Seems Cory was back in the news recently and his version of the accordion is no longer quite... an accordion. 
Pesaturo back on the news
- Thread starter JerryPH
- Start date
Well, very interesting, thanks Jerry. Let's be honest, though, I don't think his jazzy jazz at the end is going to entice young people to play the accordion. As I saw in my sale this weekend, for the real young kids, the accordion has to be in Disney to attract. It's a very rare youth attracted by bebop, and they don't care one bit how many accordion world championships you have, or who you've played with. (Being known for you you've played with? Now that's just weird!) Ok, quick quiz, what is Cory's "big hit"? What song (or even style) is he known for? Until we can answer that, we cannot "revolutionize" the accordion. Kind of sad. So yeah, I get it, he is super accomplished on this instrument, can play a million notes in every style, but man, dude needs a life coach!
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Ventura
Been here for ages!
some key elements of getting through and inspiring young people
are tried and true.. a great riff, a great friendship, a great love,
AND especially being all that in an approchable way
how many kids can listen to a Jazz performance and say to themselves
"Oh.. i could do that"
hiow many Kids heard "Smoke on the Water" and imMEDiately grabbed
the nearest instrument and tried to play it
so when FisItalia built a small, mustard colored Asterix button accordion
and took it to festivals all over Europe and got people to play it, do you
think they made some kids smile ? maybe one of those smiling kids
grows up to be the next DeBra ? or are the kids of Europe more
inspired by Flattop looking scraggly street musicians playing ratty old
accordions in the train station tunnels with scary eyes always glaring
at the young kids to stay away from the Tip cup ?
being clean and modestly attractive and being approachable and playing pleasant
and easy to grasp and enjoy and mentally take home with you songs and smiling
at your audience and noticing the young people with your eyes and riffs..
think that might work ?
i can play a room full of people, stroll through, and make personal contact
with at least 20% of the people in the room AND give them the feeling
that i played those few notes ESPECIALLY FOR THEM as our eyes caught and
i smiled at them with my fingers
Cory is awesome. obviously, i hope he continues doing some good,
but you all can do plenty too and be inspiring
when Fleetwood Mac created "TUSK" with the USC Marching Band, you can
spot Stevie suddenly borrow a Baton and stroll along for a minit
flipping it nicely just like she did back in her Schooldays..
do you think as she spun her smiling self past those College Kids they
suddenly saw her not as some unreachable Rock Goddess on Mt Olympus,
or as just a girl, just a person, just like them ?
do you think she made a few more LifeLong fans/friends that day ?
be approachable !
are tried and true.. a great riff, a great friendship, a great love,
AND especially being all that in an approchable way
how many kids can listen to a Jazz performance and say to themselves
"Oh.. i could do that"
hiow many Kids heard "Smoke on the Water" and imMEDiately grabbed
the nearest instrument and tried to play it
so when FisItalia built a small, mustard colored Asterix button accordion
and took it to festivals all over Europe and got people to play it, do you
think they made some kids smile ? maybe one of those smiling kids
grows up to be the next DeBra ? or are the kids of Europe more
inspired by Flattop looking scraggly street musicians playing ratty old
accordions in the train station tunnels with scary eyes always glaring
at the young kids to stay away from the Tip cup ?
being clean and modestly attractive and being approachable and playing pleasant
and easy to grasp and enjoy and mentally take home with you songs and smiling
at your audience and noticing the young people with your eyes and riffs..
think that might work ?
i can play a room full of people, stroll through, and make personal contact
with at least 20% of the people in the room AND give them the feeling
that i played those few notes ESPECIALLY FOR THEM as our eyes caught and
i smiled at them with my fingers
Cory is awesome. obviously, i hope he continues doing some good,
but you all can do plenty too and be inspiring
when Fleetwood Mac created "TUSK" with the USC Marching Band, you can
spot Stevie suddenly borrow a Baton and stroll along for a minit
flipping it nicely just like she did back in her Schooldays..
do you think as she spun her smiling self past those College Kids they
suddenly saw her not as some unreachable Rock Goddess on Mt Olympus,
or as just a girl, just a person, just like them ?
do you think she made a few more LifeLong fans/friends that day ?
be approachable !
Yup!!!! You got it Ventura. Relative to you, many of the people on here, and certainly Cory, I have .001 % talent. But hey, I made lots of people smile and bob their heads this weekend with a simple Italian tune that I discovered has that effect. Plus I sold 4 accordions, which please excuse me for repeating, but I am still a little dazed by. People want to connect. I say to them, "I am only going to play one song. Acordions are like zucchini, one is good. Two?" Big smiles all around, you get the picture. "Ok, for you, from Cleveland, wow that's the center of accordions! Frankie Yankovic! Ok, I'll play a polka in honor....." "You're going to play more when we come over next week, right?" "Yeah, of course....one song."
