Instruments
Accordion
An accordion's characteristic feature is a bellows operated by the player; the air thus generated sounds a reed when it is released by a keyboard key or a button. Like the harmonica and various small organs, the accordion was inspired by the Chinese sheng mouth organ, whose introduction to Europe in the 1770s spurred experimentation with the principle of a free reed that vibrates in a stream of air. Among its immediate predecessors, in fact, was a mouth-blown instrument with a keyboard, called the Aura. The accordion itself was first patented by a Viennese maker in 1829, and quickly spread through Europe and later America; the German Hohner firm of harmonica fame was also famous for its efficient mass production of accordions. As one of the few portable members of the keyboard family, it has a versatility matched by few other instruments. Thus it is an essential component of dance music from all over the European cultural sphere -- from polka to cajun to Brazilian forró -- and even beyond.
Artist Highlights
| Artist |
Active |
Styles |
| Clifton Chenier
|
1950s - 1980s |
Creole, North American Traditions, Zydeco, Cajun, Early R&B |
| Boozoo Chavis
|
1950s - 2000s |
North American Traditions, Zydeco, Cajun |
| Weird Al Yankovic
|
1970s - 2020s |
Novelty, Contemporary Pop/Rock, Song Parody, Comedy, Comedy Rock, Polka, Comedy Rap |
| Buckwheat Zydeco
|
1970s - 2010s |
Creole, North American Traditions, Zydeco, Cajun |
| C.J. Chenier
|
1970s - 2020s |
Creole, North American Traditions, Zydeco, Cajun |
| Lawrence Welk
|
1920s - 1990s |
Instrumental Pop, Polka, Big Band |
| Alphonse "Bois Sec" Ardoin
|
1930s - 1990s |
Cajun, Creole, North American Traditions, Zydeco |
| Phil Cunningham
|
1970s - 2010s |
Celtic, Traditional Celtic, Traditional Scottish Folk, Celtic Fusion, British Folk, Cowboy |
| Lawrence "Black" Ardoin
|
1970s - 1990s |
Creole, North American Traditions, Zydeco, Cajun |
| Astor Piazzolla
|
1930s - 1990s |
South American Traditions, Tango, Chamber Music, Global Jazz, Latin Jazz |
| Nathan Abshire
|
1930s - 1980s |
North American Traditions, Zydeco, Cajun, Louisiana Blues, Regional Blues, Swamp Blues |
| Nick DeCaro
|
1970s - 1990s |
North American Traditions, Zydeco, Cajun, Louisiana Blues, Regional Blues, Swamp Blues |
| Rockin' Sidney
|
1950s - 1990s |
North American Traditions, Regional Blues, Swamp Blues, Zydeco, Cajun |
| Eddie LeJeune
|
1970s - 2000s |
Cajun, North American Traditions, Zydeco |
| Ponty Bone
|
1990s - 2000s |
Cajun, North American Traditions, Mexican Traditions, Tex-Mex, Zydeco |
| Flaco Jiménez
|
1940s - 2020s |
Conjunto, Mexican Traditions, Norteno, North American Traditions, Ranchera, Tejano, Tex-Mex, Zydeco, Alternative Latin, Bolero |
| John Kirkpatrick
|
1950s - 2020s |
Keyboard, Traditional Folk, British Folk, Celtic |
| Accordion Tribe
|
1990s - 2000s |
European Folk, Neo-Classical, Ethnic Fusion, Modern Composition, Modern Creative |
| Frank Marocco
|
1960s - 1980s |
Film Score, Vocal Music |
| Iry LeJeune
|
1940s - 1990s |
Cajun, North American Traditions, Zydeco |
| Jack Emblow
|
|
Show/Musical, Film Score |