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| ATG CD Volume 2 |
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| ATG CD Volume 1 A CD Review by Dr. Paul Allan Magistretti |
 The
Accordionists and Teachers Guild, International has compiled an intriguing
anthology from its talented roster of members. It contains a wide selection
of material from some of the best free-reed artists in the world.The results demonstrate tremendous individual talent and the accomplished beauty of the instrument across a broad musical spectrum. |
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Fittingly, the CD begins with the late Anthony
Galla-Rini playing his own arrangement
of the Jerome Kern song, The Way You Look Tonight. Despite the age of the
source, obviously an old 78 record with some sonic challenge, the maestro
shines through. On my first listening it seemed too dense and richly varied to be an artistic whole, especially in the under three minute time limit required by the old format. It sounded like multiple choruses combined as one, something Oscar Peterson would do over numerous da capos. But on subsequent listening it emerged for me as an overture conveying with a single instrument an orchestral prelude for what was to follow: drama, romance and comedy-a perfect way to raise the curtain on this CD. |
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 The
University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) Community Accordion Orchestra
does a rendition of Piazzolla's Melodia in A Minor; it's as rich and
heartfelt as any interpretation of Piazzolla on record; beautifully modulated
and expressive. |
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 Frank
Marocco leaps in like Lester (Young) with Samba Italiano
and swings and sings in a fierce and beautiful style. |
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 The
late Robert Sattler plays a work
by his teacher-mentor Vatchieslav Semionov, Belolitsa-Kruglolitsa (White
Faced, Round Faced) that solidly displays his soloist talent on a folk song
improvisation that's voiced beautifully suggestive of a full chamber orchestra.
His performance makes all the more tragic his early passing. |
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 Many
consider Friedrich Lips the premiere
classical bayanist in the world and he demonstrates precisely why with a
rendition of Albeniz' Asturias, a challenging study from the Cantalonian
composer that is often played by world-class performers, but never better
than here. |
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 Betty
Jo Simon does an excellent rendition of Ravel's Bolero that
only needed Torvil and Deane ice dancing to complete it. |
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 John
Bonica answers Betty Jo's Ravel-izing with the traditional
Tarantella Don Augusto-joyful and full-bodied, an offer hard to refuse. |
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 Stas
Venglevski plays E. A. McDowell's Witches Dance from his
excellent CD Adagio, Romance and Beyond. He plays this manic Terpsichorean
miniature cleanly and lightning fast; it's over before you know it-witches
begone and you have to hit repeat to know they were there. |
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 Henry
Doktorski's CD A Classical Christmas contains this excellent
performance by him as soloist on Bizet's Faradole: March of the Three Kings
with chamber orchestra; it's beautifully done. |
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 Øvind
Farmen plays one of the best renditions of a Scarlatti Sonata
(A Major, K 24, Allegro) I've heard, comparable to the incomparable Mia
Miki, which is saying a lot. |
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 John
Simkus performs a sensitive version of a Stas Venglevki original,
In the Garden, from a new collection of originals from Stas. It's interesting
to experience one of the world's best jazz artists approaching what is essentially
a lehrstück (part of a series) with depth and sincerity. |
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 Lidia
Kaminska (bayan) and Carmen Maret (flute) perform J. S. Bach's
Sonata for Flute and Harpsichord in G Minor, BWV 1020 beautifully, as good
as I've heard it performed and the accordion far outshines the original
designated instrument in expressiveness. |
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 Nick
Ballarini supplies his Chitlin's N' Gravy Waltz, a flavorful,
syncopated jazz waltz that's down home and maniacally tasty. |
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 Dee
Langley presents Two Rumanian Horas, traditional Jewish Klezmer
songs from the Skweezergrabbit album [a Yiddishism for Grab It & Squeeze].
A sinuous, haunting Sephardic tune is followed by a rousing celebration
that will have you shouting-La chaim. |
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 The
'K' Trio plays Five O'clock Rush, a nice swing tune in a
beautifully voiced trio performance that not only sounds like a big band
arrangement, but replicates one of the best big bands playing it. |
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 Jorgen
Sundeqvist plays a blazing rendition Snurran Polka. I don't
think you'll ever hear a cleaner more breathless rendition of a polka on
earth. |
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 Amy
Jo Sawer plays her original Brazilian Suite in three movements
(Carnival, Evening & Celebration); it's evocative and nicely realized
in conception and execution. The opening Carnival is particularly good. |
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 AKORDEONAM
plays Ravel's Prelude from Le Tombeau de Couperin-a piano suite in six movements
composed 1914-1917 in memory of his friends who had died in the First World
War. Ravel later orchestrated 1, 3, 5 & 4 (in that order) in 1919. This
is an interesting repertoire selection; it was extremely well played and
I wanted to hear the entire suite. |
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 The
Moscow Duo (Aleksander Ushakov and Evgenij Grehov) delivers
a heated performance of Piazzolla's Fuga capturing every bit of the maestro's
alchemic fusion of Bach/Jazz & Tango; it's darkly passionate and irresistible. |
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 Finally
Boris Veksler plays his own A
La Musette-crisp, lively and with lots of panache; his touch is lightning
fast and crystal clear; very nicely done. |
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The CD is available
for $18.00 (includes shipping and handling) by completing the on-line
form below and paying by credit card, or by sending your check payable
to the ATG to: |
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ATG CD volume 2 is now available!