Accordionist Paul Betken has released his latest album “Beyond My Comfort Zone” a welcome addition to the musical world. Paul mentored under the legendary blind jazz accordionist, Leon Sash, at age 15 for seven years. Their friendship blossomed into a life long relationship ending with Leon’s death in 1979. During that time, Leon blessed him with gifts of his wisdom, music and philosophy.
Paul became a member of “Leon’s guys” which was a small group of professional accordionists in Chicago promoted by Leon to the musical artists community. Paul performed for many years (as a soloist, with small groups and larger ensembles) throughout Metro Chicago. His experience is anchored in most all musical genre’s. He has performed in shows, private parties, theatres, corporate functions, country clubs, hotels and lounges etc. Paul was a former resident accordionist in Chicago for Bobbi Vinton and his concert shows.
Residing in Tempe, AZ for the last 12 years, Paul enjoys casual engagements and jam sessions all around Phoenix. He is a member of the Board Directors, Arizona Accordion Club. In 2017, he published a book on jazz accordion arrangements of select tunes from the Great American Songbook. In the past few years, he has performed concerts and given workshops at the Cotati, CA Festival, the ATG Convention, Chicago, the Las Vegas International Accordion Convention, the National Accordion Association Convention, Dallas and in Rome, Italy.
His earlier CD, “Paul’s Turn – Jazz Accordion,” June, 2014 showcases the accordion in a Pop/Jazz mode featuring songs which one would not expect to be performed on the instrument. It was featured on the podcast Sunday-Riff, 21 June, 2015,” hosted by Dermott Husey of Sirius XM, Accordions USA.com and Accordions Worldwide.com–the worldwide hallmark internet venue for the accordion. The album has received both national and international recognition including praise from Howard Reich, music critic of the Chicago Tribune, August 12, 2014 and Paolo Picchio, President of Consorzio Music Marche, Castelfidardo, Italy, September 5, 2015.
This album looks to present many types of accordion jazz arrangements with jazz improvisations that are simply not often performed by many accordionists, if at all. It is pleasing and fun to hear. The arrangements include jazz take-offs, complex harmonic patterns and chord progressions which tend to hold the line with existing popular and standard melodies.
These techniques most of which were uniquely used by the great accordion jazz masters are meant to attract the ear of the audience while holding on to the authenticity of the musical selection. Indeed, “SUNSHINE SUPERMAN” is a funky bluesy accordion arrangement exemplifying these ideas as is Bob Marley’s reggae song, “WAITING IN VAIN.” The accordion as a keyboard instrument blends well in beautiful tone colors; the timbre of the accordion takes advantage of the various authentic rhythms and accompaniments offered by the superb quartet instrumentation.
The album includes the ever popular “Feel So Good” by Chuck Mangione and “Just Go Out and Get It”, Paul’s own original composition. There is a playful blend of rubato solo accordion and changing tempos in the fine marriage between John Lennon’s “Imagine” and Judi Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now.” The standards offer everything from a cautious ballad which segues in to a “businessman’s bounce” with “Embraceable You” arranged by my mentor, Leon Sash, and followed by a “jazz waltz” mode with “Bluesette” (with an intro and ending from the Merry Widow) and to the swing-style of Benny Goodman in an arrangement of “Lady Be Good.”
Other selections of time-tested standards arranged for jazz accordion performance, including, “There’ll Never Be Another You”, “Autumn Leaves”, a dn “Al The Things You Are” AUTUMN LEAVES” resonate in the ears and minds as mainstays of society’s musical heritage. Lastly, “Wave” as a bossa nova with the influence of Dexter Gordon and Lullaby of the Leaves” with the influence of Leon Sash,embrace what the accordion can accomplish in by following the jazz greats.
Paul Betken’s Stated Objectives for Doing this Project“: This album represents an eclectic compilation of jazz accordion arrangements involving a unique blend of accordion artistry and style. Since most of the great jazz accordionists have passed this way–Leon Sash, Art Van Damm, Frank Marocco, Matt Mathews, Johnny Miejer and others, there is a great need to fill a vacuum in the jazz accordion genre. My earlier recording, the project, “Paul’s Turn,” Jazz Accordion, (a CD currently available at CD Baby.com) in addition to the inclusion of standard songs of the great American Songbook, stood for the goal of bringing more contemporary and popular music into the scope of accordion performance. It is believed that there is need to refresh the older accordion repertoire which prevails today. This album focuses on that need.
The intention of this album is meant to bring back the spirit of those popular deceased jazz accordionists. This compilation expresses in its style a methodology accordionists can use to expand the popularity and acceptance of the instrument. The proposition for proclaiming the accordion as a legitimate musical instrument is supported through the use of some bold new contemporary musical choices.”
Paul added, “ I had the pleasure of being very active as a participant at the recent National Accordion Association.During the convention, I performed on the main stage along with Cory Pesaturo, Grayson Masefield and Joe Natoli. This was a program led by Jessica Fallot as a dedication program in honor of great accordion artists. I had the honor and pleasure to perform selections dedicated to the memory of Frank Marocco. My performance included a favorite standard from the great American songbook along with a contemporary adaptation of a John Lennon selection. I also was the designated performer for a program called “Ballarini’s Ballroom.” Nick and I played the main program in duet fashion thereafter anyone was welcome for open play. I had the opportunity to give a workshop with power point on the subject of “Studying under the Legendary Master of Jazz Accordion” (Leon Sash).
Rich De Labio performed the percussion activities in and out of the recording studio on my CD. Rich has been the Drum/Percussionist-in Residence at the Las Vegas Internal Accordion Convention for the past 17 years. His credits over the years include all of the concert appearances of Art Van Damm, Frank Marocco and Kenny Kotwitz. The accordion world treasures and really knows the work and performances of Rich De Labio . He has specialized in enhancing and bringing accordion performance to another level or maybe “Beyond My Comfort Zone.”
Photo Left to Right: Ted Sistrunk, Rich De Labio, Paul Betken and Stan Sorenson.
For further information: pdbetken1@msn.com
