2023 Repertoire

[Tom]

Thanks. Ok, many people want to chat so I will get someone to take some video. I do not amplify, as it’s a small market and really, the vendors appreciate the music more as background. There are maybe 20 booths in a beautiful small park on the lake. The organizer of this one runs a pretty tight ship so it’s good quality - crafts, llamas, local produce and authors, honey. No junk, trinkets or imported jewelry. I’ve played here probably 4 or 5 times but never the full 4 hours. Let’s hope the weather holds.

I have arranged most of the sheet music and when time permits I will do the rest and post them all.

 

[Tom]

Wow, 4 hours on a 60° (15.5 C) windy day is a long gig, but I persevered and played the whole thing! Lots of good conversations and tips, resorted to just playing super easy stuff the last half hour after my hands stopped cooperating. Can't upload a video here, and not going to youtube it, so if you want to get an idea, here's a photo, you can see the lake to my right. Challenge now is to play a different set list in two weeks.

 

[JerryPH]

FOUR hours playing... let's hope you had at least 4 breaks in there somewhere, wow! Beautiful area, perfect temperatures for playing. I've already staked out my spot... the picnic table near you, perfect to have a drink and sit and listen!

 

[Rosie C]

Nice photo 4 hours is a heck of a long performance though!

 

[Dingo40]

Looks idyllic!

 

[Jaime_Dergut]

Wow, 4 hours on a 60° (15.5 C) windy day is a long gig, but I persevered and played the whole thing! Lots of good conversations and tips, resorted to just playing super easy stuff the last half hour after my hands stopped cooperating. Can't upload a video here, and not going to youtube it, so if you want to get an idea, here's a photo, you can see the lake to my right. Challenge now is to play a different set list in two weeks.

Tom, you are my hero!

How many ladies melted in front of you after playing such wonderful music?

I bet they are all piled up behind cameraman here.

 

[Tom]

FOUR hours playing... let's hope you had at least 4 breaks in there somewhere, wow! Beautiful area, perfect temperatures for playing. I've already staked out my spot... the picnic table near you, perfect to have a drink and sit and listen!

Thanks, bring your accordion! We’ll do Moon River. I did take one break while my wife guarded my case. I was afraid there would be 4 more accordions in it if I left it alone. I got a lot of small breaks talking to people. Many had interesting stories of playing, or knowing someone who does.

 

[Tom]

Nice photo 4 hours is a heck of a long performance though!

Thanks! Yup, playing an Oktoberfest party next Saturday, and the 4 hour market again the 26th. Gotta shine up Chicken Dance, In Heaven There is No Beer and Ein Prosit. Need to add some “modern” stuff, not sure what….

 

[Tom]

Looks idyllic!

It is!!!! Beautiful park on the lake, small town. Never seen so many Texas and Florida cars, climate change is really bringing ‘em in. Might have to switch from old time to Tex mex/zydeco.

 

[Tom]

Tom, you are my hero!

How many ladies melted in front of you after playing such wonderful music?

I bet they are all piled up behind cameraman here.

Yeah, 65 year old accordionist is a veritable chick magnet! Cameraman was my lovely wife, so they had to be discrete. No wonder I didn’t see them….

 

[Rosie C]

Thanks! Yup, playing an Oktoberfest party next Saturday, and the 4 hour market again the 26th. Gotta shine up Chicken Dance, In Heaven There is No Beer and Ein Prosit. Need to add some “modern” stuff, not sure what….

Not that modern, but I've been working on an arrangement of Britney Spears "Baby One More Time". We usually played it at the end of the first set when I was in a bluegrass band, and it always went down well. It's just a matter of getting the double bass part onto the Stradella bass...

 

[Tom]

Not that modern, but I've been working on an arrangement of Britney Spears "Baby One More Time". We usually played it at the end of the first set when I was in a bluegrass band, and it always went down well. It's just a matter of getting the double bass part onto the Stradella bass...

Thanks, that’s an interesting choice for accordion, I’d like to hear it. And newer than my tunes. Good luck!

 

[Rosie C]

Thanks, that’s an interesting choice for accordion, I’d like to hear it. And newer than my tunes. Good luck!

I will share something soon - at the moment my little 12-bass isn't up to the job as the song has Cm, Eb and Fm chords. I'll have to wait until I've got up to speed on my 72 bass.

 

[Tom]

I will share something soon - at the moment my little 12-bass isn't up to the job as the song has Cm, Eb and Fm chords. I'll have to wait until I've got up to speed on my 72 bass.

Can’t wait to hear it!!!!!

 

[OuijaBoard]

I will share something soon - at the moment my little 12-bass isn't up to the job as the song has Cm, Eb and Fm chords. I'll have to wait until I've got up to speed on my 72 bass.

BTW--I should probably post this on the other thread, but how was your journey? We saw the arrival photo, but haven't heard story yet!

 

[Tom]

So yeah, today I stood there for 3 hours straight, one short break. I played the above repertoire, plus Oktoberfest, pretty much one after the other. I tried to play games during the improvised choruses, like see how far up the keyboard I could go, put in chord patterns, like ‘E7, Am, Dm, G7, C in key of C. Pretty fun. A Native guy came along and said he made flutes, 5 or six notes, “orchestra tuned.” I asked him how he gauged the distance between holes for the scales. He said it depended on the person’s finger length. Not sure if he meant when he was making a custom one, or selecting one. Kind of confusing. They all are a specific key, and really beautiful, with a little carved animal. He showed me a G and an A. The G was about 3 - 4 feet long, but only 6 or 7 holes. We played together on both of them, I pretty much played chord/arpeggio, while he played that kind of Native stuff you hear. Interesting. Probably play 3 hours next week too, gotta get another few songs, drop the Oktoberfest.

 

[losthobos]

I tried to play games during the improvised choruses, like see how far up the keyboard I could go, put in chord patterns, like ‘E7, Am, Dm, G7, C in key of C.

Good game Tom.....I like to use this cheat to extend songs if I've been too lazy to work out solos....
Em if I wanna sound smooth...E7 if I wanna sound butch
Or get real greedy and go
1,4,7,3,6,2,5,1....
C,F,B-half dim,E7,Am,Dm,G7, resolve

 

[jozz]

Wow, 4 hours on a 60° (15.5 C) windy day is a long gig, but I persevered and played the whole thing! Lots of good conversations and tips, resorted to just playing super easy stuff the last half hour after my hands stopped cooperating. Can't upload a video here, and not going to youtube it, so if you want to get an idea, here's a photo, you can see the lake to my right. Challenge now is to play a different set list in two weeks.

this reminds me of a trip along the Bruce Peninsula

We would drive along the waterfront and come across these public canopies. At one we would see a full band with drum kit and everything. There were maybe 25 people listening that brought chairs and food and such. What surprised these buildings were fitted with freely accessible power sockets, sometimes water taps and such.