Accordionist Paul Betken of Arizona will be the featured performer at the Silicon Valley Accordion Club on January 4, 2015 in San Jose, California.
At the age of 15 yrs., Paul mentored under the blind jazz accordionist, Leon Sash. Their friendship blossomed into a life long relationship with Leon’s gifts of wisdom and music.
Paul has performed for many years as a soloist and with small groups and orchestras throughout Metro Chicago. His experience is anchored in most all musical genre’s in extensively varied venues. He has performed in shows, private parties, theatres, country clubs, hotels and lounges etch and was a former resident accordionist in Chicago for Bobbi Vinton.
As a resident of Tempe, AZ for the last 10 years, Paul enjoys casual engagements and jam sessions all around town. He keeps active at national events and festivals. In June, 2014, he released his latest CD, “Paul’s Turn – Jazz Accordion” showcasing the accordion in a Pop/Jazz mode featuring songs which one would not expect to be heard played on the accordion.
Past and recent performances:
• Annual Arizona Accordion Festival (2007 to present)
• International Accordion Convention in Las Vegas (solo lunch concert – October 2010)
• Florida Smash, Southeast Accordion Association, Orlando, Florida, November, 2012, “A Tribute to Leon Sash,” concert
• North Hollywood Accordion Club, July 2012
• 1st Runner-up, Senior Division, Roland Accordion Festival Competition (2012)
• the “Jazz Series” at Sacred Grounds, Phoenix, AZ, “A Tribute to Leon Sash” July, 2013
• International Accordion Convention in Las Vegas (duet concerts – September 27, 2012 and October 28, 2013)
• Mesa Accordion event, concert – February, 2014
• Workshop and concert at the NAAC convention (Dallas, 2014)
• Cotati Accordion Festival, August, 2014.
Future concert schedule:
• Dallas NAAC 03/2015
• Las Vegas International Convention 06/2015
Silicon Valley Accordion Society meetings are held the first Sunday of each month at Harry’s Hofbrau
390 Saratoga Avenue
San Jose, CA 95129
at the corner of Kiely Blvd.
Doors open at 1:00PM, the program begins at 1:45. The door fee is $5, under 16 – no charge.
For further information: pdbetken1@msn.com,
