Ici Paris (New Accordion Music)
"Ici Paris" is probably the definitive collection of master accordionist Michael Ganian's work. Containing 26 songs, this recording spans nine years of his career from 1993 to 1999 as it chronicles his development as a popular street performer to one of the most infuential accordion players and composers of all time. Able to blend the sounds of jazz, traditional Paris musette, and classical music like no other musician before or after him, Ganian and his band brilliantly create an entirely new style that's captured in its essence on this album. The bounding bass licks of Rudolf Smahel and chugging, jazzy drumming of Vitezslav Vavrda provide the perfect musical foils for Ganian to extrapolate his own modern masterpieces. Songs like "Siene," "Carduelis de Musette," "Montparnasse Bienvenue," "Passion Tree," and "I Am In Heaven" will leave listeners thristing for more Ganian's music. Luckily, JPMC Records is set to release another one of his classic recordings in the coming months, details on which will soon be posted here on jpmcrecords.com.
Michael Ganian
River
MJMNG-2030-CD
Michael Ganian
Touch
MJMNG-2040-CD
Ararat 1915
This may be the most diverse release by composer and accordionist Michael Ganian. Its moods range from lively and energetic to haunting and heavy and each composition on this recording invokes a different aspect of Ganian's compositional style. Ganian uses string arragements to great effect on this album, as he and his band are joined on many of the tracks by the Royal Symphonic Orchestra. Once again, Ganian's backing band is Vitezslav Vavrda on drums and Rudolf Smahel on bass. Listen to "Seine" for a great example of how Ganian ties all these musical elements together to create an visceral sense of urgency and passion or on the title track "Ararat 1915," where the mood shifts to meditative and thoughtful.
