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From the Accordion Club ( Accordionaires ) in Burbank California November 2007
Mario Pedone was hooked up and ready to give the Accordionaires a great concert. Mario brought dozens of Cd's and music books he has written. Sales were brisk before, during and especially after his performance. Our members were inspired to emulate the outstanding technique Mario displayed all evening. Mario performed for just over two hours. Hin only break when the police temporarily interrupted the meeting to ask us to come outside to see if our cars had been hit by a suv that had jumpe the curb and sheared off the fire hydrant at the corner of Victorio's parking lot. The flying suv hit three parked cars, but none were from our group. After that bit of excitement, Mario was playing for us again.
Mario used an Excelsior Symphony Gold, which he played to perfection. This is a great accordion and in his expert hands the result was perfection. His presentation took two forms: playing with Cd background, and playing solo. As you know from the biography you read in last month's newsletter, Mariuo used the piano and keyboards extensively as a performer. Over time he learned to record his own multi-track accompaniment, which could de used with the accordion or other instruments. Parts of Mario's performance this evening featured the recorded orchestral background as he took front stage live with the accordion. The result was extremely enjoyable. Unlike simultaneously using a midi module, Mario's method produced a very realistic, orchestral presentation. Mario used our club amp for the CD accompaniment and a separate amp for his accordion. By having the accompaniment separate ( recorded on the CD ) he was able to enhance the effect of the accordion or the background independently just as would have occurred in a live band performance. " Feeling " and " Expression " wee two terms everyone mentioned after hearing Mario.
Additionally Mario had everyone craning their neck to watch him play. His command of the keyboard was simply outstanding. Slow, medium or lightening fast, his fingers were right on target all the time. Mario also interchanged melodies from the bass section and the treble keyboard. Much of this bass work was very reminiscent of Nick Ariondo - his fingers were everywhere on that bass-board. Further enhancing the evening, Mario played selections of all type: Latin, French, Polkas, Ballads, Marches and Waltzes, you name it, he did it.
Here is a partial list of the many songs Mario performed this evening.
French medley: Polka medley, Swedish, American and Polish ( with these songs you realized that this man plays a piano keyboard with the same speed we expect from a button accordion) . Using his Ketron SD-1 Keyboard recorded in four or five parts onto a computer track and accompanied live with his Excelsior we heard: Have told you lately that i love you, Orange blossom special, La paloma, Accordion solamente, Granada ( reversing the melody line onto the bass with harmony coming from the treble keyboard) . Estudio in D minor and the Woodpecker song ( Expression and double key mastery throughout these pieces ). This time a combination of accordion solo and CD accompaniment: Medley including Hana Naghila, Zorba's theme, Petticoats of Portugal, España Cañi, and a Tango, and a Waltz, and a Latin waltz with Siboney as the finale ( Rhythm variations, keyboard cross-over, and double-key action all contributed to this knock-out group) . After a short break Mario was back with his grand finale: La vie en Rose, I'll love you today-I'll love you tomorrow, ( Lebanese song Habbeitak Bssaiff ), Czardas - Monti, Santa Lucia, German songs: Hofbrau haus drinking house Munich, Du du liebst mir im Herzen, Beer barrel polka and in a final shift of mood.... Diamonds are forever.
Numerous Club members have called to express their appreciation for Mario's outstanding performance. Pat Striplin reported that Mario had a super night selling his Cd's and Books. Without a doublt the Accordionaires know quality when they hear it. Mario, thanks for coming, and please come see us again.
Chicago Accordion Club Entertainment February 25, 2008 Coverage by Ron Grenda
When Homer described Odysseus' travels many century ago, there were no accordions and there was no Mario Pedone to stir the imagination. There were only sirens and bags of wind.
