Learning to Love the Accordion

There is a phrase I never thought I would write. But life is funny and after spending a couple hours last night with an Irish band that included two accordions (one piano, one button) I've developed a greater appreciation for the most maligned of instruments. I'm still not a fan of the polka (the music most often associated with an accordion) but in Irish music the sound can be awfully sweet.

I'm being offered a slow musical education. One of my knitting friends, Lee, has a husband who plays in an Irish band. We've had our knitting nights correspond with their jam sessions a couple of times but last night was one of the few times where it's really been just Lee and I (and her husband and Jeff). We knit for an hour or two at the coffee shop before the musicians arrived and then settled in to knit and listen to some music. Lee sat next to me and pointed out all the instruments. I learned how different tippers make different sounds on a bodhran. I learned how an accordion can sound exactly like a harmonica. I learned how there are accordions with make different noises on expansion or contraction. And I learned that the sound of a lone fiddle can produce one of the sweetest, saddest sounds known to man. In short, I had a fantastic time.

The group is made up of whoever wants to come. Last night there were two fiddle players, a guitar player, two accordion players (one who's a local politician), a dulcimer/harmonica player, a bodhran/whistle player, and Lee's husband Connor who is a mandolin player. I got introduced to most of the musician and then just sat back and listened while Lee and the other wife there explained the pieces played and how the instruments worked. Most of the time one player would just start a tune while the rest quickly joined in. Lee's husband was the only one reading music, while the rest played by ear. It was clear that they were having a good time and playing for the sheer enjoyment of it. One of the fiddle players is just learning the songs and spent most of the night either kidding or being kidded about her slower playing. She seemed to have a blast. At the end of the night she wowed all of us with a rendition of Niel Gow's Lament For the Death of His Second Wife (a very nice rendition here with some wonderful images of Scotland) which left the musicians and the listeners speechless.

My plan had been to leave at 9:30 after about an hour of playing. Jeff headed off about that time and I thought about it. I haven't been to bed before 11 in well over a week. But I stayed. I simply couldn't pull myself away. I stayed until the musicians began to put away their instruments and I still wasn't tired. Home by 11 and in bed shortly afterwards. I'm a bit tired today but it was worth it. I'll be heading back for the next jam session. I've always loved Irish music and I'm slowly learning to love the accordion.

Sea Shanties and Celtic Sounds

I go through stages with music. For a period of time in high school I listened to a lot of country. In college it was folk. When I first met Jeff I listened to a lot of eighties. Currently I'm on an Irish/Celtic kick with some old fashioned sea shanties mixed in. It's kind of an odd choice for me but I'm loving it.

It started when I was listening to Jonathan Coulton on Pandora.com. If you haven't listened to Jonathan you need to check him out. He doesn't do Irish music, Celtic music, or sea shanties but he does create some of the funniest and smartest music out there. If you combine the nerdiness of Weird Al with the humor of Barenaked Ladies, and throw in some fun tunes, you have Jonathan. He's hilarious and intelligent and fun. Great stuff.

So you're probably wondering how I got from the geeky stylings of Jonathan Coulton to sea shanties. I'm not really sure how either. That's the beauty of Pandora. It always seems to recommend the right thing. In this case, the program happened to play Great Big Sea, a band that plays sea shanties. Particularly it played The Mermaid, which is a downright hilarious song about the problems of trying to have sex with mermaids. It was catchy and fun and I remember writing down the band's name for future reference. I didn't have to wait long to hear more from them as Pandora decided to play Old Polina, off the same album, a couple hours later. Now I was interested. I created a station with Great Big Sea (did I mention I love Pandora?) and suddenly found myself immersed in sea shanties, old Irish songs, and Celtic sounds.

I've been listening to bands like The Chieftains (the classics), the Pogues, The Dubliners, Gaelic Storm, and Flogging Molly and am having a great time. So much of the music is bouncy and lively that I find myself tapping my feet and dancing in my chair. I've been buying tons of songs from iTunes and keep finding new ones to add. The moment the fiddle and the Bodhran starts up I'm happy. So far I've only found one or two bands I don't enjoy as much on the channel but all the rest are bands I'd happily own. In fact I've owned one of Gaelic Storms albums for years and it's been one of my favorite albums. But now I have a whole selection of new titles to add. We all need music and right now mine sounds better with a mandolin and a tin whistle.