The accordion blog scene keeps growing! The latest addition is the Cajun Squeezebox Blog. Written by a native of Lafayette, Louisiana, it focuses on Cajun accordion news and events, as well as occasional tablatures (notes and lyrics) so you can play along at home. Last week, they featured the “The Convict Waltz” (or “La Valse de Quatre-Vingt Dix-Neuf Ans”) which was popularized by the late Cajun accordion legend, Iry LeJeune.

• Pepe Maldonado – Tejano Music Forum
  Pepe Maldonado is a semi-retired Tejano musician who dedicates his spare time to keeping traditional conjunto music alive. He hosts weekly Sunday night dances at La Lomita Park in McAllen, TX; this week, Los Fantasmas del Valle are playing.
• Hiram College T-Shirt Deal
  The Hiram College Library is trying to increase its collection of local music in all styles, including polka. Northeast Ohio musicians are invited to swap a CD for a Hiram College t-shirt. It’s a win-win: get a shirt and a chance to tap a new audience.
• NPR : Denver Band DeVotchKa Channels Russian Chanson
  An interview with DeVotchKa frontman Nick Urata before their recent performance of Russian chanson in LA. He talks a bit about growing up around “accordion music and immigrants dancing holding hands,” a feeling DeVotchKa tries to capture in its music.

• Seattle Weekly: NW Folklife Festival Recap
  The Seattle Weekly writeup on last weekend’s Northwest Folklife Festival (lots of accordion acts involved!) mentions an accordion group called Hell’s Bellows but doesn’t include any links or photos. Does anyone know more about them?
• The Adventures of Sydney & Her Accordion
  Sydney is an ethnomusicologist researching Dominican merengue tipico, a type of merengue based around the accordion. Worth a visit just for her fantastic pictures of the Dominican Republic.
• The Hollywood Walk of Fame Star Campaign for “Weird Al” Yankovic
  Weird Al fans are raising money to get Al a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. If you want to help the cause, donations are due by May 31. If Judge Judy and the Rugrats have stars, I think Weird Al’s is long overdue.

• Interview with Lidia Kaminska, Classical Accordionist
  Hugh Sung interviews classical accordionist Lidia Kaminska in the first of a three-part video interview. In this episode, Lidia explains how the chromatic button accordion works and shows off her incredible skills.
• Corky Bennett
  Corky Bennett is a veteran accordionist/pianist in Reno, NV. He also served as Dick Contino’s arranger and conductor for many years, and still does shows with Dick and his own act around the country.
• Bester Quartet Cancels US Tour
  Unfortunately, the Bester Quartet has canceled its US tour, which was to include double-bills with Motion Trio in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, and Washington, DC. (We’ve updated the listings on our calendar.)

• the Bloodline
  Vincent Winterbourne’s blog devoted to “general, not-so-breaking news in the Tejano, Conjunto, and Norteño scenes in Texas.” A Texan version of Let’s Polka, really.
• Alphonse “Bois Sec” Ardoin
  Biography and photos of Alphonse “Bois Sec” Ardoin, the Louisiana accordion legend who passed away on Wednesday. Bois Sec was one of the first to bring rural Creole music to a worldwide audience.

• CD Baby: Guyland Leday: Be My Girlfriend
  Be My Girlfriend is the new album by nine-year-old zydeco prodigy, Guyland Leday, with “Zydeco Family and Friends.” The future of zydeco is here.
• Flickr: Mom’s Accordion and Sheet Music
  Nice photos of someone’s mother’s old accordion and vintage sheet music collection. I “inherited” a collection like this several years ago and I recognize many of titles (like the “Sedlon Accordion Method”).
• News & Star: Isaac is King of the Accordion
  Profile of Isaac Thompson, an eight-year-old accordion prodigy from Carlisle, UK. He started playing when he was five and has already won prizes at the National Accordion Championships. Start ’em young!

• Minneapolis Star-Tribute: The Sound of Devotion
  Great article on one of the few remaining “concertina strongholds”: New Prague, MN. Apparently, the Czech Area Concertina Club has nearly 250 members and even sponsors Chemnitzer concertina scholarships. Wow!
• Cotati Accordion Festival: 2007 Lineup
  This year’s Cotati lineup looks awesome: Brave Combo, Tony Lovello, Brian Jack and the Zydeco Gamblers, Those Darn Accordions, Forro for All, Limpopo, Big Lou’s Polka Casserole, and many more. And there might even be a Let’s Polka booth…
• MySpace Videos: Polkancerto by Mike Surratt
  Video for a song from Mike Surratt’s all-original polka CD, “The Polka Element”. “Polkancerto” mixes traditional polka and classical piano with new-age keyboard/accordion stylings. One of a kind.

• New York Post: Squeeze Play
  The Post talks to Walter Kuehr about the Main Squeeze Accordion Orchestra. “I had a dream that I would conduct an all-female accordion orchestra, and that the girls would wear pigtails and the music would be beautiful. It was the best dream I ever had.”
• Rochester Democrat & Chronicle: They Might Be Giants
  Recap of Saturday’s TMBG show in Rochester. “Linnell’s accordion, which he unleashed like a bag of gypsy weasels on ‘Particle Man,’ is the kind of untraditional rock instrument that goes with They Might Be Giants’ untraditional take on pop culture.”

• Accordion Floyd: Comfortably Numb
  Polka Floyd doesn’t have a monopoly on Pink Floyd accordion covers; check out Domenic Amatucci’s (of “Accordion Beatles” fame) excellent solo accordion rendition of “Comfortably Numb”.
• YouTube: Pingu Plays Accordion
  In this episode, Pingu the penguin plays the accordion — much to the annoyance of his family and friends. But after some lessons from Grandpa, his playing improves and suddenly he’s the center of attention (in a good way).