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

 

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Re: "Authentic" cajun sound discussion on rec.music.makers.squeezebox

that's okay; some of folks from louisiana don't much care for new orleans

Re: "Authentic" cajun sound discussion on rec.music.makers.squeezebox

new orleans is famous for jazz and now its trying to screw its poor citizens over. they are working 24 hours a day to get the superdome ready for september 1st instead of rebuilding houses in the poorer neighborhoods.

Re: New Orleans vs. Cajun

Think of the bright side.
as long as the public-at-large thinks New Orleans is what Louisiana's all about, one can keep the college "South Beach" beer-swigging "show-me-yo'tits" crowd away from Bayou Teche come Mardi Gras.

Re: "Authentic" cajun sound discussion on rec.music.makers.squeezebox

It never ceases to amaze me when the piano accordion afficianados insist that they can play Cajun music in an authentic way on a piano accordion. And, if we try to suggest otherwise, we are just be dogmatic or intolerant or something (what did that Misha person say, "indoctrinated"?).

Oh well, they are entitled to their opinion, but they are wrong

-David

Re: Re: "Authentic" cajun sound discussion on rec.music.makers.squeezebox

Oh well may as well get my head bit off now as later.
I play a 4 row button chromatic. Now I know that it
does not reproduce the exact sound of a 4 row cajun box,
the tuning is different, the relationship of the basses
to the buttons, the nature of a diatonic instrument,
and the over all great sound of the one row.
Having said this, I like to play some Cajun, Zydeco,
Reggae, Blues and a lot of Zydeco on my chro. I don't
think it sounds as god-awful or is as impossible
as many people are making it sound. I am not a high
level player, but I have been working on some bellows
techniques that can helps a little to get that
push pull sound, and when I hit the master switch
with all 4 reeds (LMMH)my chro can also wail.
I am not a cajun musician, nor am I a conjunto, or
zydeco musician, although I like to play this music
a lot. I am a musician though. I played harmonica
for 35 plus years, mostly electric chicago blues but other styles as well.
Now I play blues on a chromatic accordion.
Definitly not a traditional blues instrument.
Because I play blues on the accordion and accordion
is not a traditional blues instrument, is it no
longer authentic and just muzak?. Banjo is not a
jazz instrument so bella fleck can not play
authentic jazz.

Anyway, I believe it is the musician, not the
instrument that is the primary determinator.

Russ

right on Russ! you go! no head biting from me! green eyes, lighten up

I hear you, Russ. I agree with what you are saying.

I play Cajun tunes on the piano accordion and I can do it quite convincingly, I think. I worked on transferring the licks that I already know and the octaves and doubling that I use on 10 button box. One on the things I am looking for is the right kind of reed setup and tuning. When I find it I would be willing to challenge anyone to tell me that I am NOT playing Cajun music just because the accordion I would be playing has piano keys instead of buttons!

It is more difficult to do alot of the licks that I do on 10 button box and you have to jump around alot and your right hand works a lot harder. The octaves are harder to hit with 100% accuracy. BUT...it is possible to play Cajun style on a piano accordion and that would also apply to Chromatic Button Accordion.

I have heard many, many poor attempts at Cajun style on piano accordion and I think that is what many others hear have heard. And the Gary Dahl book...crapola as far as I am concerned.

I usually don't use piano for Cajun tunes because I have three button boxes and it is much easier to play Cajun music on the 10 button box...that makes sense...that's the instrument it was made on.

You are right...the musician makes the music...not the instrument!

Re: right on Russ! you go! no head biting from me! green eyes, lighten up

I was just telling a friend tonight "I just know Chris Miller is going to have an excellent example of Cajun on a PA and I'm going to have to eat my foot."

Anyone know a seasoning that compliments toenails?

I did cover my butt by saying "I'd not heard anything yet, but would be glad to give a listen to something worthy."

Re: right on Russ! you go! no head biting from me! green eyes, lighten up

Well Chris... my hat is off to ya!
There were many good accordion players on the stage connected to that dream team. You would have to admit that the predominate instrument was the 10 button.

But I have got to tell ya that that Big Blue accordion you sported was the absolute best contribution to the overall sound of that group! It exemplified the master tallent behind the instrument. Chris I am not blowing smoke up your hiney ... I was simply overwhelmed by your tallent on ALL the instruments you played and that big accordion was as good as it get in my estimation.

I get to hear many single and tripple row and piano accordions (and a gob of other instruments) through the mix... but it seems that most accordion players will gravitate to one or the other and make that the instrument of choice for such wizzardry that they master.

Chris Miller you honestly knocked my dang socks off on every thing you touched! I dont mean to say that the others were less for what they played (they were hot also in their right), I am saying that pound for pound in the multi-instrument arena you are the first image in my mind for overall musician that has mastered the sound and feel for many layers and many instruments.

Dave Mason

Re: Re: right on Russ! you go! no head biting from me! green eyes, lighten up

Nonc...humbly trying to digest your kind words. I really had a blast and I know the other guys did too. We had a GREAT time together!

Re: "Authentic" cajun sound discussion on rec.music.makers.squeezebox

Cajun music is played on a 9 or 10 button diatonic accordion. An accordion is not "Cajun" unless it is handcrafted and tuned in Louisiana.

New Orleans

There is some interest in Cajun music, in New Orleans, sure enough. Last Mardi Gras week I traveled from Lafayette to New Orleans with the Lost Bayou Ramblers and the response in N.O. was epic.

Lots of young people really enjoyed their music, it felt good to see people my age interested in the music.

Re: Re: "Authentic" cajun sound discussion on rec.music.makers.squeezebox

Not even East Texas?



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