Jean-Pierre,

I have been enjoying your music very much. Today, I sent the following to the accordion newslist, squeezebox@hockeytape.com, which includes accordion and concertina players throughout the world.

Lately, I have been enjoying the accordion playing of Jean-Pierre Guiran, a French piano accordion player, living in the Netherlands. He has recorded in three different settings.

His main gig (apparently) is with Orkest Polytour (a quartet - including 2 guitars and bass). On their CD, le Roi des jongleurs, they perform French songs (J-P sings them very well). They also produced an impressive academic work, researching the lyrics to Django Reinhardt’s tunes, Django Chante. For listening, I much prefer the "jongleur," and I listen to it a lot.

In another band, Bubblin’ Toorop Trio, Jean-Pierre plays with two impressive musicians, guitar/vocalist and violinist, to give a real 1930's American jazz performance. The CD is Laughin’ in Rhythm.

As the "Accordeon Melancolique" duo, Jean-Pierre joins with his life partner Cherie de Boer on the CD "L’imparfait du Coer," a wonderful selection of duet instrumentals, with a 1930’s France ambiance (South American tangos were very popular then - they play two). J-P apparently plays a Hohner of some age while Cherie plays a Guerrini.

The music is great for just plain listening, but I find it very useful for
"learning." In Orkest Polytour, J-P is the main guy, but in the trio, he is plays behind the vocalist. It is extremely interesting/useful/enjoyable for me to listen to his selection of chops and when he decides to apply them. In the duo, J-P apparently plays the lead, but the back-up accordion part is really great too.

Sound samples, reviews, links and ordering information can be found through: www.accordeonist.nl

I ordered my CD’s through the mail and got very good service.

Craig Hollingsworth
E-mail:chollingsworth@umext.umass.edu