February 2014 - accordion-club-sandiego.org2014+REED...cycles of Belsize & Clarinet Marmalade. Good...

will wonder who was playing the melody and who was filling in the harmony around each tune. I bet they will sur-prise us more than once with some new tricks in harmony and rhythm fills. I am anxious to hear their music and watch them perform. Their musical expression is dramatic and instills energy and colors to the tones of their music.

Hope to see you and your friends as you join us Sunday February 9th at 1 p.m.

All the best wishes to you in 2014!

Gordon Kohl —

by Gordon Kohl

Hello ALSI friends!

Wow! what a great meeting in January. We had new members and guests who came and enjoyed an afternoon with all of us at ALSI.

The performer’s choice of songs was su-per. I encourage all of you players to practice your special love songs for our February Valen-tine's Sunday meeting.

Chuck Henry played some fun and interesting songs for his showcase performance. He plays commercial music ex-tremely well and has great rhythm and tem-pos. I saw several peo-

ple in the audience tap-ping their feet and danc-ing at their seats to his music. Thanks Chuck and all of you who came to this nice January af-ternoon in San Diego.

The ALSI accordion club is off and running with our annual mem-bership drive. Please talk to your friends about our club and hopefully we can bring more new accordion-ists and music lovers to our events. Perhaps this will encourage them to join our club.

This February we will be entertained by our members in the be-ginning portion of our meeting which will be followed with a won-derful showcase concert by the Reunion Accor-dion Ensemble They are returning to ALSI after two prior concerts in the last several years. The ensemble plays ex-citing arrangements of songs that will lift us up and off our chairs, as we

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

FEBRUARY 2014

February 2014Volume 21 Issue 2

NEWSLETTER

Inside this issue:

President’s Message

1

General Info. 2

Happiness at ALSI

3

Showcase Review 4

Love Song 5

Coming InMarch

5

Coming This Month

6-7

Accordion News 8

Calendar 9

Playing Around 9

Harold J. Estok FounderALSI and REED BLOCK

President:Gordon Kohl619-395-0454

Presidents Emeriti:(Founder) Harold Estok

Ron GriffinKjell HolmesGloria Ensign

Vice President:Mary Lou Erwin

619-448-9588

Meeting Coordinator:Bill Barr

619-337-1111

Editor/Secretary:Helen Estok Schoell

619-584-4970

Treasurer &Ensemble Director:

Vicki Eriqat619-563-5586

Recording Secretary:Sharon Marotte

619-286-3948

Newsletter/Webmaster: Bob Page

760--815-4783

IMPORTANTNOTICE

Please do not park in reserved spaces for the meetings at Bailey Hall. There are more visitor spaces in lot at the rear of the Hall.

GENERAL INFORMATION

MEMBERSHIPS: New membership and renewal for year 2014 are; the fee is $100 Gold, $25 U.S.A., $26 Canada, $27 for International delivery. For new members; partial year memberships can be purchased. Make check or mon-ey order payable to ALSI and send to: Helen Estok Schoell, at P.O. Box 151357 San Diego, CA 92175. The REED BLOCK is published once each month. Your input to the REED BLOCK is invited and should be submitted to Helen Estok Schoell or email to Bob Page at [email protected] or email to Mary Lou Erwin at: [email protected]: Unless otherwise indicated, all articles were written by the Editor. Unless so stated, no article is to be construed as an endorsement and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editor or ALSI. CUT-OFF DATE: All contributors to The REED BLOCK please note: For next month all material is due two weeks before the next meeting, accordingly the due date for the March 2014 issue is: February 24, 2014. This in-cludes all items such as articles, upcoming events, playing around, accordion workshops, advertisements and ensemble schedules. Please submit your input to Helen Estok Schoell (at above ALSI address) or email to Bob Page at [email protected] or Mary Lou Erwin at [email protected]. Thank you for your cooperation. ADVERTISEMENTS: Members may place one small ad per year at no charge, business cards are $6/per issue or $60/per year, quarter-page is $15/per issue, half -page is $25/per issue, full -page is $50/per issue, one -page event flyer is $25/per issue. Cost is doubled for non -members. (All ads must be accordion related).MEETINGS: The club normally meets at 1:00 - 4:00 P.M. on the second Sunday of each month at the Mt Miguel Cov-enant Village, 325 Kempton Ave, Spring Valley, CA. Next Meeting will be on Sunday, February 9th from 1:00 to 4:00 pm in Bailey Hall at Mt Miguel Covenant Village. A special concert showcase by The Reunion Ensemble will be featured at the meeting.STEERING COMMITTEE; Next meeting is on February 12, 10:30 am at the Coco’s Restaurant in Mission Gorge area at 10430 Friars Road .

MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL NOTICE

(Rates to remain the same for 2014)

ALSI MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION for 2014 (please print)

Date__________________ New___ Renewal___ Address Change___

Name_______________________________________________________________________________First Last Spouse First

Address_______________________________________________________________________________City State Zip Code

Telephone ( _____ ) -_______________ email address_________________________________

Make Check or Money Order payable to ALSI (Yearly membership fees: $25-USA, $26-Canada, $27-International, $100-Gold)

Mail to: ALSI/REED BLOCK c/o Helen Estok Schoell P.O. Box 151357 San Diego, CA 92175

Volume 21 Issue 2

HAPPINESS AT ALSI

In Bailey Hall at Mt. Miguel Village325 Kempton Avenue

Spring Valley, CA In Bailey Hall at Mt. Miguel Village

325 Kempton AvenueSpring Valley, CA

In Bailey Hall at Mt. Miguel Village325 Kempton Avenue

Spring Valley, CA

by Sharon Marotte

January 12, 2014 was another fun day at ALSI. The sun was shining and we were able to have our break time outside on the patio. We also celebrated the 25th anniversary of ALSI!! The players around the village were: Brandel - Al Cerutti, Crider - Jane Ford, Caf-eteria - Steve Halpern. Bill Barr was the MCfor the day, Jack Marotte was the sound man. What a team!! Bob Page was our mystery player as people arrived - He plays so beauti-fully!

1. Jerry Odling was our first player - his songs were Au Bistrot Du Port, the Bi-cycles of Belsize & Clarinet Marmalade. Good Job, Jerry. Play for us again, please.

2. Next player was Claudia Wronafrom Highlands. Her friend, Harold, was singing along with her on a couple of songs: Mio Carino, Before the next Teardrop Falls, an Oberek (Sprzedal Woly na Jarmarky) and Whatever Will be, Will be. These folks drive a long ways to come to ALSI and we really appreciate their attendance.

3. Carlos Meneses, a beginning player played two songs: Love Me Tender & Hey Jude. Keep practicing, Carlos.

4. Al Jacobs took the stage next and played for us: Adios Muchachos, Wilkommen, Cabaret, Mame, Hello Dolly, etc. Al always has many good songs to play. Good job, AL.

5. Russell Camp was our last player for the day. His songs were: Great is Thy Faithfulness, Day by Day, and a tune from Ec-uador - Creacion, a Quichuu tune. Russell is always introducing new songs to us from far away places. Nice!!

We enjoyed a beautifully decorated cake for the 25th anniversary of ALSI, along with special decorations of tablecloths, etc and lots of ice cream. Ted Hill brought soda to enjoy also. We really enjoyed the Showcase by Chuck Henry on this day. You should of been there!! —

SHOWCASE REVIEW

CHUCK HENRY SHOWCASE

by Bob Warner

We occasionally have professional ac-cordionists who perform unusual programs that are admirably entertaining but also make us think about the instrument we all love. Chuck is an eminently competent ac-cordionist. His keyboard skills are impec-cable along with an easy, fluent style of playing. The program he played today was listenable, danceable and pleasing in many ways. He presents well as an entertainer. And he did all of this with a Roland FR7X all electronic accordion. No reeds inside, just electronics that some very clever engi-neers designed to mimic the sounds of a reed accordion along with a multiplicity of other instrument and orchestral sounds. In the 70 years I have been associated with the accordion, there have been many changes, huge changes and this is one of them. Was the reed sound perfectly re-produced? That depends on the ears of the beholder. I thought it sounded great. We need to keep an open mind because the tastes and desires of present day audi-ences in music have changed radically. The versatility of this instrument allowed Chuck to choose a multiplicity of voicings while also connected to an external synthesizer which he used to provide rhythm and back-ground.

He began his program with a nice easy listening version of “AL Di La”. This set the stage for content and style for the rest of the afternoon. This was followed by a smooth cha cha with piano, horn and drum

voicings. With a change of pace we heard ‘YAKETY SAX”, “TEQUILA”, “DANNY BOY” with a multiplicity of voicings mixed with the reed sound. A polka had evero-ne’s feet tapping, particularly with the next piece, “LA Di Da”. “CHICKEN DANCE” was played in typical polka fashion followed by “HELLO DOLLY” in a jazzy arrange-ment with Chuck singing along. “SPANISH EYES” was played in full accordion with clarinet and guitar layered in to produce a very nice sound. His expansive repertoire included such songs as “ALL MY EX’S LIVE IN TEXAS”, “IN THE MOOD” with vari-ous horn voicings, “RELEASE ME”, I CAN’T STOP LOVING YOU”, “SE SERA SERA”, “NEVER ON SUNDAY”, “THE GIRL FROM IPENEMA” followed by a tasteful group of numbers along the same line.

Chuck was then joined by our presi-dent, Gordon Kohl, to end the program with some great jamming. Of course they did a super job on “BEER BARREL POL-KA”. Gordon is the quintessential jam-mer. They could have recorded this and s o l d i t . “ E L V I R A ” a n d “UNFORGETTABLE” followed played in an easy jazz style only two professionals could do.

