About the night
What a fun night of avant-accordion music! Amazing artistry, and a pretty nice crew considering they're monsters. Count Smokula was the only one dressed for Halloween, but he looks like that every day.
I opened the night off with the accordion standard "Squeezebox" (originally by The Who), then my poem-song "Coming Home" and my instrumental piece "Cityscape, or Ode to Mondrian's Broadway Boogie-Woogie". I then switched from my usual Panther button accordion to my new piano accordion to play a new song "With You" before ending back with the Panther for my cabaret version of Gary Glitter's "Rock 'n' Roll Part II".
Duckmandu played punk classics from groups like the Dead Kennedys with all the intensity that a punk accordionist can muster and the skill of a virtuosic master. His famous Donald Duck hat was donned and at one point lit aflame. Amy Denio brought a Middle Eastern flavor to the festivities and used her voice to create sounds both associated with vocals and those that seemed to be from another instrument. Count Smokula schmalzted and waltzed his way around music and comedy in his inimitable style. Mark Growden wooed the audience with the deep tones of his voice and accordion. Jason Webley got the crowd to their feet, twirling with fingers in air, and singing along. He even gave up the stage for an engagement proposal (in Russian...she said "Da") to a couple who met at a Jason Webley concert. The night ended with 6 accordionists on stage playing "We Are The World". We definitely were the world of Monsters of Accordion!
Several people from the LA Accordion scene came out for the event, including Pat & Robert, the hosts of the LA Accordion Festival, Veronique Chevalier of Polka Haunt Us, and Inna & Sarah from Mrs. Brown's Lovely Daughter. And I was excited to meet Jesca Hoop, one of my very favorite contemporary musicians, who's pals with Mark Growden. Anne & Jeff Grimaldo of Naked With Shoes were sharing modern dance notes with Amy Denio and Mark Growden who've also collaborated with dance companies. And of course other friends and accordion lovers turned out and were turned on.
EEK! WOW! WHEE! YIPEE!
|
