This is an audio postcard from the Cotati Accordion Festival–an annual gathering of accordion enthusiasts set in a shady park in the little town of Cotati, CA. This audio postcard is part of an in-progress radio documentary all about the accordion in California, and aired recently on KALW public radio.
Marié Abe and I just received funding for this project from the California Council for the Humanities. We can’t wait to bring you more!
Listen: Cotati Accordion Festival audio postcard
7 Comments, Comment or Ping
I love this audio postcard! I will have to make my way up to Cotati sometime.
If you are able to come down to LA-area for your documentary, you should check out Buyepongo. Their lead vocalist and accordion player, Bardo, would be a great interview. http://www.myspace.com/buyepongo … Also, Very Be Careful plays great Vallenato music down here, they’ve been around much longer, but they don’t play as often now.
January 21st, 2009
I am the founder of the Tejano/Conjunto Festival in Sacramento You will be happy to know that we are the 2nd in the nation that puts on this type of festival where the Accordion rules. San Antonio Texas is the origanl birthplace of theis very fun and festive event. Every Labor Day weekend in Sacramento CA we bring the Tejano /Conjunto Festival
January 21st, 2009
Julie,
Congrats on the CalHum giving you some money for research. I’m very curious about your stories. I am the Editor of the Reedwooder (newsletter that goes out to our members). I write articles, bios, and stories related to accordion members (Accordion Club of the Redwoods).I’d love to get permission to publish one of your stories for our readers.
Also, if you play, I’d love to invite you to our club meeting to play. in an event, if you’re interested in reading some of my storis published in the newsletter, let me know. I’d be delighted to share them. My phone # is 707-765-1657. Thank you, Sheri
March 3rd, 2009
Hi Julie: I’m so pleased to find out about your project. I started the Los Angeles Accordion Festival last year. After our first festival, we had so much positive feedback, we have grown to a bigger venue.
We are hosting a show called SqueezeFestLA at the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre in Hollywood on Sunday, June 28. Featured accordion bands are Vagabond Opera, Feufollet (French-Cajun) from Louisiana and Los Angeles’ own Conjunto Los Pochos.
The 2nd annual Los Angeles Accordion Festival will be held on Fri/Sat/Sun, Aug 28-30 at the Los Angeles Historic State Park in Los Angeles. We are working hard to get as many bands into the festival as possible.
Hope to meet you soon. Our core group of organizers are planning to go to Cotati.
Best,
Pat T.
March 15th, 2009
Congrats on your CCH RADIO grant. And so nice to meet you last night at the get-together. I didn’t know we had so many radio connections, but, of course!
Looks like you have a great start on your research right here on this little blog. Way to go! Looking forward to hearing the show.
May 14th, 2009
I so enjoy listening to this Julie! When I grew up in China where accordions were very popular and I almost learned to play… Perhaps you’ve encountered some Chinese musicians that play, sometime inevitably, Chinese revolutionary music on the accordions?
November 5th, 2009
Great news about the documentary. Here’s an article I did about Cotati, if it’s any help to you–
http://www.metroactive.com/papers/sonoma/08.22.96/accordion-9634.html
February 15th, 2010
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