Fortunately for the Chicago Accordion Club listeners, on the snowy night of February 25, 2008, things had changed. There was an Excelsior accordion and, to provide the inspiration and stir the hearts, there was a traveler named Mario Pedone. Mario captured the audience instantly as he floated over the Seine with " Pigalle " and " Under Paris Skies . " He soon left the continent by way of Holland to clog into the windy city with the " American Wooden Shoe Polka. " With memorable expressive little bellow shakes, he made an " Unforgettable " slide down into the bassoon register. A tejano tune, " Hey Baby Que Paso " came straight from the Lone Star State with gusto. The world traveler took everyone along for a musical grand tour starting in the Eternal City with " Arrivederci Roma. " It was on to Iberia for " España " and the memorable lilting " Lisbon Antigua. " Mario helped everyone safely board the Orient Express for Turkey and " Instanbul. " It was on to the Middle East for a little rejoicing with " Hava Naghila " before waltzing into Sweden and Russia wth buttons, bellows and keys. Mario escorted his enraptured audience down to South America way to Argentina for Gardel's great tango, " Por una cabeza. " It was then over the Andes to Peru for " Estrellita del sur. " When you love the World and the World loves you, sometimes you must keep on the move. Mario was starting touch of precise bass work towards Prague in the Czech Republic for " Polka de la cerveza. " The " Beer Barrel POlka " really had the blues on the run. Mario's own composition of " Waltz in D minor " gentile sparkled as he prepared the listeners for his exquisite bellows movement in " You light up my life. " His own accompanied version was a favorite with many of the ladies. " The Orange Blossom Special " then came fly, down the tracks from Texas with dazzling accordion effects. " Granada " by Agustin Lara had the audience falling under Mario's spell and reacting with a spontaneous standing ovation Oh, my, it was on Mario's words " Andiamo Bambini " and time for Magnante's " Waltz Allegro. " The wonderful student and professor remembered his own Italian and Spanish teachers with Maracaibo with love a delicious waltz from Venezuela. He then expressed his love of James Bond movies with the Hauntingly delightful " Diamonds are forever. " Mario Pedone was still # 1 with Hillary, John and Barack after his primary special " Pennsylvania Polka." He had all parties embrace in a sing-a-long of " You are my sunshine. " The dramatic and powerfully gentle art of Mario Pedone reached another plateau in " Malagueña. " The Chicago Accordion Club members responded with another standing ovation for great accordionist. Mario invited Ed Smollen to join him for truly internationally spiced version of " Tico Tico ", " Flick Flack " and " Bavarian Polka in Bb. " The duo received a marvelous round of applause for combining the Excelsior and Dallape so well. The listeners shouted for more and Mario obliged with Pietro Deiro's " Tranquillo " and a terrific tribute to Astor Piazzolla. The stunningly beautiful concert closed with a tribute to America featuring a heartfelt " America the Beautiful ", The Army, Marine, Navy and Air Force " songs, and " God Bless America. " The Chicago Accordion Club had been honored to hear a little boy from Italy who had ventured to South America before carrying his musical genius to our toddling town by way of Texas. His lifelong journey had been worthwhile!
Houston Chronicle
September 15, 2005
Lifelong Musician Plays, Teaches Accordion
Sugar Land man organizes club for instrument by: Katania Castaned
With a delicate touch, Mario Pedone, 53, seems to caress the accordion as he draws out harmonic sounds to make beautiful music. He can play just about anything, from a polka to classical music. " It's not just an instrument that you play, " Pedone said. " You have to give your soul. You have to melt with the music, give life to the music. You need to transmit everything you feel to the minds and hearts of the people that are listening. " In an effort to share his love of music with others, Pedone has traveled the World playing the accordion. He also teaches young people the technique for playng the accordion, and he founded the Fort Bend County Accordion Club in October 2003 to promote accordion music to the general public.The Club will meet from 2-5 pm Oct 9 2005 at The Terrace at First Colony retirement community, 16900 Lexington Blvd. in Sugar Land Texas. " The accrdion is not a very popular instrument, " he said. It was popular in the 1950s, 60s, 70s and before but then the keyboard showed up, Now Pedone, who is originally from Italy but lives in Sugar Land, works tirelessly to revive an iunterest in accordion music. " Every instrument is wonderful, " Pedone said. " But I want people to know that the accordion is still alive. " Pedone's love of music began at an early age, 9 when he first heard his brother play the instrument. " When I first saw the accordio, I thought, " I think I like thsi instrument ", recalls Pedone. " I would watch my brother play, and then when he wasn't using it, I would hide and play for