La Villini Restaurant of East Northport, NY is sponsoring the next meeting of the Long Island Accordion Alliance (LIAA) on Wednesday, February 6, 2019. The featured guest artists will be the very entertaining Scandinavian group “Smorgasbandet.” They are a lively accordion band based in Long Island, New York performing in the Tri-State area and beyond.
Excerpts from their website: The group specialize in Scandinavian music with American music mixed in too, customizing personal Sing-A-Longs, Audience Participation with Songs & Dances.
Jeanne, the daughter of the late maestro Walter Eriksson, was brought up in the very Scandinavian community of Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. She has been dancing since age 5 and playing accordion & piano since childhood. Swedish-American of the Year 2005, Jeanne was knighted by the King of Sweden in 1996 with the Order of the Polar Star medal.
A member of the Vasa Order of America, she is emcee & ringleader at the annual Swedish Midsummer in Manhattan with thousands attending, and is a member of Sons of Norway, SWEA, FAWN, and Society Åland of NY. Her grandparents immigrated to America in the early 1900s from Sweden and Finland.
Wayne Söderlund´s paternal grandparents were from Sweden, and Wayne has been playing accordion all his life. Specializing in jazz, Wayne discovered Scandinavian music through the Scandinavian Accordion Club of NY, where he met Jeanne and Chad.
Chad Widman is Jeanne´s son and is a “natural”. A very animated percussionist. He creates all of our Video & Social Media & Website Creations – “Widman Productions”
Johnny Soderlund is Wayne’ Son and he TOO is a “natural”. A percussionist and guitar player for Smörgåsbandet since he was a very young boy. He is the SRS Sound Engineer for the latest recordings of Smörgåsbandet.
Walter Eriksson jr is the son of the late maestro Walter Eriksson, ( www.WalterEriksson.com ) – Walter was brought up in the very Scandinavian community of Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. “Wally” has been involved in the scandinavian community since childhood and plays several instruments, Nyckelharpa, Drums, Guitar and the violin.
Ingrid Olsson is is a specialist in Scandinavian folk music and art song. She began performing in the Scandinavian community in Brooklyn when she was four years old. She was a life long friend of Jeanne. Sadly, our beloved Ingrid passed away in 2016. They continue to play the scandinavian music she loved to be a part of.
For Bookings, Call/Text Jeanne at 718-415-0602
Email Dragspel@Aol.com
February 6: La Villini Restaurant, 288 Larkfield Road, East Northport, NY 11731
Phone: 631 – 261 – 6344
Email: lavillini@yahoo.com
Date: Wednesday, February 6, 2019 at 6:PM
Reservations are recommended.
