SQUEEZIN’ STEVE
Newfoundland Jigs & Reels
Cape Breton, Newfoundlander – Silver Bell – Cock
O’ The North – The Cliffs Of Baccalieu – Maple Sugar – Roddy McCorley –
Mussels In The Corner – Husky Reel – The Captain & His Whiskers –
Scotland The Brave – Golden Jubilee – Feller From Fortune – Wildwood
Flower – Golden Slippers – Road To The Isles – I Rowed Up In A Dory –
Spanish Two Step – Ise The B’y
O’ The North – The Cliffs Of Baccalieu – Maple Sugar – Roddy McCorley –
Mussels In The Corner – Husky Reel – The Captain & His Whiskers –
Scotland The Brave – Golden Jubilee – Feller From Fortune – Wildwood
Flower – Golden Slippers – Road To The Isles – I Rowed Up In A Dory –
Spanish Two Step – Ise The B’y
One thing an accordion instrumental CD and a fiddle instrumental
CD have in common is the unusual names of the songs that are played.
I’ve always had a fascination with fiddle instrumentals with unusual
names. ‘Orange Blossom Special’ is easy for the fiddle music lover to
appreciate, it’s about a train, same with the Wildwood Flower, which
appears on this terrific ‘accordion instrumental’ CD. The only
accompanists on this recording is a drummer and a guitarist. I would
guess this would be a terrific band for old-time dancing in
Newfoundland, one of the provinces of Canada. These instrumentals are
listed as Squeezin’ Steve’s favorite songs to play on his little button
accordion. It’s terrific, with the guitar player shifting from acoustic
to electric to occasionally emphasize the ‘leads’ of the song. I had a
bit of a problem with playing the songs, there are 18 listed on the
jacket, but can only play eleven of them. “Wildwood Flower” is
definitely not number 13, but it is on the disc. Perhaps some of the
songs are done ‘together’ as is often done, because every song on this
album is a fast tempo. If you are going to put this on and dance to it,
be prepared for a long time ‘fast’ dance session. Squeezin’ Steve is a
remarkable accordionist, and his mental ability to separate the many
melody lines he plays must be huge. Forwarded to me by mutual friend
Michael T Wall, perhaps Newfoundland’s most energetic promoter, we both
sincerely enjoy good accordion music, so rarely heard in America these
days. Ever since Lawrence Welk left the television airwaves, it’s been
pretty hard to find good accordion music on media these days, but RFD-TV
still has the Mollie B Polka Party, (a follow up to Polka Joe’s great
polka party) which still captures a large viewing audience, and there
are still polka dances throughout our upper Midwest. Squeezin’ Steve is
still a fairly young man, but he entertains everything from polka to
old-time mariner songs and he plays them all very well. One of our best
old-time dance bands in the upper Midwest is the Kenaston Family, who
play all kinds of old-time dances. I am going to forward this CD to
the Rural Roots Music Commission to get their thoughts on it, who knows
we might have an opportunity to bring these great music makers together.
I believe I reviewed another of Squeezin’ Steve’s CD’s some time ago,
but I never tire of good music and good musicians no matter what they
play…..except today’s country music, which is phony.
CD have in common is the unusual names of the songs that are played.
I’ve always had a fascination with fiddle instrumentals with unusual
names. ‘Orange Blossom Special’ is easy for the fiddle music lover to
appreciate, it’s about a train, same with the Wildwood Flower, which
appears on this terrific ‘accordion instrumental’ CD. The only
accompanists on this recording is a drummer and a guitarist. I would
guess this would be a terrific band for old-time dancing in
Newfoundland, one of the provinces of Canada. These instrumentals are
listed as Squeezin’ Steve’s favorite songs to play on his little button
accordion. It’s terrific, with the guitar player shifting from acoustic
to electric to occasionally emphasize the ‘leads’ of the song. I had a
bit of a problem with playing the songs, there are 18 listed on the
jacket, but can only play eleven of them. “Wildwood Flower” is
definitely not number 13, but it is on the disc. Perhaps some of the
songs are done ‘together’ as is often done, because every song on this
album is a fast tempo. If you are going to put this on and dance to it,
be prepared for a long time ‘fast’ dance session. Squeezin’ Steve is a
remarkable accordionist, and his mental ability to separate the many
melody lines he plays must be huge. Forwarded to me by mutual friend
Michael T Wall, perhaps Newfoundland’s most energetic promoter, we both
sincerely enjoy good accordion music, so rarely heard in America these
days. Ever since Lawrence Welk left the television airwaves, it’s been
pretty hard to find good accordion music on media these days, but RFD-TV
still has the Mollie B Polka Party, (a follow up to Polka Joe’s great
polka party) which still captures a large viewing audience, and there
are still polka dances throughout our upper Midwest. Squeezin’ Steve is
still a fairly young man, but he entertains everything from polka to
old-time mariner songs and he plays them all very well. One of our best
old-time dance bands in the upper Midwest is the Kenaston Family, who
play all kinds of old-time dances. I am going to forward this CD to
the Rural Roots Music Commission to get their thoughts on it, who knows
we might have an opportunity to bring these great music makers together.
I believe I reviewed another of Squeezin’ Steve’s CD’s some time ago,
but I never tire of good music and good musicians no matter what they
play…..except today’s country music, which is phony.
RECORD REVIEW BY BOB EVERHART; President, National Traditional Country Music Association www.music-savers.com for Country Music News International