hours. I Would try to play everything that my brother was playing, so I learned to play by ear. " Pedone remembers the 26 pound accordion as being so heavy that he had to pick it up and play it while it was resting on the sofa. One afternoon, his father came in and caught him playing the instrument. Pedone thought he was going to get into trouble, but when his father saw how good he was, he signed him up for lessons with a professional teacher. Pedone spent his youth taking lessons and practiving. He studied music theory and composition anything he could and practiced about five hours each day. He received his musical training in Valencia, Venezuela, where he grew up. He and his parents had immigrated to Venezuela from Italy after World War II when the country was virtually destroyed and few jobs were available. In his early 20s, Pedone gratuated as an accordion concert player and teacher, specializing in high-speed technique. His professional life began with a band of six musicians that formed part of the agrupacion Orquestal Los Latinos. They played for important singers that came to Venezuela. Pedone also founded an Accordion School in Valencia, where he taught for 12 years. In 1981, he came to the Houston area with his wife Marbella Pedone, They have four chidren and 6 grandchildren. His first job in the Houston are was at The Old Heidelberg in the Fountaiview area where he has played off and on for years. He can be seen in Sugar Land Thursdays at Vittorio's Cucina Italian, 15295 Southwest Freeway, from 6-9 pm He also is a regular concert performer, and has been all over Europe, Latin America and the United States. Those who have had a chance to play with Pedone describe his as a fabuloys musician. Peter Widmark, 55 from Dover, N.H. has known Pedone for nearly 20 years. " I've heard hundreds of accordion players, and he's certainly up with the best, " Widmark said. Fort Bend County Sheriff Milton Wright who also plays the accordion, said " Without any reservation, ( Mario Pedone is ) the best accordion player and musician I've ever been around. I've never heard anyone with his kind of talent.
Silicon Valley Accordion Society April 2008
Mario, while up on stage, smiling, friendly, folksy and relaxed. Mario, playing Genious ! That's what accordion, piano and guitar instructor Irving Cardoza, who places value on technique as well as feeling, said about this higly talented player. On Pigalle, Mario's glissando was immaculate! with Granada he played melody on the bass and did triple hits on the keys. The wooden shoe polka was a piece composed by his good friend Nils Lundin, and 86 year old who still plays the accordion ! Mario dedicated Unforgettable ro Vince Cirelli, again with great note trills. Oh Lonesome Me was accompanied by a banjo background and Mario got us to sing the chorus. During Hava Naghila we were delighted to see Marbella dance to the piece. Her moves were very dramatic and expressive. With te orange blossom special Mario's bellows shake was incredible and with Texas touch. Peter Di Bono and Mario even with note changes! talk about challenges ! Anyone who tries that knows what I mean. Soon Peter Di Bon accompanied Mario on the Beer barrel polka and we couldn't help but " roll out the barrel ". And Norma accompanied Mario on Besame Mucho. Good glissando, Norma ! Mario has every rhythm " down pat ", polka, mambo, waltz, tango, rhapsody, rag time, march, you name it. He played at least 30 pieces. Genious ! What a Pleasure
Northwest Accordion Society Social Seattle, Washington.
February 11, 2008 - By: Marjorie Rombauer
Mario Pedone, he played a long and varied program, but he exudes joy in playing and the audience responded with enthusiasm. He began with " Wooden Heart " and segued into " Beer barrel polka ". He has large hands and fingers but plays with a delicate, effortless touch, particularly notable in a fast " Rattling Keys. " He played the French " Pigalle " and the German " Snow Waltz, " coming back to the United States for " Misty " played in Texas swing style. He played " Misty and others of his numbers with a prerecorded accompaniment. For the whole program he used an amplified accordion, which showcased the sound of the accordion - particularly on slower songs, such as the haunting Finnish waltz. " Metsa Kukkia, " sometimes called " Flowers of the West " or " Forest Flowers. " He responded to a request for " Tarantella, " then he played España Cañi with embellishments and repeated notes. For a series of songs, he did not announce the titles, instead letting the audience call out the names, After a Jewish number, he took us on a Journey for the Music of Greece, Peru and Brazil, concluding with a Venezuelan waltz for his wife. He ultimately returned to Texas fo r the " Hey baby que paso ." To honor our service personnel, he conclud by playing simple, moving arrangments of the service songs, " Marine, Army, Navy and Air Force " a full volume " America the beautiful and God Bless America " It was an interesting program. I haven't reported all of it; sometimes I just sat back and enjoyed the music instead of writing.
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