selections for the accor-dion.

One observation is very apparent. Accordi-onists enjoy their instru-ment. It’s uniqueness, dynamic expressive abili-ties and its “new” popu-larity is found in cultural music all around the world.

We are also looking forward to OctoberFest in Balboa Park. Our an-nual music presentation there always draws big audiences and allows us to present the accordion to people who don’t normally experience the instrument and its music. This is especially true of young people. Hope you can join us for that special day. For now, may I wish you a won-derful and great Fall sea-s o n a n d h a p p y “ O c t o b e r f e s t i n g ” ! Best Wishes and Der Gemutilech Keit!

Gordon —

Music Mystery Word:

“mezzo piano:”

by Gordon Kohl

Hello ALSI Friends:This year is a fantastic

year in America for ac-cordionists. There are so many wonderful events to take part in sponsored by accordion clubs and organizations near and far.

San Diego’s ALSI ac-cordion club, for 20 plus years, has been host to many unique and first time specialty showcases for accordionists. ALSI has been a venue for classical, folk, pop, Cajun, jazz, neo pop and old time standards styles of music.

The yearly Heritage Day Spectacular is soon

to be here. A day that features a variety of old and new music favorites that are from at least a dozen countries. Enjoy an afternoon with fel-low music friends. Mu-sic is truly an expres-sion of thoughts, tradi-tions and culture and should be shared with everyone. Please bring your friends to hear and experience ethnic music from many countries in September at our annu-al Heritage Day event. We always end this oc-casion on a happy and c h e e r f u l “ n o t e ” . WOW! That’s what we all like to hear.

Thank you ALSI guests, old and new members, you are all terrific. Please come and play at ALSI when you feel ready and able to share your music with us. If I can be of some help, please call me. I hope to see you all at Heritage Day, and look forward to hearing some new and great

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

SEPTEMBER 2013

EDITION

September 2013Volume 20 Issue 9

NEWSLETTER

Inside this issue:

President’s Message

1

General Info. 2

Happiness at ALSI

3

Photos 4

Showcase Review 5

Coming this Month

6

Coming Events 7

Accordion News 8

Calendar 9

Playing Around 9

Harold J. Estok FounderALSI and REED BLOCK

President:Gordon Kohl619-395-0454

Presidents Emeriti:(Founder) Harold Estok

Ron GriffinKjell HolmesGloria Ensign

Vice President:Mary Lou Erwin

619-448-9588

Meeting Coordinator:Bill Barr

619-337-1111

Editor/Secretary:Helen Estok Schoell

619-584-4970

Treasurer &Ensemble Director:

Vicki Eriqat619-563-5586

Recording Secretary:Sharon Marotte

619-286-3948

Newsletter/Webmaster: Bob Page

760--815-4783

ALSI MEMBERSHIP AND GENERAL INFORMATION

Page 2

MEMBERSHIPS: current member renewal for twelve month term; the fee is $100 Gold, $25 U.S.A., $26 Canada, $27 for International delivery. (Current members can upgrade to gold membership at any time). For new members; partial year memberships can be purchased. Use this calculation as follows: Subtract $2 for each month that has elapsed for the calendar year. Therefore, if you are joining with a USA club membership in July, six months have elapsed, so 6 times $2 would be $12 to deduct and the formula would be: $25 - $12 = $13, thus the payment would be $13. Make check or money order payable to ALSI and send to: Helen Estok Schoell, at P.O. Box 151357 San Diego, CA 92175. The REED BLOCK is published once each month for delivery to members prior to the next meeting. (Meetings are the second Sunday of each month). Your input to the REED BLOCK is invited and should be submitted to Helen Estok Schoell or email to Bob Page at webmaster@accordion-club-sandiego.org or email to Mary Lou Erwin at: marylouerwin@att.net.DISCLAIMER: Unless otherwise indicated, all articles were written by the Editor. Unless so stated, no article is to be construed as an endorsement. Articles not written by the Editor may contain comments that do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editor or ALSI. If you disagree with anything in The REED BLOCK or to post corrections, please let us know in writing.SPECIAL NOTICE TO RECORDING ARTISTS: If you have an audio/video CD/DVD you would like reviewed and written up in The REED BLOCK, please send us a professional copy and a short biography of the artist; include names, dates and places to the ALSI address above. Please include the price of the item including shipping and handling. If you want the package returned after the review, please include return postage with the package.CUT-OFF DATE: All contributors to The REED BLOCK please note: For next month all material is due fourteen days before the next meeting, accordingly the due date for the October 2013 issue is: Septem-ber 30, 2013. This includes all items such as articles, upcoming events, playing around, accordion work-shops, advertisements and ensemble schedules. Please make sure your material is received, in writing or email, no later than that date. Please submit your input to Helen Estok Schoell (at above ALSI address) or email to Bob Page at webmaster@accordion-club-sandiego.org or Mary Lou Erwin at marylouer-win@att.net. Thank you for your cooperation. ADVERTISEMENTS: Members may place one small ad per year at no charge, business cards are $6/per issue or $60/per year, quarter-page is $15/per issue, half -page is $25/per issue, full -page is $50/per issue, one -page event flyer is $25/per issue. Cost is doubled for ads placed by non -members. (All ads must be accordion related).MEETINGS: The club normally meets at 1:00 - 4:00 P.M. on the second Sunday of each month at the Mt Miguel Covenant Village, 325 Kempton Ave, Spring Valley, CA.