Ventura
Been here for ages!
speaking of Zuccini
i re-wrote the lyrics to Che la Luna to honor my old Polish neighbor
when i lived in Baltimore.. he grew so many Zuccini that his Summer was
largely spent on finding creative ways to give them away
Che l Luna Mezzo Mare Mamma Mia look at the Garden..
Zuccini by the ton, yesterday we had just ONE
que la Va que la Vey, what can i say, never seen so many
PaPa whatta we gonna do ? there'sa too much for me and You
Oh Ma Ma.. lets give them all away ?
Oh Pa Pa.. it's gonna take all Day
quick Ma Ma.. pick a pick a fill the Truck
fresh Zuccini by the ton our Garden has been overrun
sweet Zuccini good to taste can't let it go to waste !
and so on and so forth for several verses
i re-wrote the lyrics to Che la Luna to honor my old Polish neighbor
when i lived in Baltimore.. he grew so many Zuccini that his Summer was
largely spent on finding creative ways to give them away
Che l Luna Mezzo Mare Mamma Mia look at the Garden..
Zuccini by the ton, yesterday we had just ONE
que la Va que la Vey, what can i say, never seen so many
PaPa whatta we gonna do ? there'sa too much for me and You
Oh Ma Ma.. lets give them all away ?
Oh Pa Pa.. it's gonna take all Day
quick Ma Ma.. pick a pick a fill the Truck
fresh Zuccini by the ton our Garden has been overrun
sweet Zuccini good to taste can't let it go to waste !
and so on and so forth for several verses
Recipe for accordion zucchini
app.ckbk.com
Accordion Zucchini from The Forest Feast by Erin Gleeson
Make little cuts all the way down a small zucchini about ¾ of the way throughSlice a garlic clove into paper-thin circles & slip them into the slotsDrizzle each with: olive oil, salt, & pepper, B...
app.ckbk.com
Cory is Brilliant .........it goes without saying .
His latest effort is not available to view in the UK ???
you can't be a super star without a global Audience
NB I'm being a little cheeky ... Ha Ha Ha ....I don't mean it but the video cannot be seen in the UK
PS ,,,correct me please if I'm wrong
His latest effort is not available to view in the UK ???
you can't be a super star without a global Audience
NB I'm being a little cheeky ... Ha Ha Ha ....I don't mean it but the video cannot be seen in the UK
PS ,,,correct me please if I'm wrong
I don't know the definition of a super star, but I agree he is brilliant, just not my particular cup of tea.
AccordionUprising
Well-known member
The reason it is impossible for those electronic accordion instruments to attract young players is that they cost at least $4,000.Seems Cory was back in the news recently and his version of the accordion is no longer quite... an accordion.
There is no entry level digital accordion like he's playing
While an entry level MIDI controller keyboard can cost $50. (Entry-level virtual keyboards are free once you have a phone.)
But kids don't like accordions because they're too hard.
If some manufacturer comes out with a $500 midi instrument that happens to look like an an accordion, and is a very portable keyboard with a ton of expression-control, that will be attractive to young players. It would be great to hear what young players come up with on it.
Alan Sharkis
Well-known member
Wow! Lots to comment on here!
Re: Connecting with an audience: I’m reminded of the time I went to a concert. The orchestra was a local one and the guest soloist was a rather brilliant but young Winton Marsalis. He was technically outstanding, but rather cold. His encore piece was Carnival of Venice with a half-dozen or so variations. Since the concert was not billed as classical, nor was it billed as jazz, many in the audience were disappointed that he didn’t play any jazz. Contrast that with the Winton Marsalis we know of now as a warm, friendly, commentator and educator, willing to share his jazz ideas with the public through his work at Lincoln Center. But don’t write off Corey as the young guy who’s all technique and no warmth who will become more human as time goes on; he’s already started in that direction. Talk to him about his visits to schools, and the reactions of the kids he’s met.
Re: The high cost of accordions keeping young people away: Kids learn on inexpensive instruments, but if they show they’re really serious, and want to continue their musical education, they, or their parents will spring for private lessons and more expensive instruments. I’m reminded of a project that took place in New York City a few years ago. People were asked to donate used instruments to public schools. Among the instruments donated were, naturally, accordions. A group of volunteer repairers went over the accordions and they were made available. At least one public school in New York City now has an accordion program. There just might some kids who will be serious enough to take their accordion studies further. Can other school systems do the same thing?
