Button Box jamming at the Illinois Polkafest 2-6-2010

ButtonBox Jamming at the Illinois Polkafest 2-6-2010

A special room was set up at the hotel for musicians to gather for a jam session. Around 9:30 on Saturday and Sunday people would drift into the room, take out their button box accordions, piano accordions and play some music. Dick and Kathy started it off. They knew the music well. Slovenian, Polish, Czech and German songs were played through three times. As soon as the box was out of the case, musicians joined in the playing. A banjo player added to the excitement.

Some knew each other from years past. Others knew the music and joined in. They knew what key they were playing in as instruments vary as to the key that is standard.

Sally from Duluth, MN took a rest and loaned her box to Jerry. Ed Collen from NE played triplets on the keyboard around the melody others were playing. Martin and Rok were there youngest at age 18 and 13. They played circles around some of the old timers. At the end of one session, Chuck played a energetic rendition of the Clarinet Polka as others were packing up their boxes. He really went after it. I met Dave Johnson and mentioned that he played pretty good button box Slavic tunes for a Swede. I mentioned I was a part Swede then told him my married name. He said kazuntite.


The room filled with over twenty instruments, mostly button boxes. It was a sound to fill the rafters. The audience was enthralled.


They started with two button boxes and added more.


Ten or more people brought their button boxes to join in the jamming along with banjo and a couple of concertinas. What a big sound.




Great banjo playing