STEERING COMMITTEE; Next meeting is on September 11th 10:30 am at the Coco’s Restaurant in Mission Gorge area at 10430 Friars Road .

NEXT CLUB MEETING will be on Sunday, September 8th from 1:00 to 4:00 pm at Bailey Hall in the Mt. Miguel Covenant Village in Spring Valley and will feature a Heritage Day celebration. Music Mystery Word: mezzo piano: half softly; i.e., moderately softly.

A.L.S.I. is on the WEBwww.accordion-club-sandiego.org

A calendar of events is available there to advise members and friends of upcoming club events.

Page 3Volume 20 Issue 9

HAPPINESS

In Bailey Hall at Mt. Miguel Village325 Kempton Avenue

Spring Valley, CA In Bailey Hall at Mt. Miguel Village

325 Kempton AvenueSpring Valley, CA

In Bailey Hall at Mt. Miguel Village325 Kempton Avenue

Spring Valley, CA

HAPPINESS at A.L.S.I.

by Sharon Marotte

Our ALSI meeting was held, August 11, 2013 with about 50 in attendance. Some of our players entertained around the village:� Kari Andrews – Crider, � Vicki Eriqat – Cafeteria, � Sharon Marotte – Brandel.

Bill Barr was the MC for the day. Ac-cordion music was donated to ALSI members from the wife of Don Nielson, who passed away awhile ago. Don was a student of Tom Baxter.

� -The first duet to play was Sharon Ma-rotte & Erika Baier. Their songs were – a Polish Polka (Krakoujak) and the Pach-elbel Canon – Johann Pachelbel lived from 1653 – 1706. Hope to hear from this du-et again!!

� -Margarita Romero played the piano and Gordon Kohl accompanied her on his accordion. Their song was – Sonata in A major – L.483 by Domenico Scarlatti. Domenico wrote 500 sonata’s for piano. Piano & accordion sounded good as a du-et.

� -Another duet was Bob Warner & Gordon Kohl. WOW – they played very well together, sure was great to hear Bob play again. Their songs – Don’t Blame Me, Satin Doll, & Helena Polka.

� -Our birthday boy, Al Jacobs at 89, played several Broadway tunes – Some of his songs were – What I did for Love, songs from Chorus Line, Cabaret, Hello Dolly, Mame, etc. I think Al’s capacity for memorizing music is endless!!

� -Our traveler, Ron Griffin, played sever-al songs – Sunshine’s Return by Stas,

Besame Mucho, & In the Garden, another song by Stas V. Always good to have Ron at ALSI.

� -The next group to play was very exciting for all of us – Taylor Carlson(granddaughter of Evie Carlson) on violin, Torstein King on sax & Gordon Kohlon accordion. Kjell Holmes introduced this group. Their songs were – Nidelven, Paul’s Chicken, Norway in Red, White & Blue, Edelweiss, and Greetings from Home (Halsa dem Darhemma) waltz. The audi-ence loved this group!!

Our coffee/cake (cake from Al Jacobs) break followed on the patio. We listened to a CD of the Three Suns playing over the PA sys-tem and then treated to a strolling musician, Diane Polinski, on her accordion.

The ALSI Ensemble set up during the break and played 5 songs directed by Vicki Eriqat, joined on drums was Jim Kilduff and percus-sion instruments, Lois Lahoud. The songs played were: Tango de la Goleria, ALSI march, Soldiers march, Silk Umbrella and Skyline march.

Following the Showcase by Jonathan Engel, Bob Page presented a workshop on jazz im-provisation with a recording narrated by Frank Marocco. Bob had handouts for all and did a great job of conducting this work-shop for us accordion players. It was held af-ter the Showcase so folks could leave that were not interested in this workshop.

What a busy day!! Gordon Kohl presented certificates to: Helen Estok Schoell, Kjell Holmes & Roy Wirta – Honorary lifetime members in ALSI, Al Jacobs for his lifetime of musicianship, Jonathan Engel for his musi-cianship. —

Page 4

HAPPINESS PHOTOS

MAKING MUSIC!!

