Customer Reviews

Accordion a La Mode / Perfect Match

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Wow! For those for whom the accordian primarily conjures up thoughts of Weird Al or polka music, take one listen to the man the folks at Space Age Pop Music call "the hippest cat ever to swing an accordian" and you'll never think of the accordian in the same way again. I can only echo the words of reviewer Fred C. Dorn (regarding another Art Van Damme CD, "Once Over Lightly/Manhattan Time"): "Art Van Damme is to the accordian as Dave Brubeck is to the piano." This is one swingin' CD!

My father has played Accordian since he was a very small child. He played in a polka band when he became old enough to play in bars. After hours he would go down town and sit in with the local jazz musicians. My father always had some vinyl of some great player on the turn table most every night while i was growing up. Monk, Diz, Bird, Miles and Art. It may seem funny sounding to you, But Art Van Damme is the king of his instrument and just as great an artist. He could play great ballads like Miles. Dizzying hot upbeat tunes like Bird or foot taping latin beats like Dizzy. I personally am greatful I had a chance to know who he was and am Very glad his work is coming out on CD.

When I played this CD for a teenaged niece of mine, it was like music from outer space for her. Living a short distance from Houston, we have no radio source for this music any more. Mr. Van Damme's music demonstrates what we have lost somehow. It is truly a separate beast entirely from either the polka music with which we associate the accordion, or the musette of Paris. How fortunate that we can hear samples on Amazon! His version of 'Poinciana' has been my favorite for decades. This is great music for listening in the car, and that is where my CD stays.