From the Sugar Land Sun: They hail from Germany, Japan, Austria, Columbia, Italy, the United States, and Azerbaijan and speak one language –Accordion. Their love of the instrument promotes friendship, learning, and solace.
Musicians from the Fort Bend Accordion Club entertained more than 40 patrons and guests during the club’s monthly musical performance at Eduardo’s Mexican Restaurant in Stafford. Outside, gloomy weather persisted on Sunday, October 25. Inside, swells from the organ brightened the room and inspired diners to dance and sing.
Guest organist, Manef Rza, visited from Azerbaijan. The crowd clapped along as he deftly glided across the keys and buttons of the Garmon-style accordion. Rza played Western harmony with his left hand and elicited the song’s Eastern melody with his right hand. “West meets East,” he said via a translator, Ali Haghshenas. A member of the Fort Bend Accordion Club, Hagh-shenas performed several folk tunes on the Garmon.
Friendship abounds in the accordion club. The night’s first female performer, Dolores Baumann invited her friend Willy Krolls to attend. “He taught me to play the accordion 17 years ago,” she said. Krolls confirmed that and ended up performing a few songs for the crowd. “Tonight is the first time I’ve played in five years,” he said. Krolls said his hands had been badly burned in a past accident. “Do you believe in miracles?” he asked. “I’m one. Never give up.”
Club President Vince Ramos performed with a Gabbanelli accordion decorated with beautiful mother-of-pearl inlays. As his hands whizzed across the keys, well-loved Mexican ballads emerged and prompted patrons to croon along with him. He later invited Elia Davila onstage to sing traditional songs from Puerto Rico.
Accordionist Megumi Hada performed and credited the instrument with saving her. After being gifted with an accordion from her husband, the novice student asked her teacher, “Can I learn the tango?” The clever teacher knew better and guided her to start with two Christmas songs. Hada’s beloved husband was later killed by a drunk driver in front of their home. Deeply affected, she became withdrawn from grief. Her teacher phoned and said, “Your tango is waiting.” Hada began, step-by-step, to play again. “She knew I needed that song for my soul.”
Virtuoso Mario Pedone owns seven accordions. “My favorite is the Excelsior,” he said. Pedone has toured and performed around the world. He founded the Mario Musical School and teaches students of any age to play and compose music. “Most of my students are Chinese,” he said.
Maestro Pedone performed several duets with Ramos and later invited all the accordionists up for a jam session at the end of the evening. Accordionists Ed Karish and Jorge Ortiz joined the aforementioned musicians on stage. Pedone initiated a lively rendition of the Chicken Dance giving rise to a dueling accordions scenario. Rza answered back with a dynamic interpretation of the song –all in good fun.
To learn more about the Fort Bend Accordion Club, contact Vince Ramos at 281-204-7716, or Mario Pedone at 713-401-7933.