Page 5Volume 20 Issue 9

SHOWCASE REVIEW

JONATHAN ENGEL SHOWCASEby Bob Warner

We are often reminded in a timely manner of the versatility of which the accordion is ca-pable. In the hands of a competent and inter-ested player it can be used to play just about any music created by man. And so it was with young Jonathan Engel on this fine Sunday after-noon. He chose to present a very different musical repertoire based on a mix of modern progressive, mid-eastern and Kleszmer to-nality, harmony and tempo. A tall, handsome young man, he carried us through a group of highly interesting compositions using his new Roland FR7x digi-tal electronic accordion. With that instrument he has available a musical palette from which to paint musical expressions rang-ing from avant garde to classical. Jonathan plays with great intensity and concen-tration, often reciting various anecdotes about the music. His keyboard style is strong legato and of course he has a plethora of selections from the Roland to augment his music.

His first piece used a treble rhythmic re-peating phrase mixed in with a slow dramatic bass solo of which the Roland is designed to execute. These two highly contrasting musical lines were kept together quite skillfully. It had somewhat of a modern edge to it. The second piece, “MONTI’S CZARDAS” was a good in-terpretation of this venerable gypsy composi-tion. Jonathan laid in a violin orchestral back-ground to provide additional breadth and sub-tle nuances to the music. Originally a violin composition with wildly fluctuating tempos, it transcribed well for the accordion.

Kleszmer music was seemingly made for the accordion and so it was with Jonathan’s

medley of Kleszmer tunes. It is always fast paced, rhythmic with a somewhat restricted tonal range. The harmonies shifted frequently from major to minor tonality.

The next piece (unfortunately I didn’t get the name) was played with guitar setup on the treble keyboard and a darkly emotional bass solo played with the left hand. The sense of the piece, i.e. dramatic, was actually quite in-tense. The opening strains of Bach’s “TOCCATTA AND FUGUE IN D MINOR”,

an organ composition, were an excellent intro to this major clas-sical composition. It takes a lot of work and study to take on this kind of music. Jonathan had the Roland set to mimic the sound of the organ quite nicely.

Next, the idiom changed to jazz. Especially interesting was “TAKE FIVE”, one of the major jazz pieces of the ages. With a roving bass line and tantalizing treble melody Jonathan got every

ones feet tapping. His description of the next songs was “contemporary, progressive”. And that it was with rhythms and harmonies out of the norms that people generally have listened to. It is well to expand our reach to differ-ences in music so that we can truly appreciate the creativity and skills resident in this won-derful thing we call “music”. It is no easy task to take this on. His last piece was along the same lines as “contemporary and progressive.” It is not easy to interpret and Jonathan did a fine job in that regard. His instrument is partic-ularly useful in setting up the tonalities and harmonies of this kind of music. Jonathan per-formed admirably well in presenting this “new” music to the club. We will anticipate hearing from him again in the not too distant future and we are glad he took the time and effort to play for us today. —

Page 6

COMING THIS MONTH

— WOW —HERITAGE DAY

IS HERE!SUNDAY, SEPT. 8TH.

JOIN US ON SEPTEMBER 8THFOR SANDWICHES

AND OTHER TREATS AT BREAK WITH BEAUTIFUL

ACCORDION MUSICMEETING STARTS AT 1 PM

AND ENDS AT 4 PM

ADMISSION $5GUESTS $6

BRING A FRIENDAND YOURACCORDION

AND COSTUME!

AT MT MIGUELCOVENANTVILLAGE

325 KEMPTONSPRING VALLEYIN BAILEY HALL

Page 7Volume 20 Issue 9

COMING IN OCTOBER

ALSI Annual OctoberFestPerformance nearFountain area in

Balboa Park.

Join us on October 13thfrom 11 am to 3 pm

where continuous accordion musicwill be presented by club members.

Contact Bill Barr @ 619-337-1111 to sign up.(There will be no regular club meeting tn October)

COMING IN NOVEMBER

Gigi RabeIn

Showcase ConcertOn November 10th

Ms. Gigi "Gee" Rabe, also known as “L.A.’s Accordion Diva,” holds an M.A. degree in Ethnomusicology from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and a B.M. degree in Performance with an em-phasis in Commercial Music from California State University (CSU) Long Beach. She has completed her Ph.D. course work in Ethnomusicology at UCLA. Her main research interests include accordion per-formance around the world, Americana music, subcultural music, music and religion, popular music and culture, youth and music, smooth jazz, world beat, tango, the international music industry, Balkan mu-sic, and Caribbean music, especially ska and steel band music. She was also the recipient of a grant from UCLA’s Institute of American Cultures and the Center for African American Studies. Her perfor-mance should be interesting and exciting with her established artistic talent and many genres. —