Re: Making the accordion popular by changing its appearance: I don’t know if you remember, but about four years ago I had a total knee replacement, and I was advised before that surgery that for several months after surgery putting any weight on my left thigh would be painful. The Axe-Cord had just become available and I bought one. A couple of years later, I also bought a Roland FR-4x. I was familiar with the midi system in the Axe-Cord because it was the same one I have in my acoustic accordion. The Roland was the result of my back pain, which was exacerbated by my carrying my acoustic accordion, though not by playing it. Why did I have midi in my acoustic in the first place? It started with a reedless instrument I bought when I began to play again after many years of not playing. The reedless also had a large collection of other instrumental sounds. When I began to play with five other guys from my synagogue, I could supply sounds they didn’t have. So, when it was time to get an accordion with real reeds, I ordered one with midi in it. People, especially young people, are fascinated with an accordion that can sound like many other instruments. Will it cause them to want to play accordion? Who knows, but it seems to be a step in the right direction.
Re: Connecting with an audience: I’m reminded of the time I went to a concert. The orchestra was a local one and the guest soloist was a rather brilliant but young Winton Marsalis. He was technically outstanding, but rather cold. His encore piece was Carnival of Venice with a half-dozen or so variations. Since the concert was not billed as classical, nor was it billed as jazz, many in the audience were disappointed that he didn’t play any jazz. Contrast that with the Winton Marsalis we know of now as a warm, friendly, commentator and educator, willing to share his jazz ideas with the public through his work at Lincoln Center. But don’t write off Corey as the young guy who’s all technique and no warmth who will become more human as time goes on; he’s already started in that direction. Talk to him about his visits to schools, and the reactions of the kids he’s met.
Re: The high cost of accordions keeping young people away: Kids learn on inexpensive instruments, but if they show they’re really serious, and want to continue their musical education, they, or their parents will spring for private lessons and more expensive instruments. I’m reminded of a project that took place in New York City a few years ago. People were asked to donate used instruments to public schools. Among the instruments donated were, naturally, accordions. A group of volunteer repairers went over the accordions and they were made available. At least one public school in New York City now has an accordion program. There just might some kids who will be serious enough to take their accordion studies further. Can other school systems do the same thing?
Re: Making the accordion popular by changing its appearance: I don’t know if you remember, but about four years ago I had a total knee replacement, and I was advised before that surgery that for several months after surgery putting any weight on my left thigh would be painful. The Axe-Cord had just become available and I bought one. A couple of years later, I also bought a Roland FR-4x. I was familiar with the midi system in the Axe-Cord because it was the same one I have in my acoustic accordion. The Roland was the result of my back pain, which was exacerbated by my carrying my acoustic accordion, though not by playing it. Why did I have midi in my acoustic in the first place? It started with a reedless instrument I bought when I began to play again after many years of not playing. The reedless also had a large collection of other instrumental sounds. When I began to play with five other guys from my synagogue, I could supply sounds they didn’t have. So, when it was time to get an accordion with real reeds, I ordered one with midi in it. People, especially young people, are fascinated with an accordion that can sound like many other instruments. Will it cause them to want to play accordion? Who knows, but it seems to be a step in the right direction.
mtj
Member
Yeah the Jazz thing at the end sounded kind of 70s or 80s. It's not going to have any special appeal to kids. I agree with the comment that it needs to be Disney. But to that end it would be much better if he was playing with a singer.
I don't care for stuff like this instrument as they are all just digital synthesizers in different form factors.
Social media is where it's at so....
If we want the accordion to be more popular we need people like this: https://www.youtube.com/@Team_Recorder I wish there were an accordion channel like this recorder channel. The host is a fantastic musician and has a great personality and lots of interesting things to say. This is the kind of outreach the accordion needs. Another example that could be an inspiration would be this channel https://www.youtube.com/@twosetviolin/featured
This women https://www.youtube.com/@accordionlucy/featured isn't a fantastic accordionist but she makes really fun videos and she has a love for the instrument and plays French Musette and Yann Tiersen very nicely. I think she makes a much more compelling case for playing the accordion than Cory does.
I don't care for stuff like this instrument as they are all just digital synthesizers in different form factors.
Social media is where it's at so....
If we want the accordion to be more popular we need people like this: https://www.youtube.com/@Team_Recorder I wish there were an accordion channel like this recorder channel. The host is a fantastic musician and has a great personality and lots of interesting things to say. This is the kind of outreach the accordion needs. Another example that could be an inspiration would be this channel https://www.youtube.com/@twosetviolin/featured
This women https://www.youtube.com/@accordionlucy/featured isn't a fantastic accordionist but she makes really fun videos and she has a love for the instrument and plays French Musette and Yann Tiersen very nicely. I think she makes a much more compelling case for playing the accordion than Cory does.
