The Free-Reed Review
Critiques of Compact Discs, Books and Music Scores

CD Review:

Various Artists

Planet Squeezebox
Accordion Music from Around the World

Program:

Artist(s)/song title/ instrument

  • Gus Viseur/Jeanette/ Musette
  • Kepa, Zabaleta & Motriku/Bizkaian Zehar/ diatonic two-row
  • Attwenger/ h.e. zaum/ four-row diatonic Helikon bass
  • Jacques Beauchamp/ Ma commere, Ma Mie/ three-row diatonic
  • Mario Salvi/ Tarantella Di Montemarano/ two-row diatonic
  • Carl Erik Lundgaard Jensen/ Oxbol Polka-Labri/ two-row diatonic
  • Maria Kalaniemi/ Skymningspolskan (Growing Dusky Polka) / five-row chromatic-Finnish system
  • Lars Hollmer/ endlich ein Zamba/ piano accordion & khen
  • Palmer Hughes Trio/ Prelude to L'enfant Prodigue (C.Debussy) / piano accordion
  • Chris Parkinson/ Mr. Isaac's Maggot/ two-and-a-half row diatonic
  • Phil Cunningham/ The Four Stroke Reel-Martin O'Connor's Flying Clog-The Four Stroke Reel/ piano accordion
  • Tony MacMahon/ The Dear Irish Boy/ two-row diatonic
  • Joe Derrane/ The Boys of Ballinafad-The White Petticoat/ two-row button-Irish system
  • Rejean Limard/ Hommage a Gerard Lajoie/ three-row diatonic
  • Raynald Ouellet/ Eolie/ three-row diatonic
  • Al Berard & Errol Verret/ J'ai Passe Devant Ta Port/ single-row diatonic
  • Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys/ Amedee Two-Step/ single-row diatonic
  • Zydeco Force/ B Flat/ single-row diatonic
  • Lynn August/ Love at First Sight/ piano accordion
  • Alice Hall/ What is This Thing Called Love/ three-row chromatic
  • Gil Goldstein/ Detour Ahead/ piano accordion
  • Pauline Oliveros/The Beauty of Sorrow (excerpt)/ piano, just-intonation accordion
  • Guy Klucevsek/ The Grass It Is Blue (Ain't Nothin but a Polka)/ piano accordion
  • Fred Gregorich/ Soldier Boy Polka/ piano accordion
  • Brave Combo/ Potato Chips Polka/ three-row diatonic
  • Esteban (Steve) Jordan/ Cuando Te Conoci/ three-row diatonic
  • Eva Ybarra/ A Mi San Antonio/ three-row diatonic
  • Siano Arias/ Cuando Yo Me Muera/ two-row diatonic
  • Binomio De Oro/ Ponte Chevere/ three-row diatonic
  • Lisandro Meza/ Cumbia de los Locos/ three-row diatonic
  • Raul Barbaza/ Chamame Parisienne/ chromatic button accompanied by bandoneon
  • Trio Porteno/ Madam Ivonne/ bandoneon
  • Astor Piazzolla New Tango Quintet/ Milonga Loca/ bandoneon
  • Renato Borghetti/ Hospitaleira Vacaria/ three-row diatonic
  • The Pe de Serra Forro Band/ Rodando a Saia/ piano accordion & two-row diatonic
  • Antonio Sanches and Tshota Suari/ Aian, Recondacan de Amizadi/ three-row diatonic
  • Le Zagazougou/ Varietoscope/ piano accordion & three row diatonic
  • I.K.Dairo M.B,.E./ Ore Arakunrin Temi/ one-row diatonic
  • Tshwatla Makala/ Tsamabele (malt)/ Sotho concertina
  • Mpete Teme/ Nna Leoena ( man's name)/ Sotho accordion
  • Moses Mchunu/ Angeke Ngilale Ezintabeni (I won't sleep in the mountains)/ Zulu concertina
  • Francois Regis-Gizavo/ Mikea/ musette
  • Abdel Aziz El Mubarak/ Afrah El-Helwa (my darling is happy)/ piano accordion
  • Hossam Ramzy/ Yahliw (you little beauty)/ quarter-tone piano accordion
  • Ivan Kirev/ Rodopsko Horo/ piano accordion
  • Traicho Sinapov/ Dragalevska Ruchentsa/ piano accordion
  • Leonid Yermankov/ Dance Chashtushki's/ rwo-row Russian semi-chromatic garmonika
  • The Klezmer Conservatory Band/ A Yor Nokh Mayn Khasene (a year after my wedding)/ piano accordion
  • Viacheslav Taran/ Sonata for Bayan, part 3 (A.Repnikov)/ bayan
  • Yang Zhangping and Wan Jingui/ Huanle de Miaojia/ 15-pipe lusheng
  • Zhang Guoping/ The Happy Sheng/ piano accordion
  • Senang Beru Gintig & Syaiful Amri Nasution/ Menang Juara/ piano accordion

