NEWSLETTER - Accordion Lover`s Society

MAY
2015
Harold & Helen Estok
Founders of A.L.S.I.
President:
Gordon Kohl
619-395-0454
Presidents Emeriti:
(Founder) Harold Estok
Ron Griffin
Kjell Holmes
Gloria Ensign
NEWSLETTER
Volume 22
Issue 5
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Vice President:
Mary Lou Erwin
619-448-9588
Meeting Coordinator:
Bill Barr
619-337-1111
Corresponding Secretary:
Marian Sowell
619-448-4174
Treasurer &
Ensemble Director:
Vicki Eriqat
619-563-5586
Recording Secretary:
Sharon Marotte
619-286-3948
Newsletter/Webmaster:
Bob Page
760--815-4783
Inside this issue:
President’s
Message
1
General
Information
2
Happiness at
ALSI
3
Happiness
Players
4
Coming In June
5
Coming This
Monthn May
6
Workshop Music 7
For May
Accordion News 8
In Memorium
Lora Holmes
9
Calendar
9
Playing Around
9
May 2015
by Gordon Kohl
Hello and Greetings to fellow accordionists!
This year is moving very
quickly. A.L.S.I. member
accordionists and friends
have been enjoying many
activities, music concerts,
picnics, showcases, and
play-outs for more than 20
years.
I would like to see us
enjoy some more visiting
time at meetings. I would
like to suggest that 12:30
P.M. - 1 P.M. on meetig day
may be a time where we
can talk, share stories, exchange music, give others
some help with their music
questions or enjoy Jack's
background music.
A club is about the people who come to the
monthly meetings and special activities planned for a
fantastic music experience. I believe that we
may enjoy our club and
playing the accordion at
home and at A.L.S.I. more
by building our friendships
and group music activities. Several members are
finding another accordionist to practice duets
with. This music practice
is helpful in developing a
better sense of rhythm,
chord harmony, finger
touch, dynamic contrasts
with our accordion bellows, and a "FUN" time
with a fellow musician.
This June we have our
yearly picnic day at Lindo
Lake Park. This park is
beautiful. It is sad that I
must admit to have only
taking a walk around the
lakes once in more than
15 years. This year I am
encouraging many of us to
talk to our member
friends and go "take a
walk
around
the
park". The birds are then
in migration and are entertaining to watch. We
will keep accordionists
happy playing music too at
the gazebo.
We will have a great
day with music, super
food, games to play and
"Yes " s ome pr i zes
too. You may sign up
now for
this extraordinary wonderful day June14th. The time
is 11:30 A.M. - 4:30 P.M.
. Please bring friends to
the picnic. If they are
pretty good at a game of
UNO, YAHTZEE, CHINESE CHECKERS, or
CROQHET, you better
watch out; they may just
win.
Thank you everyone
who shares your time with
us at our San Diego area
accordion club. The Club
is a great
experience
thanks to all of you. See
you at the May 3 meeting. Our very own Joe
Colombo will be entertaining us with a Showcase. Yes, he will play
some Italian songs from
his heritage. Also, we will
be treated later in the afternoon with an outstanding musicianship workshop
by a great clinician,
Bob Page. Do plan to
attend.
Once again Las Vegas
is the place to join in a
wonderful accordion convention. The date is June
22 for the International
Accordion Convention. For info go see our
calendar page in this newsletter.
Best Wishes,
Gordon —
Page 2
GENERAL INFORMATION
MEMBERSHIPS: New membership and renewal for year 2015 are; the fee is $100 Gold, $25 U.S.A., $26 Canada,
$27 for International delivery. For new members; partial year memberships can be purchased. 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. 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 and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editor or ALSI.
CUT-OFF DATE: All contributors to The REED BLOCK please note: For next month all material is due two
weeks before the next meeting, accordingly the due date for the June 2015 issue is: June 1st. This includes all items
such as articles, upcoming events, playing around, accordion workshops, advertisements and ensemble schedules.
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 marylouerwin@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 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. Our next Meeting will be held on Sunday, May 3rd from 1:00 to
4:00 pm at Mt. Miguel Covenant Village in Bailey Hall.
