DUCKMANDU: Shut The Duck Up And Play Your Accordion

Duckmandu

Shut The Duck Up And Play Your Accordion

© 2007 Aaron Seeman (634479688072)

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Pyrotechnically virtuosic classical, klezmer, neo-klezmer, and original compositions, all demonstrating that the accordion is an instrument to be reckoned with.

tracks

1 Sirba
2 Fabriccio
3 Rustic Dance
4 Air On the G-string
5 Turkish March
6 Gravy Goes Out
7 Araber Tantz
8 Landodi Ashduck
9 A Broken Life
10 Mija's Walk
11 Stars and Stripes Forever
12 L'internationale
13 Minute Waltz
14 Accordion Ballad
15 Bring the Schmuffle
16 Hollywood So Why Won't You?
17 Mule Caravan
18 For the Grace of a Bee
19 Circus Galop
20 Terkish Yale V'yove Tantz
21 L'august
22 Extremely Large Congenial Romanian
23 O Sole Mio
24 Tumbalalaika
25 Fader Bergstrom
26 After You've Gone
27 Ashokan Farewell

notes

“Shut the Duck up and Play your Accordion” the pyrotechnically virtuosic accordio-vocalisticator DUCKMANDU! stops singing for nearly an entire CD to try his blazing-fast hand at Classical Music, Klezmer, tunes you know and love, tunes you don’t know and will come to love, and original compositions in neo-Klezmer and other styles!

A full color six panel insert by renowned illustrator anonymous Bosch includes the Gallery of Historical Duck Accordionist Portraits. Each portrait includes a marble chiseled engraving which imparts the significance of each Duck Accordionist’s place in musical history. Historical ducks include J.S. Duch, Carl Michael Bellduck, and John Mallard Sousa.

The CD gets under way with a fast tempo Sirba. This piece was known in it’s day as the Klezmer “Flight of the Bumblebee.” Aaron Seeman’s Gypsy inspired composition, Fabriccio uses a nine note scale and lurches forward in 7/4 and 5/8. You will swear that Mozart’s “Turkish March” must have been written with accordion in mind. John Philip Sousa’s “Stars and Stripes Forever” features a piccolo solo played on the accordion’s piccolo reed.

Chopin, too, works great on the accordion, as demonstrated by the “Minute Waltz.”

Two tracks feature guest artists: Ursula Knudson of Fishtank Ensemble plays saw and sings on a soaring version of J.S. Bach's “Air on the G String,” and Brandilyn Davidson plays clarinet on a fascinating reworking of the Fishtank Ensemble favorite, “Extremely Large Congenial Romanian.”

Alas, even on this CD, Duckmandu can’t help singing a few songs on the “Can’t Shut the Duck Up” section of the CD as he belts out “O Sole Mio,” “Tumbalalaika,” “Fader Bergström,” and “After You’ve Gone.”

The CD exits with a heart-wrenching rendition of Jay Ungar”s “Ashoken Farewell,” better known as the “Civil War” theme from Ken Burns documentary.

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  • Astronomishing!
    author: TOMA

    I am obsessed with accordions, so this album meets my minimum requirement for enjoyment. I am also obessed with ponies, and unfortunately there are none on this CD. However, Duckmandu exploits his instrument to the fullest: all genres, all sounds, all around the world, fast and slow, high and low, it's pretty amazing. He alternates original compositions and well-known tunes very well, so the album is really easy to listen to in one seating. Not to say that you can't get your fix of Stars & Stripes Forever before you go to bed, or a quick L'Internationale before you go work. Or vice-versa. I mean that Duckmandu really pulls off an impressive performance, technical as well as musical. My only issue with this CD is that the sound of the keys being tapped can be distracting sometimes; after all there's only one instrument being played at all... And truth be told, half of the time I don't realize it's there. Highly recommended, whether as a curiosity or out of musical interest, you will find this album absolutely fulfilling.

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