    Total Time: 3 hours 4:27
    Released in 1995

    Label: Ellipsis Arts
    20 Lumber Road
    Roslyn, NY 11576
    Phone: 516-621-272
    FAX: 516-621-2750
    elliarts@aol.com


    Review by Henry Doktorski:

    Planet Squeezebox, which comprises over three hours of incredibly diverse and varied music, is the most comprehensive anthology of accordion music I have ever heard. Without reservation, I believe that this three-disc set deserves to be in the record collection of every lover of free-reed instruments.

    Listening to "Planet Squeezebox" was a revelation for me; my eyes and ears were opened to beauty and excitement and joyfulness and sadness and a dozen other emotions which were portrayed in sound by the fifty-two distinguished artists represented on this album. My mind was amazed and my heart was touched by many of the selections on this album, which, because of it's diverse cross-cultural nature, may be unfamiliar to most listeners. Let me assure you, this album will delight and amaze the open-minded listener.

    Producer Michal Shapiro, who also wrote the liner notes, deserves credit for assembling together in one package some of the very best free-reed artists in the world.

    Dozens of musical styles are represented; from classical to avant-garde, from jazz to rhythm & blues, from new-age to punk, plus an incredible assortment of traditional styles originating from (in order of appearance):

    Western Europe: France, Spain, Italy, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, England, Scotland and Ireland

    North America: Quebec, the United States (represented by Cajun, Zydeco, Creole, Cleveland style Slovenian Polka, Chicago style Polish Polka and Tex-Mex), Mexico & the Dominican Republic

    South America: Columbia, Argentina & Brazil

    Africa: Cape Verde Islands, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, South Africa, the Zulu people, Madagascar, Sudan & Egypt

    Eastern Europe: Bulgaria, Russia & the Jewish people

    Asia: China and Northern Sumantra

    In addition to the three CDs, "Planet Squeezebox" comes with a beautiful 56 page book which includes detailed liner notes on each track, three dozen photographs (many in color and many historical), and interesting articles by experts entitled: A Brief His tory of How the Accordion Conquered the World, The Celtic, Canadian, Cajun & Creole Connection, The Polka Tradition in America, Accordion Music in Latin America, The Bandoneon & the Tango, South Africa- Sotho and Zulu Squeezebox, Accordion ABCs- Arab & B altic Communities, and a glossary which explains the various types of accordions & concertinas and bass accompaniment systems.

    In my opinion, if you are serious about the accordion, you should run (not walk) to your computer and order "Planet Squeezebox" right now!

    Interview with Michal Shapiro
    Planet Squeezebox Producer


    From: ELLIARTS@aol.com
    Subject: Re: Planet Squeezebox
    Date: Wed, 11 Jul 2001 14:15:44 EDT

    Hello,

    The title is out of print...you may try half.com or www.ellipsisarts.com. There is a very limited supply available.


    From: FDeffner@aol.com
    Subject: Misc Items
    Date: Sun, 8 Jul 2001 15:19:13 EDT

    Dear Henry,

    I noticed your review of Planet Squeezebox. I do not think that Ellipsis Arts is selling it anymore. Our firm bought the balance of their stock and we are now offering the $45 3-CD package for $25 plus postage from Ernest Deffner Publications and our email address is fdeffner@aol.com Thought you might like to correct this information.

    Faithe Deffner

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