Fiddle, accordion, and a singing drummer. Seven minutes and fifty seven seconds of Gypsy music from Ukraine, live in Budapest. The real thing. Totally wailing. Kickass. Técső Banda at Kertem.
posted by flapjax at midnite on Oct 10, 2009 - 23 comments

Just watch this, I think you'll love it. [more inside]
posted by flapjax at midnite on May 6, 2009 - 107 comments

My favorite piece of music is Stravinsky's "Petrouchka." (Scroll down to the 2002-2003 Season for mp3s.) Today, I was blown away by this recording (CD for purchase, alas) of parts of the piece played on accordion. (If you're a Stravinsky fan, please do yourself a favor and acquire this CD!). I've always associated accordions with polkas (and Ennio Morricone music ... and, of course, the Doctor Who theme). I never knew they were rich enough to stand in for a whole orchestra! And I didn't know much about accordions used in classical music. Anyway, back to Petrouchka: here are videos of the ballet: bit, I II, III, IV.
posted by grumblebee on Nov 10, 2007 - 14 comments

Today begins National Accordion Awareness Month. Check out some fun accordion facts, and make sure to polka! polka! polka!. (It was big in Sheboygan).
posted by mr_crash_davis on Jun 1, 2007 - 28 comments

Lemony Snicket (Daniel Handler in real life), author of the 13 books in "A Series of Unfortunate Events" [Flash], has now released the album A Tragic Treasury [Sound] in which he plays the acordian. The CD also features Stephin Merritt, with whom Handler was in the band called The Magnetic Fields. Handler is touring the country to plug the album and latest book. [via NPR]
posted by niles on Dec 3, 2006 - 22 comments

Ever since someone wrote software to teach geeks to dance, the DDR craze has enjoyed quite a number of spin-offs. Karaoke Revolution got people singing. Donkey Konga is the same thing but for bongo drums. Guitar Hero for the PS2 has gotten rave reviews and while letting you rip some guitar solos. Christian game makers are even cashing in with Dance Praise. But nothing comes close to the coolness of Accordion Hero. Squeeze hard, die young.
posted by mathowie on Mar 4, 2006 - 31 comments

Sex Advice from Accordion Players! Because sex advice is too important to be trusted to guitarists.
posted by AccordionGuy on May 27, 2005 - 11 comments

Klingon Klezmer. CD Review. Video (real, sorry). Audio clips, including Klingon Mating Dance, as cited in Webster's Online. QaHplaH! er, I mean, l'chaim!
posted by mwhybark on Oct 4, 2004 - 4 comments