Page 8

66th ANNUAL COUPE MONDIALEThis event was held in Victoria, British Colum-bia from August 17th to the 25th. This is the most prestigious annual international competi-tion event for the accordion. The Coupe Mondiale winner was Alexander Kolomiytsev of Russia. (The last American to win this prize was Peter Soave in 1984). American contestants who placed in other categories include: Sam Thomas (11th) , Ali-cia Baker (13th) and Jamie Maschler (15th) in the Virtuoso Entertainment category; Ra-chel Marie Quirbach (11th), Torleif Ra-feek Stumo (12th), and Naomi Harris (13th) in Junior Virtuoso Entertainment cate-gory; En Canto Ensemble (6th) in Ensemble Music category; and Alicia Baker (3rd) in the Digital Accordion category. For those that have internet access there is streaming audio/video available that include competition and concert performances of the contestants that highly placed in each category. The quality is very good and gives the viewer a good experience of enjoying these winning performances. Final results detail is also availa-ble on the website. — The website URL is; www.coupemondiale.org/2013/ca_coupe_main.htm

Happy Birthday to you all!

9/5 Charlotte Thompson9/30 Lenitta Barrett

“THE BIG SQUEEZE” 5TH ANNUAL ACCORDION FESTIVAL on Sunday Septem-ber 29th from 10 am to 4 pm at the Orange County Market Place in Costa Mesa, CA. Fea-tured accordion artists will include Gordon Kohl (who will appear at 11 a.m.). For more info. Call 949-723-6660 or visit www.ocmarketplace.com. LAS VEGAS INTERNATION ACCORDI-ON CONVENTION Oct. 28th to Oct. 31 at the Gold Coast Hotel in Las Vegas Nevada. This annual event features lunch and evening concerts, workshops and an international accordion or-chestra. Featured artists include: Dick Contino, Mario Pedone, Stas Venglevski, Gigi Rabe, Joey Miskulin, Peter and Mady Soave, Jeff Lisenby and our President, Gordon Kohl. Joan Cochran Som-mers will conduct the International Accordion Orchestra. The theme this year is “The Carnival of Venice Extravaganza”. For more information contact Paul Pasquali at 801-485-5840. —

ACCORDION EVENTS

Page 9Volume 20 Issue 9

ALSI MEETING CALENDAR

PLAYING AROUND

“Please share date,

time and location

of public appear-

ances. Submit

these, in writing,

complying with the

cut-off date, to

Mary Lou Erwin or

Bob Page.”

Louis Fanucchi

Most Tues-day’s at Café Zucchero in Little Italy from 7-10 pm.Most Wednes-day’s at

Romesco’s in Bonita from 7 to 10.Most Sundays from 2-5 pm at Sa-lerno’s Winery in Ramona. (More info. at 619-948-3774 or online at www.loufanucchi.com) for his calendar.

Gordon Kohl

Plays Casuals, Wed-dings Dances and Special Events. Sept. 29 at 11 am in “Big Squeeze” event near Orange County Fairgrounds.

Oct. 12 & 13 in Julian at Octoberfest.Oct. 5 & 12 in El Cajon at German Ameri-can Society.Oct. 28-31 at International Accordion Convention in Las Vegas.

For more information and availability. please call Gordon at 619-395-0454.

September 8thHeritage Day Celebration.

October 13thOctoberfest in Balboa Park.

November 10thShowcase with Gigi Rabe.

December 8thHoliday Music Celebration.

(

C U S T O M C R A F T E D —

— FOR SALE —ACCORDION

New, Opal in color34 key with 72 bass

Medium Fun SizeGreat Student Instrument.

For more information contactGordon Kohl at 619-395-0454.

NOTICES

Monthly Newsletter

ALSI Statement Of

Purpose:

� ALSI is San Diego’s forum for appreciat-ing and performing accordion music, including the MIDI electronic accordion

� We welcome mem-bers who enjoy lis-tening to or playing accordion music.

� We have an accordi-on ensemble group, monthly meetings, local concerts featur-ing local and interna-tionally famous per-formers, an annual picnic and a monthly newsletter.

SEPTEMBER 2013

EDITION

The REED BLOCKc/o Helen Estok Schoell

P.O. Box 151357San Diego, CA 92175

On September 8thJoin us at the ALSI meeting

as we celebrate

19th Annual Heritage Day With special music from members

and a buffet of sandwiches & other treatsat break time.

Dust off your favorite tunes and wear an ethnic costume.