Does anyone know how Steve Riley gets the minor third on Evangeline Waltz on the recent Doug Kershaw album? I was at a house concert last summer where Steve mentioned he was helping develop an accordion with a few more buttons and the liner notes mention a chromatic cajun accordion... Has anyone seen these instruments or know more about them?
thanks
Eric Martin from France built a special one for Steve.
The accordion has more bass buttons and some extra buttons for the flat or sharp notes.
I think Steve uses that one.
Bryan Lafleur also did something like that with an accordion he had build.
Steve is playing the accordion in Lake Arthur Stomp link#2
I had the pleasure of discussing that album with Steve earlier this week. It was their original intent to use only old instruments on that album to play only traditional old songs, but they strayed from that plan. He may have played the Eric Martin on that song, but I believe he plays a Sterling on the rest.
He refers to the Martin as his chromatic C accordion.
The Cajun accordion/one row melodeon with extra buttons is nothing new.
Bouchard in Canada makes 'em, and the possibilities are plenty.
Watch and listen to all the different keys. Good playing , too.