Accordion is popular in folk music everywhere, and it squeezes soul into the beat of Irish jigs and Argentine tango. Its bellows-worked reeds are voice-like, high wailing, bass rumbling,–dances to tell a story.

Folk and Traditional Powerhouse

Irish/Celtic sessions are filled with the quick triplets of button accordion, boxy bounce, pushes reels as in The Kesh Jig. The Parisian cafes are filled with French musette waltzes; the tarantella of Italy spins fiery saltarello steps.

Tango’s Passionate Heart

The bandoneon (accordion kin) of Argentina characterizes tango- Piazzolla nuevo style is an amalgamation of classical fire and street grit. Bellows sighs, are longings in milongas of Buenos Aires dives.

American Regional Flavors

Single-row squeezeboxs can be found in cajun/zydeco swamp stomps of Louisiana bayou; it was electrified by Clifton Chenier rock edge. Incorporating bordello corridos, Tex-Mex norteño/conjunto layers accordion over bajo sexto. Midwest beer halls were ruled by polka kings such as Frankie Yankovic.

Global Fusion Twists

Chromatic speed is required in Polish obr placzek dances, melancholic in Finnish tango sighs, and vallenato rhythms in Colombian vallenato. Indie (Lumineers), rock (Tom Waits), even klezmer wails are versatile.

Accordion is the migration of hands, immigrant hands, transported to melting pots in Europe, establishing genres on moving roots. A squeeze brings on the homelands.