It was another great afternoon. Chuck Henry is a truly fine musician. He has com-plete control of his instrument and equip-ment and in effect today he was a one man ensemble. I will have more to say in the future about the direction of development of the accordion and what it might mean. We would be pleased to have Chuck back again. —

Volume 21 Issue 2

LOVE SONG

COMING IN MARCH

The San Diego Concertina Club will be performing at our March meeting

There will be four players accompanied by a button box accordion, they will be

playing four/five pieces, one of them a Scottish tune, so this should be a lively performance.Russell Hedges will be playing an English style concertina, one that plays the same note in or out unlike the diatonic type. —

COMING THIS MONTH

The ALSI Accordion Clubproudly presents

A Concert featuring:

Sunday, February 9, 2014 Concert at 2:30 pm

Bailey Center Hall, Mt. Miguel Covenant Village325 Kempton Ave. Spring Valley, California

The New Reunion Ensemble will be performing at our February meeting with a Special Concert performance at 2:30 pm. Their program will include some of your fa-

vorite songs and the ensemble will be led by Lucille Camatti and will include our own ALSI club member Bobby Dietsch.

Admission: $8 for ALSI members, $9 for guests. (Light refreshments and coffee will be provided).

For more information please call (619) 448-9588

InviteA

FriendAnd

FellowMusicLover.

Come &EnjoyBeingWithOtherClub

Mem-bers.

Volume 21 Issue 2

COMING THIS MONTH - continued.

THE “REUNION” ACCORDION ENSEMBLE

The Reunion Accordion Ensemble is a reunion of award-winning students from Camatti’s Accordion Studio, formerly of Downey, California. Camatti’s Accordion Studio was founded in 1952 and quickly rose to become a top pro-ducer of outstanding accordionists. In 1955, Lucille Camatti (back row center) was a founding member of the Western States Accordion Festival, a predeces-sor of today’s Accordion Federation of North America, and one-time student of Anthony Aretta and Sergei Rodionoff. A child prodigy who began studying the accordion at age 5, by age 7, she was performing regularly on southern California radio with such numbers as Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Flight of the Bumble Bee”, Aram Khachaturian’s “Sabre Dance”, and scores of other well-known challenging numbers. In the WSAF’s inaugural event, Lucille’s students won First Place in all three band categories, Senior, Junior and Cadet, and repeated the sweep in each of the following three years. Her students also won various

competitions in the solo and duet categoriesAfter the Studio’s 50th Anniversary Reunion, members of the Reunion Ensemble, a number of former students formed “The Reunion Ensemble” to “fire up” their old skills and enjoyment of the accordion. Though some members hadn’t played their accordions for over 30 years, their love of the instrument quickly propelled them to regain their technique as well as a desire to share their music with others.

Mark Deily (back row, left) joined Camatti’s Accordion Studio in the mid-1950s and quickly earned Lucille’s respect as a serious student and performer. Equally adept at popular and classical mu-sic, Mark’s discipline and technique were most noted when he “brought the house down” with his per-formance of “Variations on a Theme by Paganini”, one of the most challenging accordion arrangements of all time. Mark’s overtly friendly and warm personality is perfectly suited to his performing skills as a member of Reunion Accordion Ensemble. Today, Mark is a Certified Public Accountant and, despite a very demanding work schedule, still offers well-rehearsed, skillful performances.

Bob Dietsch (front row, left) began studying accordion at Camatti’s with Lucille’s brother, Gino, at age 7. An energetic, gregarious performer, Bob quickly distinguished himself as a reliable student band member and soloist. An ardent and disciplined performer, Bob’s technique remains crisp to this day. At just 15, he became a regular house-performer at scores of southern California restaurants in-cluding Salvatore’s, “The Memory House”, Alt Heidleburg, Das Schnitzelhaus, the Gregory Inn, and the Lake Arrowhead Inn. Bob’s love of electronic music naturally led him to purchase and perform some of the industry’s top accordion/ synthesizers, a gift that was well-served as he took on the role of Worship Leader for his church. Bob continues to perform with his church and social events, and adds greatly to the successful sound of the Reunion Ensemble.

Mary Lynn Blucker (front row, right) joined the ensemble in 2006. A former student and per-former with the original Camatti’s Accordion Studio Senior Ensemble, she was anxious to return to mu-sic after a nearly 40-year hiatus, and has proved to be a very valuable member of the group. She and Bobby have performed for many local holiday celebrations.

