Count Guido Deiro (1886-1950) was to the piano accordion as Barrios was to the guitar, Sousa to the marching band, Joplin to ragtime, and Zez Confrey to novelty piano. All but forgotten today (outside of accordion circles), Deiro gained renown in the early 20th century for his virtuoso live performances on the vaudeville circuit. He was a recording industry pioneer and something of a sex symbol (his romance and subsequent marriage to Mae West deserves a book in itself!). Deiro’s creative output largely consists of light, supremely crafted, and thoroughly entertaining fare. Who can resist the effortless melodic invention and rhythmic verve of his waltzes, tarantellas, polkas, marches, rags, and semi-classical period pieces?
But perhaps only an accordionist can appreciate Henry Doktorski’s masterful left-hand-button/right-hand keyboard coordination and effortless control of the instrument’s bellows. For example, he knows exactly how much “air” he needs to sustain the soft, cascading runs at the outset of “Moonlight Waltz” without running out of breath, so to speak. The performances totally respect Deiro’s original intentions, yet Doktorski’s infectious sense of rhythm (those deliciously-timed solo chromatic runs leading into new sections!) and instinct for landing upon the perfect tempo enlivens the music miles beyond the faded printed pages. Doktorski’s marvelous annotations unravel Deiro’s colorful life story, with its ups and downs equally accounted for. There’s no question that this release lovingly revives a key figure (all puns intended) in popular American music, and I look forward to Bridge’s reissue of Deiro’s original 78 rpm recordings. Bravo to all concerned! [2/21/2004]
