Sunday, January 11, 2009

Page 2 February 2009 The Oklahoma Squeezins ill Henson Mustang, OK MustangBilly@cox.net VICE-PRESIDENT Jim Wooley Oklahoma City, OK jimmiewoolly@sbcglobal.net TREASURER Dick Albreski 7109 NW 102nd Street Oklahoma City, OK 73162 405/721-0564 evrich@swbellnet SECRETARY Beth Henson Mustang, OK BHenson1@cox.net HISTORIAN/LIBRARIAN Bob Mansfield Oklahoma City, OK bobmansfield@cox.net PAST PRESIDENT Dan Orza P. O. Box 721320 Oklahoma City, OK 73172 cell: 405/326-1124 fax: 405/722-5525 dano9731@att.net NEWSLETTER EDITOR Frank Gesinski 8035 South Irvington Tulsa, OK 74136-8404 918/492-17165 Frank.Gesinski@sbcglobal.net WEBSITE http://www.OklahomaAccordionClub.com The Prez sez Bill Henson As most of you already know, in January I took over the task of leading the Oklahoma Accordion Club (OAC) as your president. Our first board meeting occurred prior to the club orchestra practice, and I will try to speed these up in the future since we had to rush through orchestra practice. One of the things that I have resumed is the jamming session. I personally missed them and, from the responses I’ve received during and after the meeting, the idea was well received. Actually, I may implement what occurred at our meeting, where everyone jammed on all three songs that I brought. It really sounded good. We also have a theme for February. The theme will be love songs, so dust off your music and bring out a tune you would like to share with the club. For those who missed the meeting, I will repeat a comment I made during the meeting. I’m not Dick Albreski (however, I am half-Polish, since my mother’s name was Baronowski), I’m not as pretty as Jackie, and I’m not as sophisticated as Dan, so basically I’m just the Accordion Guy. So I will be leaning on the people I just mentioned and on the other officers, committee members, and club members to help me do the best job I can for the OAC. When I joined the OAC several years ago, being so new to the instrument, I wasn’t sure what this club was going to be like, but I have never regretted attending a single meeting. The only time I was uncomfortable was at our Christmas Party a month ago when the temperature dropped from 72 to 32 while we were inside. I knew it was getting cold, but I was not ready for what I felt when I walked outside. So, come to the meetings, get involved. I’m trying to come up with something for everyone. We also have a request to play patriotic music at the Bethany First Nazarene Church on February 26. The OAC will be paid for our performance. It’s not too late to get involved and help the OAC out. In my next article, I’ll tell you what I learned about superglue and heat.

The Oklahoma Squeezins February 2009 Page 3 When I complete this article, Evie and I will be starting to fix the “buffalo wings” for the Super Bowl game. Evie and I migrated west from Erie, PA, and so Pittsburgh (south of Erie about 110 miles) will always be a soft spot in our hearts. Yes, we are “Steeler fans," but today, knowing how hard the Cardinals played to get where they are, we are just looking for a good game. What does this have to do with the accordion? The Cardinals had a goal. At the beginning of the season, no one thought they would even come close to playing in the Super Bowl. The Cardinals proved everyone wrong. When was the last time you set a goal with your accordion habits? With OAC, there are so many opportunities to gain more knowledge and even ambition. Ask a fellow member to practice a duet, or decide to play a solo at the next meeting. How about discussing with one of the OAC members a music or technique problem you might be having? Now, that’s ambition. Watch how fast you start practicing more when you do something to motivate yourself. If you change your practice habits, you can change your accordion playing. Don’t we start every New Year with a goal? The OAC started this year with $1,610.16. So far in January we spent an even $163.00, and received from membership renewals an even $200.00. At this point in time we have a checkbook balance of $1,647.16. See you at February 8th meeting. The Treasurer sez Dick Albreski Smarty Pants accordion facts • The word accordion comes from the German word "akkord," which means "agreement, harmony.” • "Weird AI" Yankovic got his first accordion at age 7 from his parents, who promptly enrolled him in the Famous Zamour Academy of Music. His grandmother would subsequently pay him a dollar every time he came over to visit and play his accordion. • On April 18, 1939, Joe Biviano, Abe Goldman, and Gene von Halberg became the first people in history to play the accordion in Carnegie Hall. Their selection, but of course, was an eerie selection -- Bach's "Toccata and Fugue in D Minor.” • There used to be a game show/talent contest on television in the Soviet Union that was called "Play Your Accordion! “ • Stanley Dural, otherwise known as Buckwheat Zydeco, refused to play the accordion as a child because he considered it to be the instrument of his father and grandfather. He stuck to the piano and organ until the mid 1970s after playing organ for Clifton Chenier. Copyright © 1995, Mister Smarty Pants Productions