STEERING COMMITTEE; Next meeting is on Wednesday, May 6th, 10:30—12:00 pm in the Denny’s Restaurant at 665 No. Mollison, in El Cajon.. Directions: I-8 east to Mollison exit then left at light (get in right hand lane) &
Denny’s is on the right. (NOTE: MEETING HELD IN NEW RESTAURANT!).
ALSI MEMBERSHIP OR RENEWAL APPLICATION FORM (Attention: All 2015 renewals are now due, per club by-laws)
Membership/Newsletter Subscription for 2015 (please print)
Date__________________ New___ Renewal___ Address Change___ Gold ____
Name___________________________________________________________________________________________
First Last Spouse First Address__________________________________________________________________________________________
City State Zip Code
Telephone ( _____ ) -_______________ email address___________________________________________
Make Check or Money Order payable to ALSI
(Yearly membership fees: $25-USA, $26-Canada, $27-International, $100-Gold)
Mail to: ALSI/REED BLOCK c/o Helen Estok Schoell
P.O. Box 151357 San Diego, CA 92175
Call 619-584-4970 for questions
Volume 22
Issue 5
Page 3
HAPPINESS AT ALSI
by Marian Sowell & Sharon Marotte
April 12, 2015 – another fun day at ALSI.
Special thanks to Marian Sowell for recording
the first half of our ALSI meeting, I was late
coming from playing at the Community Dinner at my church. Players at the Village were:
Crider 1 – Ted Hill, Crider 2 – Loren
Gardner, Brandel – Jerry Odling, Cafeteria
- Steve Halpern . Bill Barr was the MC &
Jack Marotte worked the sound equipment.
� The first player of the day was Jerry
Odling. His songs were Ameriksansh
Jularbo Vals, Halsa Dem Darhemma
Waltz (Swedish), Rote Rosen Rote Lippen
RoterWein and Sailor, your Home is on
the Sea (German). Lots of Scandinvian
music, good stuff!!
� Diane Polinski was so pretty in her purple outfit, she is always so colorful and
pretty!! She plays with no music, standing
up. Her songs were: It’s a Wonderful
World, Make the World go Away and I
Can’t Help Falling in Love with you (a
song done by Elvis Presley).
� Juergen Rosenfeld played next. He &
Hildegard will be leaving shortly for their
annual trip to Germany. We wish them a
safe journey. Juergen played a Medley of
German wine songs.
� Michael Esken, a guest player is from El
Cajon. He played a saltarelle Diatonic
accordion. It is an Irish two row which
plays one row in the key of “B” and the
other row in the key of “C”. He played
several songs, one was the Silver Anniversary Waltz, written by Ann McGuire. Michael also joined in the workshop at the
end of the day.
Break – once again Jane Ford did a beautiful job of decorating her coffee/treats table.
Bob Warner provided money for Ted Hill
to buy donuts for treats. Gordon Kohl furnished chocolates. During our break we en-
joyed music by Diane Polinski at the piano.
This gal is so gifted in music.
� Steve Halpern played for us after the
break. He was a busy guy today, also playing at the cafeteria. His songs were: a Romanian Klesmer Chosjajka, Fralach #2, a
Jewish dance, Hava Nagila, Ozidanie a Russian waltz, and Tumbalalaika. I sure do
hope I spelled these names correctly!!
� Loren Gardner took the stage with
these songs: Home on the Range, Missouri
Waltz & Desert Song. Good to hear Loren play.
� Bob Page was our last player of the day.
He played some songs to demonstrate different sounds possible on his Roland. St
Louis Blues – sax sound with a bassoon
accordion sound, I Surrender Dear with
bass reeds, Amazing Grace – first with harmonia sounds, second with accordion
sounds, third with organ sounds and very
nice bass work! His last song was played
along with a MP player, a bolero Without
You. Nice Bob, I think we all learned
something!!
