With the possible exception of the banjo or bagpipe, no musical instrument has been the object of more derision and even open hostility than the accordion. Especially in the U.S., many have shared iconoclast Ambrose Bierce's assessment of it as "an instrument in harmony with the sentiments of an assassin." Accordion jokes abound and cartoonists often poke fun at it; The Far Side's Gary Larson has depicted the accordion (and the banjo) as a punishment in hell on several occasions.

So, why the bad rep?

One reason has to do with the type of accordionists and accordion music to which most people have been exposed. The majority of baby boomers were first introduced to the accordion through Lawrence Welk and Myron Floren, bad wedding reception bands, and/or cheesy movie soundtracks. Younger generations have gotten acquainted with the squeezebox largely through the work of Weird Al Yankovic who has done a lot to improve its image but also reinforced popular conceptions of it as a novelty instrument. The result is an unfortunately misguided attitude toward the accordion perhaps best summed up by a current bumper sticker: "Play the Accordion, Go To Jail. It's The Law!"

But, there are signs the tide is turning in the accordion's favor and an accordion renaissance is at hand. The phenomenal rise of interest in folk and ethnic music in general and in accordion based music (Cajun, zydeco, conjunto/Tex-Mex, tango, polka, Irish, cumbia, klezmer) in particular along with the use of accordion by rock stars (e.g. Sheryl Crow) and avant-garde musicians is not only raising the accordion's profile but also giving ever widening audiences greater appreciation for this unfairly maligned instrument. Hundreds of accordionists worldwide are dispelling past myths and misconceptions by dramatically illustrating the accordion's versatilty and variety (there are dozens of types besides the giant "stomach Steinway" most folks associate with the word accordion).

Below are my favorite recordings for 1999 which I hope will encourage the reader to give the accordion a chance and become part of the Squeezebox Millennium!

Aztex, Short Stories (Hightone)

If you're looking for a refreshing change from the glitzy Latin pop of Ricky Martin, Julio Igelsias, Selena, or Jennifer Lopez, try this rootsy yet very modern mix of traditional Mexican folk music, rock, jazz, blues, and country. Accordionist Joel Guzman, who earned the name "El Pequeno Gigante" (The Little Giant) when he was a youngster playing with the legendary Little Joe Y Familia, handles all Latin styles (ranchera, cumbia, huapango, etc.) with flair and Sarah Fox's lead vocals are dynamic (she's joined by Joe Ely on a duet of his song "Maybe, Maybe"). Produced by Steve Berlin of Los Lobos fame. (http://www.hightone.com/bios/aztex.html)

Brave Combo, Polkasonic (Cleveland International)

Long known for their energetic and whimsical takes on Eastern European, Latin, lounge, Japanese pop, and rock, this merry band from Denton, Texas have always been polka meisters at heart. As leader/accordionist, Carl Finch, reveals in the liner notes, "Brave Combo was created around the idea of the polka" and on this recording they're out to make a statement "that polka is no longer considered a symbol of squareness." They "deliver an electric jolt of polka power" on wonderfully updated versions of standards ("Down at the Friendly Tavern," "Red Wing," Why, Oh Why," "Polka Dancer," "Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie," "Glamorous Gal"), effective originals, and even a show stopping polkacized cover of "Purple Haze." Strap on your lederhosen, and everybody polka!! (http://www.brave.com)

The Kabalas, Time Tunnel (Dionysus)

Hailing from the Quad Cities, Illinois area, The Kabalas are, like Brave Combo, determined to bring traditional folk music kicking and screaming into the 21st century. They specialize in "polkadelic klezmer" mixing Jewish folk songs, polkas, lounge, and zany originals ("Wal Mart Polka," "Traci Lords Polka," "Death Takes an Ibuprofen") with a big dose of wackiness that would make Spike Jones proud. Frontmen Scott Morschhauser and Barry Wolf deal out a double bellowed blast on piano accordions accompanied by a variety of instruments including clarinet, sax, xylophone, and percussion. Their latest adopts a general sci-fi theme on songs like the title tune, "The Dybbuk," and "Attack of the Giant Ants" plus some very strange klezmer tunes including "Quiet Shtetl,", "At the Rabbi's Table," and "Photograph of Aunt Rachel Doing the Cha-Cha at Cousin Ira's Bar Miztvah." The CD cover itself is worth the price of admission…when you move the corrugated plastic cover, it makes the paper cover comic book picture of The Kabalas caught in the "time tunnel" wiggle back and forth! (http://www.qconline.com/kabalas)

Kepa Junkera Bilbao, 00:00h (Resistencia)

