This is a tune composed by me dear dear friend the late Sylvia Maria Barber, who was an outstanding accordionist. She was from California and was known as the triple shake queen. ( A style of bellows shake which is very hard to master ) I came across this after copying files from an old hard drive I though was knackered. Glad I never lost it.
Sylvia was a lovely lady and had a real passion for accordion music. She played for a few years with the Lawrence Welk orchestra before Joanne Castle joined. Sylvia's playing lead accordion and I'm playing 2nd. It was a load of fun and she LOVED the biab backing. I honestly have no idea what tracks we used.

I know she'd have gotten a real kick reading comments on this.


https://soundcloud.com/graham-wilson-1/percolator-polka

By the way I decided not to tweak this and just left it as was. Quality isn't too bad considering the hard drive it was on hasn't worked for about 6 years

Graham, this is awesome. Your accordions rock!

The energy is high and the musicianship is superb.

My favorite parts are the runs(?) that start at around the :45 mark.

Scott

Yes, Sylvia can really play. But my friend so can you!

I have played a number of polkas but I have never heard of this one. Both of you must have had smoking fingers after this one!

Another winner from my favorite Accordion player!

Hi Scott, thanks for that, Sylvia did compose quite a few tunes, but sadly never recorded them on her PC. Her son has heaps of reel to reel tapes which he's going to get on a specially set up pc, so I'm really lookin forward to hearing her.
All that was done by ear as she never bothered to send me the music ROFL

WOW, she was good.
You're none to shabby yourself Graham.
I enjoyed it.

Nice work on this - as always, your work on the accordion here is perfect. I love the groove on this, and the high energy behind this. I can imagine it sounding unreal live.

Thanks for sharing!

Wow this is a very cool song. Some serious skill. Ms Barber was an incredible performer. Thanks for sharing

Exceptional accordion work.

Thanks buddy, dunno if the fingers could manage that now with the osteo arthritis playin up. That's one of the reasons I've not been posting much for a while, fingers even get sore typing these days. Oh well oldtimers disease knockin at the door

Hi Graham,

Thank you so much for posting this. It's really wonderful listening. I would have loved to see Ms Sylvia perform. I bet she had a pretty huge following!

All the best,
Noel

Hiya Deryk, it would have been amazing to have played live with her, apart from her playing she also had a gorgeous singing voice

Hi Graham,

This is virtuoso what both of you did on the accordion! What pitty she is no more...
I thought I'd heard a lot of accordionmusic when I was in Austria, but compared with your playing (and that is you, Graham) they were pretty dull. I'm sure we gonna hear a lot more from you on that instrument!

Hans

Hiya Scott, yeah Sylvia was fabulous for sure

Thanks Floyd

Hi Noel, I'm sure she did have a huge following. She was a very popular player in many of the American accordion festivals. I'm still sad I never got to meet her personally and have a session

Hans, thanks so much for those lovely words. I'm not really up for much fast playing these days as the fingers freeze on me, but slow ones I can manage fine.

Apologies if I've missed out on replying to anyone

This is superb - quite a show piece and incredibly virtuosic playing. Bravi to both!!!

Wow thanks for that

A great, rollicking tune well played by both of you. Having borrowed a friend's accordion for a couple of months some time ago I have some idea of the skill required to play such an instrument. Think I'll stick to strings.

Graham ...

This is such a fun song! And wow ... what talented musicians both of you are. As I've mentioned to you before, I've never been a big fan of the accordion, but I make an exception for you ... and now Barbara. You play so smoothly, elegantly and with now screeches (the main reason I've never been a big fan. But your music is always so entertaining and a joy to listen to.

This was great, And what splendid musicianship by both of you. I truly enjoyed this!!!

Wishing you the very best ...

Alan

ROFL, Strings can be easier Al. How's Di doin these days ?

Graham,
Great energy between you - I can almost see those accordions making sparks!
Sounds good as is-massaging with something new would take away from the fun and skill you captured with your friend.

Robert

Wow!!!

Fabulous performances!

Thanks for sharing.

J&B

PS We could very well have seen her on a Lawrence Welk show??

Thanks Alan, I'm sure Sylvia will be smiling down on us reading all these great comments

Great duet Graham...
Sylvia did a good job on the composition...
And both of you did a great job on the performance!

I found this video if anyone is interested.

Hi Jim & Thanks for the comment. I know Sylvia played in Texas a number of times, she was a great inspiration to me after I started playing again after a 20 year absence thanks to tendonitis which finished my career. She gave me so much encouragement we became such close friends. Sylvia was not just a virtuoso player, but she was also an entertainer which made all the difference

Here's another clip from Sylvia..



This really shows how brilliant she was as an ear player as these two had never played together prior to this session