Peter McGrain ~ Glass Artist & Accordion Player

One of the classes I participated in while at the

Glass Expo was a glass painting class with Peter McGrain.

This is technique is described as

Vitri-fus'alle: a word made-up by Peter.

This technique incorporates fusing with traditional

glass painting used to embellish stained glass.

Think of the beautiful stained glass in European churches

and that's the influence & look created...with a modern twist!

(here are Peter's hands working on the light table.  I have more

pictures of him but he didn't answer my email for permission

to show them here so it's only his hands for now....)

Traditional glass painting uses the methods of

tracing and matting.  These are layers upon layers of

painted tints that are built up & then removed to create the

shading & highlights in the figures.

Here's my humble study via Peter McGrain.

Peter recommends using System 96 glass ~

I've been considering switching over to 96 vs 90 due to a variety

of issues so maybe this will clinch my decision.

I'm excited to play with this technique & see

where it goes.  Have lots of ideas rumbling around in my head.

Thanks Peter for an inspiring & fun class!

During the class I also found out that Peter is an accordion player!
I knew I liked him!

Accordion Travel in Style!

I'm loving my new hot-rod red accordion case!

It was sort of a splurge purchase on eBay

 (not price-wise but "do I really need it"-wise).

But now.... after it's arrival in the mail all I can is

YUM!!!  I'm in love!

Just look at her!  

How can you not love a hot red girl on wheels, 

with a telescoping handle & a plush interior???

She even came with locks & 4 keys & heavy duty straps if you want to 

strap her on your back & wear her like a backpack.

Made by Eastman Music Co. this is a custom case.

Look at my Petosa Baby Grand nestled inside!.

The interior is a beautiful, dark, red soft foam..just like a red velvet cupcake!

Snazzy!

Oh yeah baby...next time we play Chilkoots we're going in style!

Best of all is the shipping box!

Ta-da....who knew it was the same size as a seven year old boy?!?!

Polka Fest at Chilkoot Charlies!

Join us January 8th for a blow out

Polka Fest at

Chilkoot Charlies!

Main Squeeze

Polka Dan

Polka Chips

Button Box Gang

Come & dance your socks off!

  ~  Happy New Year  ~

Can You Say Lederhosen??

The Main Squeeze (plus Stephan & his beautiful family) at St. Marks.

Thank you for inviting us to share in your Octkober Fest Celebration.

We enjoyed the friendship, fabulous German food,

dancing (especially the 7 month old who waltzed with her Grandmother) & music!!

Stephan also graced us with his homemade German forest cake at the

end of our performance ~ delicious!!  

We love a man in lederhosen ~ plus he can cook!?!?

Thank you for your kindness & for inviting us to help celebrate the season.

Happy Equinox!

The Start of Ocktoberfest Season ~

It's the start of Oktoberfest season so you know what that means, right?

Lots of accordion playing, dancing, eating & drink beer!

The Main Squeeze kicked off our gig list last night at the

American Legion Post 28 to a full house.

Authentic German cuisine was served & it was

beyond fabulous! 

Thanks to everyone who attended & thanks to

Post 28 for letting us entertain you.

It was a pleasure!

The Perfect Daughter ~

I had my child watch this & his response was...

"oh, it could have been an accordion."

WHAT?!?!?

He knows how to push my buttons.

(Get it??  "Push my buttons?"  It's an accordion joke!!)

Don't Forget Your Accordion!!

Oooo, La, La!!

Grab your accordion & join us for the

Anchorage Accordion Club tonight!

We meet at ASE on Brayton Drive from 6 to 8pm!

See you there.

(ps ~ this is an old postcard from France that my friend LaVonne shared with me. 

Thanks, LaVonne!  )

Is the Accordion the New Cool?

Do you think the accordion is the new "cool?"

The past few years I've noticed the accordion featured in a bunch of children's cartoons ~

The Backyardigans, Dora the Explorer, &  the Wiggles to name a few.  It also seems like I'm hearing it more in music & on commercials ~ or maybe I'm noticing it more because I play?

