Accordion Tribe Members Instigator and original conceptualist of the project is New York accordionist Guy Klucevsek. Guy is known as the “rebel with an accordion” throughout the jazz and avant-garde world from his work with Bill Frisell, John Zorn, Anthony Braxton, Laurie Anderson and others, plus the numerous albums he’s released on his own. Guy, of Slovenian descent, was raised on polkas, then quickly expanded his interest into classical music studies for accordion. His influences are vast, including composers Penderecki, Xenakis and Ligeti, folk melodies of Eastern European and traditional music from around the world. Guy is a master of the free-bass accordion and, as with the other players in this project, his music goes beyond style and categorization. His recordings and performances are bizarre collections of inexplicable sounds and segues, melodies and improvisations. From a solo accordion piece that sounds like a cartoon train wreck to a delicate chamber piece with piano, violin, viola, cello and bass, his range, sophistication and power are unequalled. Guy has toured and performed in Europe, USA and Canada. Maria Kalaniemi, from Finland, is a master of free-bass button accordion. She is, in fact, recognized as Finland’s leading contemporary accordionist. Once a member of pioneering group Niekku, from the famed Sibelius Academy Folk Music Department, where she now teaches, her roots are in folk and classical music but her sights and abilities go far beyond existing styles. Technically brilliant as a player, and adept at improvisation, she is also a very powerful, intuitive and sensitive composer, with pieces that stylistically touch in numerous areas but feature her own personality as the driving force. Melody is the meaning and with Maria, listeners are sure to feel her message deeply. Maria has released many albums, the latest a duo with pianist Timo Alakotila. She is also a member of a female melodeon quintet called The Helsinki Melodeon Ladies and a Swedish-Finnish music group Ramunder. Maria has toured and performed with Aldargaz and with the Maria Kalaniemi Trio throughout Europe, USA and in Canada. Sweden’s Lars Hollmer is a true eccentric. From his home in Uppsala, Lars concocts imaginary worlds with accordion, keyboards and electric band, worlds that often sound completely crazy but are as deep-rooted and heartfelt as the simplest melody, which he also is known to produce with great ease. He has an illustrious past as founder and co-conspirator in Swedish bands Samla Mammas Manna, Zamla Mammas Manna and Von Zamla. But it’s his recent past, present and future which are the most challenging and interesting. His numerous albums under his own name and with his later constellations Looping Home Orchestra, Treasure Hunters and others are brilliant excursions of unpredictable fantasy adventure. Lars has toured and performed throughout Europe and in Canada with all his various groups. His most recent adventure is to Japan for project Sola with Japanese ensemble. Concerts took place in 2001 and a recording is due in 2002. Bratko Bibic hails from Slovenia. Member of 70’s legends Begnagrad, who recorded two stunning albums, Bratko eventually took his accordion to Nimal, a multi-national conglomerate of like minded souls, including cellist Tom Cora (USA) and top Swiss players known for their work with the also legendary Debile Menthol. Nimal’s three albums include some of the most challenging yet melodically and rhythmically stimulating music ever made. Bratko’s compositions were highlights, showcasing his accordion skills and illustrating his huge capacity for truly wild arrangements. In recent years, Bratko has toured as a solo, performing provocative sets of traditional, modern and post modern material, using his voice as an equally provocative instrument and demonstrating the full potential of the accordion through complex and spontaneous sound experiments. In 2000, Bratko reactivated and enlarged his Ljubljana based quintet The Madleys. They toured Europe and recorded a new CD “In the Family Garden”. Music featured on the CD is related to his silent movie/live music project which he presented for the first time in 1999 (Part One) and in 2001 (Part Two) on behalf of Slovene Cinematheque. The self-taught musician Otto Lechner comes from Austria and started playing accordion at age four. He lost his eyesight completely when he was 15.