Folks attended a workshop led by Gordon
Kohl. Handouts were available with several
songs included. A few songs were: Godfather
Waltz, Trompeten - Echo, Too Fat, and Girl
from Ipanema. Gordon led the group thru the
songs with several tips and tools to use when
playing, bellowing, squealing the reeds, louds &
softs, etc.
Special thank you to Roy Birdsell for bring
me lilacs from Santa Ysabel. I really love the
lilac smell and it reminds me of my growing up
on the farm in Minnesota.
Reminder: The May ALSI meeting will be
the first Sunday in May because of Mothers
Day the second Sunday of the month. Jack & I
will be in Texas at that time so carry on!!! —
Page 4
ALSI HAPPINESS PLAYERS
Soundman
Jack
Marotte
Historian
Sharon
Marotte
Volume 22
Issue 5
Page 5
COMING IN JUNE
ALSI 22nd Annual
Summer Picnic
Sunday, June 14, 2015
11:30 am— 4:30 pm
at Lindo Lake Park
In Lakeside.
Bring your own chairs, blankets, beverage preference
and a covered dessert dish (cookie or cake type preferred) to share.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
BBQ Beef or Chicken Sandwich Plate,
with Potato Salad, Cole Slaw, and Baked Beans.
Lemonade and ice water will be provided with meal at 1:00 to 2:00 pm.
______________________________________________________________________________________________
There will be money raffles & fun games to play.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
We will enjoy a variety of music from our
famous ALSI ensemble directed by Vicki Eriqat, and
there will be an opportunity for everyone to play.
Invite your friends and family to join us for this picnic outing!
RSVP and check payment is due by: May 20, 2014.
$12 for members and guests in advance, $15 at the event.
(seconds at the event will be charged $15 for each plate)
Make check payable to ALSI and send to:
Helen Estok Schoell, P.O. Box 151357 San Diego, CA 92175
ALSI 22nd Annual Summer Picnic
Number of people attending _______
$___________ total enclosed.
Indicate total number of sandwich preferences:
______Beef or _____Chicken,
Names of people attending:________________________________________
Page 6
COMING THIS MONTH
A.L.S.I. PRESENTS
a showcase featuring
Joe Colombo
WHERE
WHEN
Bailey Hall at
Mount Miguel
Village
325 Kempton
Avenue In
Spring Valley.
Sunday, May 3,
2015
At 2:30
to 3:30 pm
After
Refreshment
Break
Joe’s first love was the accordion. This was out of all the instruments in the world and it
still is to this day. He grew up in downtown San Diego in the “Little Italy” neighborhood.
He started taking lessons on the accordion at the young age of 12. His first accordion was
a 12 bass Hohner loaned to him by a friend of his father. It was passed down to his younger brother Vito who stills plays it to this day. His teacher at the time was Charles Bertolino who came to his home for the lessons. That didn’t last long so he had to ride buses to
his lessons at Bertolino’s Studio in the East County. Joe studied under him for about four
years. When he turned 16 and was able to drive, Mr. Bertolino offered him the job of
teaching accordion after school and on Saturdays. After High School, Joe joined the U.S. Air
Force and traveled the world playing his accordion at U.S.O. shows, military clubs and other venues. Today, he still is very active playing the accordion at various functions in the
area and at the ALSI meetings. His heart felt thanks goes out to the ALSI club for all the
great music and fellowship that the club has shared with him and his family. The experience
over the years has been very rewarding to him and helped to keep him active with the instrument. His program next month will include Italian, French and modern arrangements
for the accordion which should reach out to all the fans of the instrument. —
Volume 22
Issue 5
CHORD CHART FOR PLAYERS AND MAY WORKSHOP
Page 7
Page 8
ACCORDION NEWS/EVENTS
RCAC Accordion Camp at Silver Falls
June 7-12 2015. Conductors are Murl Allen
Sanders and Stas Venglevski and workshop
instructors are: Beverley Fess and Mary Tokarski. For more information contact Club
president Wayne Tiusanen @ (503)919-2962.
Leavenworth International Accordion
Celebration June 18-21 2015 held in
Leavenworth Washington. This is sponsored
by the Northwest Accordion Society and features concerts, competitions, jam sessions
and parades. It is held in a quaint and Bavarian style village of Leavenworth. For more
information
see
website
www.accordioncelebration.org/.
