Cotati Accordion Festival

Subject: Cotati Accordion Festival
From: Fadac
Date: 28 May 99 - 12:08 PM

Here is the web page.

http://www.sonic.net/accordion/

The festival is Aug. 28 & 29th.

Cotati is about 50 miles North of San Francisco.

This is an Accordion deal. One stage will be running about 10 hours a day, with all sorts of acts. Jam sessions everywhere,

Come if you can, bring your free reeds too.

See you there!

Subject: RE: Cotati Accordion Festival
From: catspaw49
Date: 28 May 99 - 01:01 PM

I can't think of anything more hideous...well, uh, are you also having bagpipes?

catspaw

Subject: RE: Cotati Accordion Festival
From: Fadac
Date: 28 May 99 - 01:16 PM

Catspaw, Bagpipes at an accordion deal. Perhaps, Cotati, is noted for its "Lady of Spain" circle. I think they havesomething like 500 people playing LOS at one time. Brings tears ot ones eyes just to think about it.

So what instrument do you play Cats?

Anybody ready for a nice refreshing polka?

Subject: RE: Cotati Accordion Festival
From: Banjer
Date: 28 May 99 - 05:12 PM

Seems like the folks at the Neil Young Center for the Terminally Screwed need to give some serious thought o opening a West Coast Branch. Just think of it, 500 of us banjo players and 500 pipers doing a right and left simultaneous flanking maneuver on the 500 LOS players, with a herd of tiple players closing up the gap. It would be a slaughter...But then on the other hand, might find some great harmonies!!

Subject: RE: Cotati Accordion Festival
From: Fadac
Date: 28 May 99 - 05:52 PM

Banjer, That would be something to write home about. With that big a group, I'm sure the city fathers would ask all of us to play, "Over the hill and far away". (That's supposed to be an old fiddle tune.(g))

What's a tiple? Do you pluck it, blow into it, squeeze it, or just throw it on the floor and stomp on it? (Well, I did see "Tap Dogs" on TV, so stomping might be OK.)

I think you can play LOS on a Banjo, The pipe, well, if you go up 1/3rd.

Subject: RE: Cotati Accordion Festival
From: Joe Offer
Date: 28 May 99 - 07:53 PM

Fadac, are you sure about the dates? The Web site had information about the 1997 and 1998 festivals, but nothing about 1999. I confess that I am romantically involved with an accordion player, so I may end up attending.
-Joe Offer, Sacramento-

Subject: RE: Cotati Accordion Festival
From: catspaw49
Date: 28 May 99 - 08:41 PM

Banj, I see you are once again right on the money!!! And Fadac, certain threads are mandatory reading such as Spancil Hill. One of those that is required of every 'Catter is the Infamous Tiple Thread. Read and enjoy......Welcome to Mudcat!!!!

catspaw

Subject: RE: Cotati Accordion Festival
From: bseed(charleskratz)
Date: 28 May 99 - 11:58 PM

Hi, again, Ralph. When I saw the thread title I knew it was you. Personally, I like my accordions well mixed with other instruments (like last night)(and perhaps next Thursday night). --seed

Damn, I've been doing this for two hours now, neglecting the hell out of my two Labradors.* I've gotta pull myself away and take the guys out for a pee. --seed

*a large part of the reason I feel safe (acknowledging the possibility that some nut with an uzi might happen to drive by).

Subject: RE: Cotati Accordion Festival
From: Joe Offer
Date: 29 May 99 - 04:15 AM

I told my sweetie about the festival, feeling pretty smug about having advance knowledge about it. Well, she already had the dates marked on her calendar. I guess I'd better get ready for it. Maybe I should learn to play "Lady of Spain" on my harmonica, eh?
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Cotati Accordion Festival
From: darkriver
Date: 29 May 99 - 02:26 PM

My family & I have gone to this festival 3 or 4 times. It's a lot of fun, and I've never failed to learn something new. Although it is an accordion festival, polkas are rare, and most of the acts are folk, folkish, or ethnic. (The only regular clunker is Dick Contino doing what could only be described as a Vegas lounge act for the over-60 set. Why why *why* do they keep bringing him back?!)

If you are one of those with questions about free-reed instruments, this is the place to go to get answers, too. Lots of dealers, enthusiasts, etc. around.

Caveat: besides Dick Contino, the only drawback is the festival's inside-jokiness, such as the Lady of Spain-a-thon. There is good music here too.

doug aka darkriver (I dunno if could be called a 'Catter--I'm not a musician, only a music lover. Been mostly lurking this past year and asking a coupla questions. BTW, my actual name is Doug; I picked 'darkriver' as my cognomen because someone else took the name 'Doug'.)

Subject: RE: Cotati Accordion Festival
From: Mike Billo
Date: 29 May 99 - 07:15 PM

Welcome Doug. I think I can explain the fascination the festival has with Dick Contino. He falls into the category of player who is technically excellent, and admired by other players for his technical prowess, but is pretty boring to the rest of us. As much as I have to acknowledge his formidable technique, I agree with you completely, I can't listen to him either, and find something else to do while he's playing.