Trikitixa is a special type of diatonic (button) accordion and music found in the Basque Country of Northern Spain. Its leading contemporary practitioner is Kepa Junkera who like many other members of the new generation of accordionists is not afraid to push the boundaries of traditional music. On this impressive double CD, he is joined by many of the leading names in modern folk music from around the world including banjoist Bela Fleck (U.S.), accordionists Phil Cunningham and Mairtin O'Connor (Ireland), violinist Alasdair Fraser (Ireland), bagpiper Liam O'Flynn (Ireland) , flutist Paddy Maloney (Ireland), valihaist Justin Vali (Madagascar), La Bottine Souriante (Quebec), Hedingarna (Sweden), and various musicians from Spain. With Junkera's accordion wizardry setting the pace, these various combinations yield an interesting and appealing juxtaposition of styles much in the spirit of the Planet Soup compilation issued by Ellipsis Arts some years ago. The mood changes with each song from jaunty reels to lilting ballads then lively Afropop to sounds that defy easy description. On this innovative recording, Junkera has established himself as one of the leading names in world music. (http://www.alula.com/kepa.html)

Pee Wee King Country Hoedown (Bloodshot)

During the golden age (1930s-1950s) of country & western music, the accordion was a regular part of the instrumentation in bands throughout the U.S. Prized for its mobility and versatility, the piano accordion could supply both melody as well as a rhythmic punch needed by Western swing and other dance groups. The most prominent country & western accordionist of that era was Pee Wee King. Born Frank Kuczynski in Milwaukee (1914), he took up accordion at an early age and had his first band by 15. However, rather than sticking to the popular polka music of his Polish-American heritage, Frank leaned more toward country or hillbilly music and with his band, The Jesters, did a brief tour with the great singing cowboy, Gene Autry. After changing his name to Pee Wee King (he stood a bit over 5'), he was inspired by Autry to take on a more western sound and style with his new group, the Golden West Cowboys. Into the 1940s and 1950s, King and band became one of the most popular in the land through radio shows, concerts, and hit recordings like "Tennessee Waltz" and "Slow Poke." This recording offers a generous collection of 51 songs drawn from 1952 radio transcriptions (digitally enhanced). The mood is generally slow to mid-tempo Western swing and is a pleasure throughout.

Miss Murgatroid & Petra Haden, Bella Neurox (Win)

While the accordion has been most closely associated with lounge and ethnic folk music (polka, Tex-Mex, Cajun, zydeco, et. al.), there are a number of artists on the outer fringes doing very intriguing experimentation that tests the limits of their instrument and challenges the minds of their listeners. One such innovator is Miss Murgatroid aka Alicia Rose who uses an Anderson System Dallape accordion to create surprising "sound landscapes." Alternately droning like a church organ, pumping like a calliope, or wheezing like an asthmatic, her accordion is surrounded by sonic jolts, electronic feedback, occasional haunting voices, and the results are always dark and disturbing. Bella Neurox is no exception but unlike her previous solo outings, Miss M is joined here by electric violonist Petra Haden whose sometimes ethereal, sometimes screeching bow only accentuate the sci-fi soundtrack quality reminiscent of movies from Metropolis to Eraser Head. (http://www.winrecords.com)

Orkest Polytour Django, Chante (POL)

This is a real treat for fans of the classic swing jazz sound of Django Reinhardt, Stephane Grappelli, and the Hot of Club of France from this Netherlands based band. Accordionist Jean-Paul Guiran has made a variety of French and Latin American recordings as a solo, duo, or with a trio, but his main group is Polytour which plays a mix of French songs and swing jazz. With the addition of guest violinist Tim Kliphuis, this quartet becomes Orkest Polytour. On this, their second album, they present sprightly covers of songs by Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, and others but the focus, of course, is on Django's greatest including several with lyrics written in the mid-1940s but not previously released. (http://home.wxs.nl/~guiran/polyengl.htm)

Parlando, Tangled Lies (Planet Waldo)

Without doubt, the most famous name in modern tango music is the Argentine bandoneonist and composer Astor Piazzolla. His influence helped spread interest in the tango worldwide, and it was in tribute to him that the San Francisco group Strictly Tango was formed in 1995. Under this name, they have done several CDs of Piazolla and Argentine tangos while as Parlando, they have recorded the music of Parlando Rubato (aka Annie Durand), an early 20th century Parisian composer and bandoneonista (in musical terminology, "parlando" is instrumental music that has the expressive quality of speech or singing). Tangled Lies is a movingly dramatic presentation of tango made for the concert rather than the dance hall. Bandoneonist and leader Dale Meyer is a true student of his instrument having written his MFA Thesis (Mills College) on the history of the bandoneon outside of tangomusic. Note: a bandoneon is a German/Argentine accordion akin to the concertina only much larger. (http://www.parlando.com)

