A Mad, Mad World

As promised, you will see a couple small versions of me as a pin up for the Accordion Babes Calendar project but first here’s the pitch.

The Accordion Babes calendar will include 12 full-color pin-up photos of women and their accordions; previews of some of the content are available here. Not all of these are final photos, but they start to give you an idea.

A compilation CD of the calendar artists will be attached to the inside back cover of the calendar.

Participation can happen in two ways: presales and sponsorships. For shops and accordion clubs who would like to order advance copies at a wholesale rate, we are selling copies of the calendar at $10 per unit; the list price of the calendar will be $20. (There is a 6 calendar minimum for presale orders.) For businesses who are interested in having ad-space on the calendar, there is a pricing scale for sponsorships.

Please pass on this info to any potential sponsors you can think of.
For more info and inquiries: accordionpinupcalendar@gmail.com

These will make wonderful gifts.

And now for the teasers. They are tiny because they are, well, teasers

I’m hoping you’ll buy the calendar to see all the accordion goddesses at full size.

Renée de la Prade has asked several of us local accordion-playing women to be part of an “Accordion Babes” Pin-up calendar for 2009. Her plan is to bundle a sampler CD with the calendar. All very cool. I love the idea of beauties and the bellows! So yesterday I went to the studio of photographer John Clayton and did my pin-up best. I will happily share the results when I receive the final photos from John in a couple of days.

What was fascinating about the process was choosing provocative but not too serious looks and then striking poses that were flattering. Not easy! There’s a fine line between a sexy and a silly outfit. The twists and turns that are appealing in a photo are not naturally occurring to this body, looking relaxed standing on 4 inch spikes took serious “core strength” and hoisting a 16 pound accordion into demure positions required ingenuity. As for seductive, well, thanks be for those wonderful soft light filters.

Here’s a few links to the world of pin-up artists and their fans:

some pin-up herstory
some calendars and playing cards
more examples

As part of the Cotati Accordion Festival’s grass roots promotional push, I participated in the Cotati Kid’s Parade today (7/12/08) with festival organizer Scott Goree and his daughters, Renee and Rachel. The theme was the above mentioned Magical Kingdom hence that lovely millinery fantasy I am wearing.

Perfect weather again, Rachel played her vintage “Nobel” 120 bass accordion, Rachel tossed candies to the kids and I played “Street Dog” many times. It’s a song I know the late Jim Boggio liked.

And I had a chance to say hello to Lynn Woolsey.

All in a days work as a Squeezin’ Diva

Vive l’accordéon!

These men can dance! Da!

They are performing traditional Ukrainian Cossack dance moves. Not for the week-kneed. I’ve watched it several times, always in awe.

Looks like footage from around the 40s. The tune is “It’s Like That” by Run DMC.

And yes I have spent entirely too much time on YouTube

Soviet Breakdance

Big fun. Perfect sunny Sunday. Main Street was lined with folks.

Three accordions! — Amber Lee, Renee de La Prade & Mad Mags

Squeezin’ Trio

Horses and Riders decked out in holiday colors

A masterpiece by Dana and Craig Black of
Custom Balloon Creations, Cotati Ca

This Sunday, July 6th 11 AM, yours madly, Mad Mags aka Squeezin’ Diva (Mad Maggies) will be joining Renee de la Prade, Squeezebox Goddess (Culann’s Hounds) and Amber Lee Baker, Accordionista (the Anomalies) to represent the Cotati Accordion Festival in the Penngrove 4th of July parade. 

We will be playing and waving to the crowd from the back seat of CAF organizer Scott Goree’s convertible. 

The parade is an annual event organized by the Rancho-Adobe Fireman’s Station.

Viva l’accordion!