Re: How did you learn the Cajun Accordion? Ear or Method?
Well my daughter and I last Thursday afternoon made up a waltz tune which I play some pickup notes and then play the major parts in octaves. We made an A part and then a B part to it. We got hired because we were a bluegrass band for a wedding gig Friday night and played a small concert for all the guest. Not only did we make some good money, but they had two fully cooked whole hogs with apples stuffed in their mouth. So that night we had rehearsed our little waltz tune and we played it with the accordion, fiddle, bass and guitar. It went really well. So today we played a church and after we got there and got the sound setup we goofed off till service started. I took both of my boxes in the church and we just noodled around with the tune some more. We did our set at the church homecoming and was about to sit down, when the pastor stood up and said "It has been requested that you play that squeezebox". So I got back up explained how we was experimenting with Cajun style music and we had wrote this little piece just a couple of days before. So we played it the same way as Friday except even smoother and it really sounded good. Someone there even gave it a name. So I think the fire is lit for the most part and the accordion is here to stay as part of the show. When we was about the leave with the bus, some lady came up and I heard her asking where I was? I walked to the bus door and the lady said, "I loved all your music today, but the accordion was my favorite", That made me feel good. Man if only the banjo would have been that easy LOL. Thanks folks for all your imput and I think I'm hooked and the rest of the family heard how beautiful the music is this little instrument can make. Bruce Weeks
Larry I think I'm getting somewhere now. I listen to one Marc Savoy's recordings of Home Sweet Home and since I play it trick style on the banjo, I decided to give it a shot trying to play it in octaves on the box. After 3 days I can make this thing rock!!!!!!!!!!!! Now I'm working on Faded Love also. Did you play golf a few days ago with Jr Martin? I talked to him yesterday about a better box. He said he was just in Atlanta a few days ago, but he was calling your last name something different if it was you. Bruce