Dale Hardeman (back row, right) is a jazz pianist/accordionist and drummer, composer, and ar-ranger of scores of works for symphony orchestra, jazz and swing bands, and is also a former student of Camatti’s Accordion Studio. Dale has arranged and composed numerous works for the group, the most recent of which is “Sonatina Allegretto”, a 4-part classical work for accordion ensemble, “Shamba Sam-ba”, “Hot Potato”, and many more. —

MESA ACCORDION EVENT Feb. 13-17,2014, at Arizona Golf Resort, Mesa AZ.This popular Mesa Accordion Event is to end in 2014 after Eight Years. Director Dan Grau-man described the beginnings this way, “2006 was the year that we received a phone call from Frank Marocco asking us if we would run an accordion orchestra camp for him. “‘Why us?’ we asked. “‘We have never done anything like this!’ “We loved and tremendously re-spected Frank, so his faith in us had us saying OK before the phone call had ended. “The first camp was so exciting. “Several friends that we had met at other accordion events signed up immediately and helped to create the magical atmosphere that has been a constant since that first beautiful and successful camp in January 2007. “Working with the sweet, gen-tle Frank Marocco was delightful for all who attended. “We had 38 accordionists in that first orchestra. “By the second year, our ‘Frank Marocco Accordion Event’ orchestra had 56 members with a waiting list of 40. “Along with spouses, siblings and friends, we have averaged around 80 attendees (we will have 80 this coming February), and our con-certs regularly draw an audience of around 350 people. “Each year has been a new adventure, always filled with much laughter, great music and cherished friendships. “From the start, the camp has been a place where everyone, from novice to renowned professional, could enjoy

Happy Birthday to you all!

4th Bob Warner8th Sami Zein

11th Kari Andrews11th Helen Estok Schoell13th Sharon Marotte21st Bonnie Barr22nd Kathryn Morefield

time together in a non-competitive relaxed envi-ronment. “We have had world-renowned guest artists through the years such as Stas Venglevski’s wife, cellist Roza Borisova, domra and mandolin great Misha Litvin, and accordionist Eddie Mon-teiro, Mary Tokarski, Joe Natoli and Stas Venglev-ski. “In 2009, Frank asked Stas to be our Assis-tant Music Director. “Stas has delighted us for years with his sense of humor, sensational perfor-mances, compositions and arrangements, and skills as a conductor. “With Frank’s sad, untimely passing in 2012, Stas has become the Music Direc-tor of our camp, now called the ‘Mesa Accordion Event’. “We are very excited about our upcom-ing event in February as we will be celebrating the 80th birthday of world renowned educator, ar-ranger and conductor, Joan Cochran Sommers who will conduct the orchestra in two numbers. “Saying goodbye to this event has been very, very hard for us, but also quite necessary. We simply need to spend more time with our family.” Regis-tration is closed but not required for final con-cert. For more information please visit: [email protected] NATIONAL ACCORDION CONVEN-TION on March 5th—9th, 2014 in Plano Texas. The meeting site will be the Southfork Hotel and Convention Center. For more infor-mation please send email to: [email protected] —

ACCORDION NEWS AND EVENTS

Volume 21 Issue 2

ALSI MEETING CALENDAR

PLAYING AROUND

“Please share date,

time and location

of public appear-

ances. Submit

these, in writing,

complying with the

cut-off date, to

Mary Lou Erwin or

Bob Page.”

Louis Fanucchi

Most Tues-day’s & Fri-day’s at Café Zucchero in Little Italy from 7-10

pm.Most Wednesday’s at Romesco’s in Bonita from 7 to 10.Most Sundays from 2-5 pm at Salerno’s Winery in Ramona. (More info. at 619-948-3774 or online at www.loufanucchi.com)

Gordon Kohl

Plays Casuals, Weddings Dances and Special Events.

For more information and availability. please call Gordon at 619-395-0454.

(

C U S T O M C R A F T E D —

February 9thConcert with

New Reunion Band.

March 9thThe San Diego Concertina

Club will be performing @2:45.Bass/Rhythm Workshop @3:15

April 13thClub meeting with

Open mike.

May 4thShowcase with

Heinz Trilckfrom Santa Barbara.

Monthly Newsletter

ALSI Statement Of

Purpose:

� ALSI is San Diego’s forum for appreciat-ing and performing accordion music, including the MIDI electronic accordion

� We welcome mem-bers who enjoy lis-tening to or playing accordion music.

� We have an accordi-on ensemble group, monthly meetings, local concerts featur-ing local and interna-tionally famous per-formers, an annual picnic and a monthly newsletter.

FEBRUARY 2014

EDITION

The REED BLOCKc/o Helen Estok Schoell

P.O. Box 151357San Diego, CA 92175

Come and join us for

In Bailey Hall.

at Mt. Miguel Covenant Village.

On February

9thfrom 2:30

to 3:30 p.m.

Come and Join us for Concert featuring:The New Reunion Ensemble

February 2014 - accordion-club-sandiego.org2014+REED...cycles of Belsize & Clarinet Marmalade. Good...

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