I have to admit that I like it when my son notices these things too...."Look Mommy!  There's an accordion like you play!"

Yep, it makes me a little cool in his eyes.

So, today when I was checking out some upcoming Minnesota events, I noticed this great poster for the Minnesota Orchestra's 2011-2112 concert season.

Look closely.  Look in the lower right hand corner.  See it????

See the strolling accordionist?

The best part is that player is portrayed as normal person strolling down the street & not a weirdo in lederhosen or a dead guy being handed his

accordion in hell ala the Gary Larson cartoon.

The accordion has arrived people!!

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day!

The Main Squeeze Accordion Trio is playing a 

Valentine's Day gig for the seniors at Horizon House.  

I think we need to change our name because now we have guitar player.

If you're in the neighborhood stop bye & join us for some ice cream & music.

11:30 am at Horizon House in Anchorage.

(yes, it's an early party ~ we've got to party while our audience is awake!)

Calling All Accordion Babes!

Looking for holiday gift ideas?

Here's one for the accordion players in your life.

It's the cool Accordion Babes Pin-Up Calendar!

Here's what Renee de la Prada, the head babe, says about the calendar;

"The 2011 Accordion Babes Album & Pin-Up Calendar is produced by independent women artists who are brave enough to squeeze the squeezebox in revealing outfits; they're also talented enough to knock your socks off. This album is WAY better than the music you usually hear on the radio; it's got folk music, roots music, jazz, some killer dance tunes...it's a delicious, eclectic and well-produced compilation album with 13 awesome bands. We even feature an artist from France this year, making it our first international issue. As for the pin-ups, you can see in the photos below that the accordion has never looked sexier."

Speaking as an accordion player & someone who purchased 12 (yes 12!!) calendars last year this is a really cool gift! I bought 12 for the members of the Anchorage Accordion Club & everyone oohed & aahed over the pictures & the CD. It was a big hit and we're not just talking accordion lovers here! One of my favorite cuts is "Blue Box Waltz" by Roxanne de Oliva.

A couple of the Anchorage Accordion Club players privately told me I couldn't give this to Father Eric. Yes, we have a priest who rocks the accordion & button box. He even has a polka mass once a year ~ how cool is that???? It would make my Mother so happy if I went to church & maybe I could actually do it once a year. Probably isn't going to happen...sorry Mom!

I hadn't even thought about the "appropriateness" of giving this to a priest because to my thinking who wouldn't LOVE this calendar??? To be honest I did get a little worried & I didn't want to offend him ~ is "offend" the correct word(?) I don't think so ...maybe "hot under the collar" is better. hee, hee! Naughty!!

The solution? More clothes for the women! Yep, a set of paper doll clothes did the trick & the Padre could make up his own mind on whether he wanted them more covered or au naturel'.

His choice ~ but I think the Goddess would want him to embrace the beauty of a women's body!

I'll be ordering more this year & maybe everyone will get a extra set of clothes / costumes! Who knows but it ended up being a really fun project & I can have William do the coloring!

Time to Play!

Whew! It's the end of August already.

Time to put the garden to bed, catch the last silvers,

& pull out the accordion & start some serious practicing!

Here's my son, William, practicing his 12 bass Nobel accordion.

He really wants to play the drums or guitar but the accordion is really where it's at!

Anchorage Accordion Club

Tonight's accordion night!

Join the Anchorage Accordion Club

for our bi-monthly practice!

This is my favorite accordion joke!

It was a Great Gig!

We had a fabulous time at the Anchorage Pioneer Home for their New Year's Eve Party! There was drinking (OK...soda & sparkling cider), eating (ice cream Sunday's & cake) & lots of music! We all had a blast & hope the residents did too ~ so nice of them to let us crash their party! :)

Here's the group ~

There's William in his matching outfit taking a video of the group :) Thanks Will!