Las Vegas International Convention
June 22-25. This event will feature many
artists including our Gordon Kohl (who will
also hold several workshops), Stas Venglevski,
Mary Tokarski, Joey Miskulin and Grayson
Masefield. Joan Cochran Sommers will once
again conduct the annual accordion orchestra.
For more information contact Paul Pasquali at:
vegas@AccordionStars.com.
ATG Accordion Teachers Guild Festival
July 22-25 in Lisle IL near Chicago. It will feature concerts. Exhibits, workshops, demonstrations, Jam sessions and competitions at all levels.
There will be a Festival Orchestra conducted by
Joan Cochran Sommers. For more information
see website www.accordions.com/atg.
Cotati Accordion Festival August 22-23
held in outdoor setting in Cotati California.
Artists featured are Cory Pesaturo, Ginny Mac,
Flaco Jimenez, Stas Venglevski, Steve Albini, and
the Steve Balich Polka Band. For more information call (707)664-0444. —
Volume 22
Issue 5
Page 9
ALSI MEETING CALENDAR
IN MEMORIUM
May 3rd
Showcase with Joe Colombo, and
jazz workshop held by Bob Page.
LORA HOLMES
June 14th
Annual Picnic at Lindo Lake Park.
July 12th
Meeting and Showcase with Jerry Odling.
August 9th
Meeting and Showcase with Jennifer Amaya
October 11th
Meeting and Showcase with Tom Eskola
Electronic Accordion Workshop
with Gordon Kohl
Sat., May 2nd, 2015, 11:30 am to 4 pm.
At Meadowbrook Club House,
8301 Mission Gorge Road, Santee
Fee of $15 includes music & materials.
(To register or more info call 619-427-4344)
PLAYING AROUND
Louis
Fanucchi
Every other Wednesdays at
Romescos in Bonita.
Lou offers classroom and
private accordion instruction from beginner to the
advanced professional wanting to expand to a
new genre. He currently plays a Petosa custom
crafted AM 1100 and a Roland FR-7X V accordion.
For more information call 619-948-3774 or
check online at www.loufanucchi.com for his
calendar. —
ALSI received word of the passing of Lora
Holmes on April 14 after a long illness. She is
the wife of our Past President Kjell Holmes.
Lora was born on August 17, 1934 and was
raised on a ranch near
Burns Oregon. While
attending classes at the
Sacred Heart Nursing
School, Lora met Kjell
who was serving as an
Airman in the Air
Force during the Korean War. They were
later married in August 1955. This year they
would have celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. A private burial service was held on
April 23 with Gordon Kohl providing wonderful music on his accordion at the gravesite.
The selections included; Amazing Grace and
How Great Thou Art. Lora is survived by her
husband, Kjell; two children, Eric and Julie; and
three grand-children, Nicholas, Charlie and
Tommy. There will be a Memorial Service on
May 20th at 1 pm at the Torrey Pines Christian Church. For those seeking more information concerning the memorial service please
call Kjell at 858-453-5486 or his daughter, Julie
at 760-586-1139. —
CUSTOMCRA FTED —
(
ALSI
Statement Of
Purpose:
�
�
�
ALSI is San Diego’s
forum for appreciating and performing
accordion music,
including the MIDI
electronic accordion
We welcome members who enjoy listening to or playing
accordion music.
We have an accordion ensemble group,
monthly meetings,
local concerts featuring local and internationally famous performers, an annual
picnic and a monthly
newsletter.
The REED BLOCK
c/o Helen Estok Schoell
P.O. Box 151357
San Diego, CA 92175
MAY
2015
EDITION
Monthly Newsletter
On May 3rd
Join us at the ALSI gathering as we enjoy
our monthly meeting with a Showcase
featuring Joe Colombo and a
Workshop by Bob Page on
Marocco style Jazz Improvisation.
Meeting
From
1:00 to
4 :00 pm.
At Mt. Miguel
Covenant
Village in
Spring Valley