Rick - I don't recall the Horseflies having an accordion, but I didn't see all their incarnations either. Definately some rockin' trance clawhammer from Richie Stearns. They might have had some sitting in from Tara of Donna the Buffalo...
S'b'B
Horseflies were at Ninegret this year. 5 string clawhammer banjo, 4 sring uke banjo and piano accordion with drums and fiddle and lots of electronics. Great band.
Horseflies are very unique. A few years ago, I was given some sound soundfiles of a few of their tunes (from an anonymous souce of course! ) What I noticed first was the fact that they had an accordion in the band -- in this case, it was definitely a diatonic box, so perhaps Tara made a cameo on these recordings? Nevertheless, the music was mesmerizing in a flowing ensemble of accordion, banjo, guitar and fiddle. I believe they even covered the Cramps tune, "Human Fly."
Ya just gotta love the musical world that huddles around the fringe of traditional music, borrowing what they can use to concoct new mixtures. In addition to the Horseflies, Donna The Buffalo has managed to master this quite tastefully. There's something cool in the water up there in Ithaca.
I'll be on the lookout for them with accordion now.
Pointless trivia: my new wave garage band "Identity Crisis" kicked off a 48-hour musicthon just before the Tompkins County Horseflies (precursor of Horseflies when they played pretty straight Old Time) at the West End Saloon in Ithaca...must have been '81.
I'd asked this question before and was told there had been a band out of Houma that featured the combination. Anyone know who that was or if they recorded?
this is a very interesting subject. i am a fiddle player, before i played fiddle, i took some banjo lessons with bill keith, what a master! anyhow, the pattern oriented nature of the banjo seems very similar to that of the accordion, as i slowly learn the accordion (fiddle seems much more natural to me) i can see how similar the two instruments are. i think it's rare that someone can master both, perhaps it's a right brain vs. left brain thing? or maybe it's how melodic the fiddle is.......the accordion is predominantly rhythmic in nature....
roger
I been pickin the 5 string for a long time, I just took up the accordion a couple of weeks ago seriously. I think I have met my match and challenge. I can pretty much play anything with strings that is tossed to me, but this little rascal is challenging. Nevertheless, I got me a Dirk Powell tape and a Wilson Savoy on the way. I understand Improv very well with strings, and I have my own signature licks for the 5 string, so who knows what may come of this. Bruce