Starting on the right....John, me, Bob (our fabulous group song leader & of the famous "Rogues & Wenches" group), Lucia (also of "Rogues & Wenches" fame), Jill the band leader on the mic, Joyce, Marit & Karen!

Look at us in our matching outfits! We look like a real group :)

Time To Party!

It's New Year's Eve so you know what that means....it's time to party! The Anchorage Accordion Club is playing for the Pioneer Home's New Years Eve Party this afternoon. We love to play at the Pioneer Home because the residents & staff really enjoy the music.

They're "our people" because many of them grew up with the accordion, appreciate it as an instrument & know the words to the vintage music we usually play. It's a mutual love!

Happy New Year!

Accordion in the Chapel

Yep! That's right ~ the chapel at Providence was a rockin'!! The Anchorage Accordion Club played tonight & we were gooooood!!! Of course I forgot to take my camera so there's no pictures ~ dang! We looked good too in our matching red shirts & black pants. Jill even had a santa hat on her head.

Here's a picture of part of the group from holiday practice last year (December 2008). I'm not in the picture because I was working at the gallery 24/7 before the holidays. Our group has really grown & evolved. I think we're playing better together & enjoying it more ~ I know I am!

Our next gig is at the Pioneer Home on New Year's Eve for the center party on the 2nd floor. Jill & I play there every month but the whole group will be there for the party so it'll be a great time. Hopefully Will & Big Daddy will be there too so they can be in charge of taking photos. Will's been practicing with me ~ he plays a mean jingle bell!

Cool Cats & Accordions

Hey all you cool cats & hip daddy's! Monday night (October 5th) , the Anchorage Accordion Club meets from 6 to 8 pm at BP. Join us for a foot tapping time...

Monday Night Accordion Club

If you're in Anchorage & you play the accordion please join the Anchorage Accordion Club's practice tonight. We meet every 1st & 3rd Monday of the month. Click on the link for more info. Sign in & check out the calendar & directions our gigs & practice times/places.

Chango Spasiuk ~

You're probably thinking "what is a Chango Spasiuk?." Chango Spasiuk is an accordion player ~ a fabulous accordion player. This past week the New York Times gave his new CD, "Pynaadi': Los Descalzos" (World Village), a rave review.

I first heard his music a few weeks ago on National Public Radio. His new CD was reviewed & a number of the cuts played. I like to listen to NPR during the day while I'm working in the studio & my ears perked up when I heard the accordion music & then I got hooked on the review & the interview.

Chango is an Argentine accordionist & the grandson of Ukrainian immigrants. He grew up on "Chamame" which is a musical style from the region where Argentina borders Brazil & Paraguay. He plays with a quintet including violin, cello, guitar & percussion. Some of the cuts include vocals.

It's a great CD ~ check it out!

Monday Hell

Tonight, Monday, is my accordion group practice. I need to be playing through my music & trying to get some of it memorized. The group members have picked specific pieces to memorize. I have mixed feelings about memorizing; slight resistance due to childhood memories of piano recitals & knowing that it's a good exercise for my brain. I'll probably cave in to group pressure & memorize the music.

I have mixed feelings about the Gary Larson cartoon, too. It makes me laugh & then feel guilty cause I really like the accordion! I read somewhere on-line that after Gary Larson published this cartoon he visited the famous Petosa Accordion shop in Seattle & apologized. If my memory is correct I think he wrote the apology on a copy of the cartoon. Next time I'm in Wallinford I'm stopping bye Petosa's & checking it out!

Anchorage Accordion Club ~

Yeah ~ I'm looking forward to my big night out at my Accordion Accordion Club meeting!


It's a great group of people ~ some of who just play for fun & others who have an interest in performing. We usually meet the first & third friday of the month at BP to practice. We have members from around the state & when they're in town they sometimes pop-in & play.

You can also check-out our group, see when & where we practice, & join us for gigs at our Yahoo group site. You can view the site or pay a small membership fee & have access to all the files which includes sheet music.

Bring your box & join us!