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:
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.
This sleepy town at the edge of northern Sonoma County was home to a group of followers of the French thinker and utopianist, Etienne Cabet. These “Icarians“ set up their commune just south of what is now Cloverdale in 1881.
There’s a marker indicating where their schoolhouse was. I’ll be looking for it on the way up tonight to our gig in the Cloverdale Plaza.
I was inspired to write the tunes for our upcoming CD by a young friend and fan who told me emphatically that the Mad Maggies play “pirate” music. He had given our music some serious attention by making his parents listen to “Magdalena’s Revenge” over and over again on a long car trip. (His parents survived this audio assault)
I thought he had a point and frankly, I simply liked the idea. I began to spin up songs of renegade mariners and the high seas.
I love the ocean. I’ve lived on boats including a Chinese junk and a couple of schooners. I did some sailing a long time ago. My great, great, great grandfather was a mariner from the Isle of Man. I like swashbuckling tales.
Reality Check
Affinity for the subject is good for inspiration but facts are even better so I dug into some non-fiction to learn more about those who plied the waves for profit. I can recommend these two books which do not “Disneyfy” the reality of sea-going workers.
Seafarers valued musical skills. Work aboard a ship was accompanied by rhythmic song. A good singer was a definite asset. Leisure time involved story-telling, singing and dancing. Musicians were often treated better, up there with the surgeons and coopers.
Pirate crews were motley. Seafarers of many different nationalities and languages worked side by side. There had to be plenty of cross-cultural musical influences.
Yep, our kind of people.
I’ve got more to say about all this which I shall post soon.
Meanwhile come to one of our shows and you’ll hear some of these new nautically inspired numbers
I’ll be playing the tuba and reading a piece by J.C. Brunner of the Brothers Twain next Saturday night, June 14 at 8:00. The performance is at 1512 62nd St. (at Hollis) in Emmeryville. The suggested donation is $10. More information (and pictures) here
I had kids in my early 20s so most of my playing during that period of my life took place at the homestead:
Yep, that’s me (GDub) at the ripe old age of 24. There’s nothing like playing tunes on the porch on a warm summer day. In fact, holding a regular seisiún on my big porch (wherever that may be) is one of my desires/goals in this life.…
