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Saturday - Weird Al Accordion Appreciation Day


JimmieWannaB

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I couldn't help myself. We've milked the "Keyboard Appreciation Days" for all their worth so why not go after the absurd. It's time to pay homage to the King of Polka Schlock, Weird Al Yankovic.

 

Who among you can listen to Queen's Another One Bites the Dust without Another One Rides The Bus coming to mind? How about the King of Pop/Perv Michael Jackson's Beat It without thinking of Eat It or Fat?

 

The list goes on and on. Post yours and help pay tribute to this genius of the often ignored and dismissed keyboard - the accordion. :D

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Originally posted by JimmieWannaB:

Who among you can listen to Queen's Another One Bites the Dust without Another One Rides The Bus coming to mind? How about the King of Pop/Perv Michael Jackson's Beat It without thinking of Eat It or Fat?

Yeah! The guy definitely leads the ultimate cover band. :D

And he knows how to satirize the holy icons. The world needs more musicians with talent *and* a sense of humor.

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Originally posted by JimmieWannaB:

We've milked the "Keyboard Appreciation Days" for all their worth so why not go after the absurd.

Actually, not really.

 

We've only just begun.

< note to self: pencil in Carpenters Keyboard Appreciation Day, March 18th, 2005 >

 

Well, you've jumped the gun a little with Weird Al, whom was < flips heavy 10-year calender pages > let's see . . uh, June 24th, 2006. No worries. That leaves room for . . . Richard Tandy and Randy Newman.

 

Still, I have to shuffle around the guest for Saturday . .< 3/4 rolls eyes under his clerical visor, peering over his bifocals > but we can all accommodate some improvisation from frisky enthusiasts.

 

However, this is going to set me back a few hours.

 

 

3/4 turns back to his calender and starts scribbling down notes, every now and then reaching over to one of his KEYBOARD MAGAZINE collections for referencing Keyboardists.

 

There are several stacks of magazines. It would appear each set of magzines is quite complete.

 

KEYBOARD

 

CONTEMPORARY KEYBOARD

 

CLASSICAL PIANO AND PIPE ORGAN MONTHLY

 

HARPSICHORD DIGEST (UK)

 

CALLIOPE ANNUAL DIGEST (Cambodia Edition)

 

HOME KEYBOARD AND KARAOKE ENTHUSIST

(now bigger with TRAIN SET WEEKLY staff)

 

We step back, away from this sad, mad fool and leave him to his back-issues of the periodic and mental sort.

the only good signature is the one on a cheque or a confession
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Why, oh why, Weird Al?

 

If we are talking accordions, I say: saturday belongs to Flaco Jimenez & Clifton Chenier!

 

And shouldn't Victor Borge have a day?

 

Liberace? (maybe not :freak: )

 

Jimmy Smiths?

 

Willie Dixon!

 

Bernie Worrell!

 

Professor Longhair, Allen Tousssaint, Fats Domino, Art Neville and Dr John deserves a NOLA week all by themselves!

 

/Mats

 

P.S.

Have you ever noticed what a fantastic piano player Taj Mahal is? incredible musician!

http://www.lexam.net/peter/carnut/man.gif

What do we want? Procrastination!

When do we want it? Later!

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Originally posted by JimmieWannaB:

Yeah! The guy definitely leads the ultimate cover band
I've been told that a guy I went to high school with 30 years ago, Wayne Hammerly, plays keyboard in Weird Al's tour band.
I know Wayne! He's a madman, and a monster keyboard player.

 

I always see him at trade shows - Ken, you must run into him there as well...

 

dB

:snax:

 

:keys:==> David Bryce Music • Funky Young Monks <==:rawk:

 

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I am never ceased to be amazed at the faithful accuracy that band of his can wring out of every genre. Those are some exceptionally skilled players. Al is a complete mad genius. My favorites:

 

Yoda

I Lost On Jeopardy

Smells Like Nirvana

Trigger Happy

Living With A Hernia

Cheers!

 

Phil "Llarion: The Jazzinator" Traynor

www.llarion.com

Smooth Jazz

- QUESTION AUTHORITY. Go ahead, ask me anything.

http://www.llarion.com/images/dichotomybanner.jpg

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Originally posted by Dave Bryce

I know Wayne! He's a madman, and a monster keyboard player.

I know. I spent my high school years being jealous of both Wayne and his brother. They were both amazing keyboardists. I forget his brother's name, but the first time I played a B3 it was on his at a small show. If I remember correctly, I played You Keep Me hanging On ala Vanilla Fudge.

I always see him at trade shows - Ken, you must run into him there as well...
I usually just go to NAB and rarely make it to the radio/audio ghetto. This year was the first I've made it over there in about 5-6 years. IMHO it was much better 10-15 years ago when they used to mix audio and video in the same hall. Plus it's been over 30 years so I probably wouldn't recognize Wayne if I tripped over him. If you run into Wayne anytime soon, tell him Cawley says hi.
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Originally posted by Llarion:

I am never ceased to be amazed at the faithful accuracy that band of his can wring out of every genre. Those are some exceptionally skilled players. Al is a complete mad genius. My favorites:

 

Yoda

I Lost On Jeopardy

Smells Like Nirvana

Trigger Happy

Living With A Hernia

Scary part for me is that I find his original material more appealing than his satire. Trigger Happy is definitely one of my faves - but what about that bizzare Devo-esque pop tune "You Make Me" - or the side-splitting country ballad "You Don't Love Me Anymore" - or the equally hilarious "The Good Old Days"

 

Ahh, yeah. That's the good stuff -

 

If you don't mind me asking, what's this poisonous cobra doing in my underwear drawer?

Got a funny feeling you don't love me anymore...

 

:thu:

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With all due respect to Wierd Al, accordian is in my experience best enjoyed when played by Maria Kalaniemi. She's from Finland, and has her own band. She's tasteful, she's got chops you could only dream of, and her compositions are elegant and beautiful. Ahmo is her latest album with her group Aldergaz I believe, and it is definitely worth owning.

 

Cheers,

 

Alan Tomlinson

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I started this thread to be a little tongue in cheek, but I think Alan is right in giving a nod to a great accordion player. I'm not familiar with Maria Kalaniemi, but my all time favorite is Buckwheat Zydeco. He's unique in that he brings a strong R&B influence into his zydeco playing. From what I understand, before picking up the accordion in his late twenties, Buckwheat played a wicked B3 in a number of R&B groups throughout the South. This comes through in a number of his pieces.
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Originally posted by Llarion:

I am never ceased to be amazed at the faithful accuracy that band of his can wring out of every genre. Those are some exceptionally skilled players. Al is a complete mad genius. My favorites:

 

Yoda

I Lost On Jeopardy

Smells Like Nirvana

Trigger Happy

Living With A Hernia

Don't forget "Stuck In A Closet With Vanna White"! The way 2 guitar styles are worked in is sheer genius! It blew me a way the first time I heard it! Plus, the song simply ROCKS.

Check out my band's site at:

The Key Components!

 

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Love Al... Just don't hear enough of him anymore - shouldn't he be ripe for covering some Britney or Christina tunes. Maybe he could be a guest on Queer Eye for the Straight Guy sometime (wouldn't that be a matchup). :)

 

Also from the accordian meets rock band theme, I saw They Might Be Giants (years ago) at a big outdoor concert (Grant Park, Chicago). Got there early and got to hear some of the sound checks. They played Frankenstein (yes, on accordian) and it was hysterical!!! :D

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