Fabrizio Poggi & Chicken Mambo Nuther World (Club De Musique)

Here's living proof that good music knows no boundaries. Born in Voghera, Italy, Fabrizio Poggi developed an early love for Americana music: delta blues, Cajun, zydeco, Western swing, country ballads, and Tex-Mex. In 1991, he formed Chicken Mambo, and they made their recording debut in 1995 with Heroes & Friends. Poggi's instrument of choice at that time was the harmonica, but one of the guests on the album, Cajun accordionist Zachary Richard, pointed out the similarities in the technique of playing both of these free-reed instruments and suggested Fabrizio take up the squeezebox. He did in 1996 and just three years later, he and Chicken Mambo traveled to Austin, Texas, to record Nuther World with some of that city's musical elite including Champ Hood, Jimmy LaFave, Jerry Jeff Walker, and local accordion patriarch, Ponty Bone. The result is a wonderful collection of Cajun, Tex-Mex, and country or what down Texas way they call "Third Coast Music". Poggi shows off his harmonica and recently acquired accordion skills as well as a flair for writing friendly, easy-going and often quite beautiful songs with a real Southern/Southwestern feel: "Just a Cowboy," "Mexican Moon," "Indian Baby," "Sweet Cajun Flower." (http://www.oocities.org/bourbonstreet/bayou/1357)

Kimmo Pohjonen, Kielo (Rockadillo)

In recent years, Finland has become renowned as one of the leading centers for modern accordionists including artists such as Maria Kalaniemi, Minna Luoma, and Kimmo Pohjonen. A product of the Folk & Classical Music Departments of the Sibelius Academy (Helsinki), Pohjonen has appeared on 65 recordings, but this is his first solo album. And what an incredible debut it is! Using only his voice and a massive five row chromatic accordion, he creates intense musical "constructions" by coaxing an array of sounds (traditional, modern; natural, artificial) that radically overturn long held preconceptions about the accordion and accordion music. As Pohjonen has stated, he sees himself not as a virtuoso but instead as an innovator dedicated to finding new sounds and possibilities for his instrument. For the open-minded and adventurous listener, Kielo holds many rewards! (http://www.hoedown.com/html/body_kimmo.html)

PULS, Puls (CE Musik)

Over the past 40 years, the premier Danish folk music accordionist has been Carl Erik Lundgaard. As an educator, composer, and musician, he has devoted his life to keeping traditional music alive but also worked to enhance and modernize it. As a soloist and with various amalgams, his contributions earned him numerous Danish folk music awards and the highest respect from accordionists around the world. In his most recent group, PULS, Carl Erik is joined by a bassist, violinist, and percussionist (bongos, conga, darbuka, etc.) on a fine collection of traditional tunes plus Lundgaard's contemporary originals that combine Danish folk with Eastern European and Middle Eastern styles. The results are consistently fresh and engaging due mainly to the fluidity and virtuosity of his diatonic accordion playing which always shines through and delights the ear. (http://home1.inet.tele.dk/eswo/bands/ce.htm)

Bradley Jaye Williams, Tex-Mex Gumbo (Lazy SOB)

Born and raised in Saginaw, Michigan, Williams got hooked on accordion from listening to Texas conjunto greats like Narciso Martinez, Santiago Jimenez Sr., and Flaco Jimenez. Migrating to San Francisco in the 1980s, he fronted a country, rock, Tex-Mex band called The Movie Stars who at one time opened several shows for Flaco. The latter encouraged Williams and inspired him to start his own conjunto group. It was named Los Pinkys ostensibly after a pink Gabbanelli accordion but actually because the members were bolillos or "white breads." Relocating to Austin, Texas, Bradley Jaye reformed Los Pinkys with bajo sexto/accordionist Isidro Samilpa and other local conjunto players. They soon gained acceptance from the area's conjunto community, secured a record deal with Rounder, cut two critically acclaimed albums, and were voted Best Tejano/Conjunto Band by the Austin Music Awards in 1995 and 1997. Williams then ventured into Cajun and zydeco as leader of the Gulf Coast Playboys, and they became popular favorites with the local dance crowd. As the name implies, Williams' solo debut, Tex-Mex Gumbo, is a stew of his musical influences and experiences including conjunto, Tejano country, Cajun, and even Swamp Pop. And a rich and seasoned dish it is, held together by Williams' energetic squeezing and singing and excellent support from Samilpa and Max Baca, another local conjunto legend. Overall, it further cements Bradley Jaye's place as one of the leading squeezers in a city blessed with many fine accordionists.