Welcome to old and new friends who are interested in discussing Cajun and other diatonic accordions, along with some occasional lagniappe....



CAJUN ACCORDION DISCUSSION GROUP

 

General Forum
Start a New Topic 
Author
Comment
View Entire Thread
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: the accordian and other music

Your correct,Steve. Nebraska has a tradition of polka music that is very much in evidence at events like the Wilbur Czech Festival. I saw an accordion orchestra there-button and key-made up of about thirty individuals.

Living just north of Bellevue in the culturally diverse area of South Omaha, which was once home to the famous stockyards, I often hear German, Czech, and Polish polka music-especially at church festivals. The musicians are usuallly septugenarians and older. There are a few younger guys carrying on the traditon, however.

These days I hear a lot of Mexican polka and some Tejano as well. Large numbers of Mexicans were attracted to South O by the meat packing plants that were built about ten years ago. Like all immigrant groups that came to South Omaha, they brougt their music, food and cultural ways with them. And they aren't shy about turning the accordion up in the mix.

I gig mostly downtown, midtown and Benson where the guitar is king and the blues is the preferred genre. Once in a blue moon you can hear a zydeco band that is traveling through to Chicago or Denver. Cajun is rarely heard here. Many folks, after hearing the Prairie Gators play a set of traditional Cajun and Creole music, ask if that was zydeco that they were listening to. Soundmen in the parts of town outside the polka stronghold of South Omaha don't view the accordion as a lead instrument. So my brother and I often have to persuade or convince them to turn the accordion up. Steven Kunasek

Nebraska memories...

Sounds like an interesting mix with the Mexican and Texican thrown in. I keep wanting to book a Cojunto player for our little Opera House in Central New York, but I can't figure out who would show up to listen except me! The seasonal apple pickers wouldn't get the word.

All you had to do was type "stockyards" and my nose twisted up! In Bellevue, we all new when the wind shifted, especially after a summer rain

Re: the accordian and other music

I think that's fine. The 10 button accordion was used throughout the South probably before Joe Falcon got hold of one (though I'm not sure). Leadbelly played blues on the single row he called the "wind Jammer" before he picked up the guitar. Quebec musicians like Bottine Sourillante play it as well as Irish players like Johnny Connelly. Louisiana musicians put their wonderful twist on how to play the instrument and created a unique style around it, but it didn't originate in Louisiana. I've used the single row in Rock, Blues even Brazilian Forro. It works everywhere.
It may not be Cajun, but it's all good.
Jean-Pierre

Re: the accordian and other music

A good musician can jam with anyone. I have heard
Bach on a 5 string banjo and Bluegrass on a hammered ducimer.

There is a local dance band that uses button accordion, fiddle, bass, guitar and electric keyboard. They can keep the crowd going all night.

RPr



Jamey Hall's most excellent Cajun Accordion Music Theory

Brett's all new Cajun Accordion Music Theory for all keys!

LFR1.gif - 1092 Bytes The April 2011 Dewey Balfa Cajun & Creole Heritage Week

augusta.gif - 6841 Bytes

Listen to Some GREAT Music While You Surf the Net!!
The BEST Radio Station on the Planet!