
Unfortunately, my father Jo Krasker passed away on 15 August 2016. He would have been 90 on 19 December 2016.
Thanks for reading.
Warmest Regards,
Eric

 

[Fratelli Crosio 60]

Besides, heres an alternate shot of the same series of photographs on which you can see accordionist Jo Krasker (not playing his accordion!) :

http://www.lebrecht.co.uk/cache/pcache/00252535.jpg>

Thanks!

Eric

 

[Corsaire]

Thanks for the information, Eric. It's always nice to know more about a photograph. I'll look at your link later.

 

[Deleted member 48]

I saw the first photo of the dancers and the accordionist in a book. Great photo!
The second photo is new for me. Thanks.

I'd say women dance with the legs and feet, men need an extra support, we dance with our hands...sur les fesses...evidemment....

 

[Fratelli Crosio 60]

Thanks for the information, Eric. Its always nice to know more about a photograph. Ill look at your link later.

Youre welcome, Corsaire. Im glad you liked the information provided. By the way, when youll look at the link, youll discover that among many other things, my father used to back female singers such as Joséphine Baker, Line Renaud, Suzy Solidor, Colette Renard, and Georgette Plana.

Eric.

 

[Fratelli Crosio 60]

I saw the first photo of the dancers and the accordionist in a book.

Great ! I didnt know the existence of such a book. Can you please tell me more about that intriguing book ?

Where does it come from and when was it published ?

Thank you very much in advance.

Warmest Regards,

Eric

 

[Corsaire]

That's an amazing account of your father's life, Eric. I like the "piano à bretelles" ! He seems always to have been in the right place at the right time - and has certainly played for some interesting people. I think the 1950s and 60s must have been a great time - he seems to have done so many different things. Perhaps it's as well he didn't go to the United States - it would have been a loss for France.

 

[Deleted member 48]

The photo is on page 99 and the book is :
L'accordeon. Quelle histoire!
Author: Philippe Kruim
Editions Parigramme, 2012

Another book about musette and accordion is :
Accordeons. De la java au jazz.
Author: Laurent Faugeras.
Editions Du May, 2008.

 

[Deleted member 48]

By the way, anyone having the Alphonse Boudard book and cd, called La valse musette et L'accordeon?
Seems to be focused on musette, 281 pages?

 

[Fratelli Crosio 60]

He seems always to have been in the right place at the right time - and has certainly played for some interesting people. I think the 1950s and 60s must have been a great time - he seems to have done so many different things. Perhaps its as well he didnt go to the United States - it would have been a loss for France.

Yes, thats true, he did a lot of things in those days (and his web page is just a summary of his rich career), but he felt a little depressed from 1966 on with the British invasion coming to France (Beatles, Stones, Kinks...) and killing (a bit) the accordion scene, though he later acknowledged that the Beatles were of course very talented, even playing some covers of their songs (such as Michelle) on stage with his orchestra.

 

[Fratelli Crosio 60]

The photo is on page 99 and the book is :
Laccordeon. Quelle histoire!
Author: Philippe Kruim
Editions Parigramme, 2012

Thanks for the info, Stephen, Im going to get it as soon as possible. Hope its still available somewhere.

My dad would have certainly loved to read it...

Eric

 

[OuijaBoard]

Cher FC 60, Merci bien pour cette petite histoire ravissante!!!

 

[Fratelli Crosio 60]

The photo is on page 99 and the book is :
Laccordeon. Quelle histoire!
Author: Philippe Kruim
Editions Parigramme, 2012

I got the book, Stephen. Thanks ! By the way, the name of the author is : Philippe Krümm, not Kruim.

Actually, the book features the photo on full page 99. Amazing ! However, although the photo caption (on page 98) is correct, it is obvious that author Philippe Krümm was not aware of the full context in which the photo was taken, and so he most probably thought that the accordionist behind writer Francis Carco belonged indeed to the Bal des Apaches orchestra, which was not the case. As I said earlier, the whole theatrical troupe went along with him on that day just to have some fun à St Germain-des-Prés.

It should be pointed out that Francis Carco was very fond of accordion musette at least since he was a teenager. So, its no surprising that he decided to incorporate an accordionist in his theatrical play, Jésus la Caille in early 1952.

 

[Fratelli Crosio 60]

Cher FC 60, Merci bien pour cette petite histoire ravissante!!!

Il ny a pas de quoi, OuijaBoard. Compte tenu de lintérêt qua déclenché la photo parmi les passionnés daccordéon, jai pensé que des précisions supplémentaires seraient susceptibles dintéresser les lecteurs.

English translation : Youre welcome, OuijaBoard. Given the interest that this photo has triggered among the accordion enthusiasts, I just thought that some additional clarification would be likely to rise some interest among them.

Thanks!

A new photo of accordionist Jo Krasker wearing his Fratelli Crosio in 1959 :

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RUvubDEjz1U/VomIUrvba3I/AAAAAAAAAEA/fqqDFsWpxkw/s1600/Jo+Krasker.1959.jpg>

 

[Corsaire]

Une très belle image !