Strapping on the accordion!

As this is my first post, I figured I would make a blog of my various experiences and opinions in the hopes of reaching out to fellow musicians and music lovers becoming part of a network of like minded individuals.

At a wedding gig.

Approximately around the time I started busking on a regular basis in late-winter/early-spring of 2010 I joined a small local accordion club called, "Valov" or also known as, "Accordion Lovers of Virigina".  It has been a great summer of playing in the street and I met a lot of great people along the way. I played all over really: all over outdoors in Chesapeake and Norfolk; also at a few small local shows at Winston's Cafe in Chesapeake, and in Norfolk at: Plaza Del Sol, Kerouac Cafe, and the Belmont, along with some nice wedding gigs too.

I met some really interesting people and fellow musicians along the way. Notably, I am glad to say I met Aaron Evans who is a multi-instrumentalist who plays guitar and glockenspiel among other things and currently in the band ARM and was also in Geneva. I also met Michael Twark who is also a multi-instrumentalist but plays mainly drums and is in many local bands in Norfolk (ARM, Glass Pennies, and Pan Galactic Straw Boss). I had a great time jamming with these guys on the street, which is how I first met them one day during an Art Everywhere event on Colley Avenue. 

jamming on Colley avenue w/Aaron Evans & Michael Twark

Later on I would also meet their friend and bandmate/guitarist Rex Bonney. Through playing near the Naro, I met some of their employees: Aaron Burgess (who is also a local musician in the indie-rock group Bonske) and Aria Maisey who is a local artist; she many times came out to visit me while I was playing and chatted with me. Hung out at and played some nice sorta informal shows at the venue Plaza Del Sol- where I also met Charles Abadam who is a violinist and also a member of DJ P & Mr. T and would enjoyed jamming with him sporadically.

with Nato Bardeen of the Drowningmen.

Later I met, local ukulele player and singer Skye Zentz at Fairgrounds Coffee at open mic she hosted while performing with the singer Rene Montague of my previous project that was called Heronland. I also performed on a few occasions at the Phillip Odango's Kerouac Cafe for Louis Fisher's art show and later some other events there too.

Later I met my friend and harmonica player Wes Sutherland while out busking who I jam with fairly often and have even busked with on a number of occasions and even jammed together with, including a small but enjoyable and memorable one with James Robert Smith from the band Musicplayer at the Kerouac Cafe. I was  slightly involved and played at the celebration of the start of the Soundcheck program at the 757 Creative Space as well.

I was also fortunate enough to get into two concerts for free as a result of my busking. I got to see the Drowningmen twice: the first time their photographer Ryan Renteria saw me playing accordion and took photographs and some video of me and then put me on the guess list to get into the sold out Flogging Molly show that night for free! The Drowningmen opened with a killer set that has had me hooked as a fan ever since. They were followed by Sweden's Moneybrother whom I've also been a fan their irresistible dancey rock tunes since.

w/Gabelani Messer & Rory Dolan of Drowningmen.

The second time around the Drowningmen's frontman Nato Bardeen who was not only nice enough to put me on the guest list and get me in for free the second time around but also let me get my buddy Wes Sutherland in for free as well, and I was flattered he remembered me from the months before. They came to the Norva again; the second time, I saw them opening for the Alkaline Trio. The Drowningmen always give an amazing live show sporting two guitars, organ, piano, slight usage of theremin, and Nato's soaring lead vocals. The energetic rhythmic qualities of their music and guitarist James Smith is awesome too. My personal favorite is when they do, "Caroline's A Mess" live. It is catchy as hell, full of energy, and just unbeatable! The fact those guys were so kind to me and even remembered me was a highlight for me as an accordionist.

Later after joining Accordion Lovers of Virginia and meeting the extremely talented Sidney Sward. I am highly benefiting both as a friend and musically from Mr. Sward, along with the other members of the club including Tip, Andy, and others I have briefly met.

That mostly sums up my experiences over the past few months and for the summer. Every day has been either at my part-time job or getting up and practicing then racing out to Norfolk from my home in the boonies in Chesapeake and performing anywhere from 2 to 4 hours at a time. I didn't even realize until I stopped long enough to think about it just now; just how much has happened during this time!

Thanks for reading. Until next time......