Sunday, April 10, 2005

The Classical Free-Reed, Inc. CD Review of Planet Squeezebox

This morning, after my weekly accordion lesson, I popped into the Dufferin Mall to the Government of Ontario electronic kiosk, to renew my fishing license and Outdoors Card. Then, down to the Queensway for some kielbossa at Czehowski's. On the way back, I stopped into a litttle used record & books place in the Junction. Last time I was there, I noticed a squeezebox compilation CD..... The CD set was still there. Planet Squeezebox features accordion music from around the world, including music played on every imaginable variation of accordion, melodian, bandoneon and concertina. It is an eye-opening compelation, with a staggering variety of traditions sampled. I find it astonishing how thoroughly the 'free-reeds' infiltrated folk traditions the world over. Consider that the accordion was only invented in the 1820s. The set comes with a book, full of information on the individual performers and tracks, as well as some essays, including The Polka Tradition in America, by Guy Klucevsek. Christoph Wagner, in his essay, A Brief History of How the Accordion Conquered the World, quoted French caroonist Honore Daumier, "One does not yet have the right to kill the people who play this instrument, but there is hope that we will soon get it.

The Planet Squeezebox set is from 1995 - my copy has been pre-loved. If you see this one around, I give it five anchovies - my highest recommendation.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

good site

Anonymous said...

good site